Bob’s Burgers Wins First Animation Emmy

Cult-hit cartoon beats Futurama, South Park, TMNT and Archer for Outstanding Animated Program Emmy.

Quirky, good-natured animated sitcom Bob’s Burgers has carved out a loyal following and solid (is unspectacular) ratings over four seasons on Fox, but in terms of a pop-cultural footprint it’s seemed to live in the shadows of established giants like The Simpsons and series with more “extreme” sensibilities like Family Guy or South Park. But at Saturday’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards, the underdog show came out on top – winning its first award for Outstanding Animated Program.

The award is given based on a single episode of a nominated series, in this case for “Mazel Tina,” in which Bob’s eldest daughter Tina (often called the show’s breakout character) volunteers her restauranteur family as caterers in a bid to attend a popular classmate’s party. It won out over impressive competition from the series finale of Futurama, South Park’s “Black Friday,” Nickelodeon’s TMNT and Archer: Vice, – with which it shares lead voice-actor H. Jon Benjamin and has done a crossover.

Created by Home Movies alumn Lauren Bouchard, Bob’s Burgers follows the misadventures of a family operating a small independent hamburger restaurant in a boardwalk community. It is scheduled to begin its fifth season this fall on Fox, with reruns currently syndicated to the Adult Swim network.

Source: Deadline