Very few things were keeping me loyal to my subscription to Apple TV. Apple TV+ has once again branded itself as exclusive, and the only shows/movies I was able to watch were Apple originals. None of the originals were suiting my fancy. Until Apple TV said they were going to release their first cartoon on the platform. Central Park had Bob’s Burgers creators under their belt and stars Josh Gad and Kristen Bell in an animated musical about New York’s Central Park.

Nonchalantly, I was counting down the days to May 29th feeling giddy about a new musical hitting Apple TV+ and making this subscription worth it. Loyal to Eleanore Shelstrop, I knew that anything that starred Kristen Bell would be amazing and any character she played would be my favorite (Anna is an exception) and I was right. Kristen Bell’s character is my favorite but that was compared to the rest of the characters who were bland as bread. While the two shows, Central Park and Bob’s Burgers, are very similar to being TV-PG and 20ish minutes long, Bob’s Burgers had more charisma despite being a 2011 show. While Central Park is full of heart through their musical numbers and Kristen Bell, it lacks Bob’s Burger’s authentic character development through setting application and anecdotal storytelling.

Through setting application, the first four minutes establishes a clear dynamic of Bob’s Burgers family relationship. Bob’s Burgers jumps right into the first scene at Bob’s restaurant with the whole family sitting around the counter. The restaurant’s main asset is a full storefront window overlooking New Jersey. The camera is inside the restaurant where we see the pedestrians walking on the road. The cramped stores show Bob’s Burgers as a more local shop rather than a large chain restaurant. The family has a humble background and isn’t money-hungry corporation giants. The bustling pedestrians outside are bright and lively colors making them more likable. Bob and his family are colored in the same spiffy bright colors and fit right into the world that they are in. Through the window, the audience is given the opportunity to mind map the rest of the world and leaves them the creativity to interpret the show how they like thus making it a more personal viewing experience. However Central Park doesn’t introduce the characters together until 3 minutes into the episode. Central Park starts the episode with the song, “Central in my Heart.” The musical number is endearing however it follows one character, rather than the family, Buster/Birdie, as he parades through the park listing out New Yorkers like to do in the park “since 1857.” Without introducing the main characters, the first two minutes lead the audience to believe that we will be following Birdie around the entire episode. Then we meet the main characters, the park manager, and his family at their home. They didn’t sing in the song, they didn’t dance in the opening, they are simply strangers that Birdie thought were important enough to mention. Personally, I would have preferred for the show to just continue with Birdie singing in the park. Birdie is now spying on the family outside the window and eavesdropping on their conversation. The camera being outside with Birdie physically distances the audience from the family and leaves us in confusion on why this show isn’t about eccentric Birdie but this dull family. It may be dramatic to say that Central Park needs to introduce the main characters within 2 minutes or less, but considering the episode is 20ish minutes long, the opening scene has to establish the characters fast, or else the audience will be disconnected.

Through anecdotal storytelling, Bob’s Burgers characters are developed more authentically than Central Park’s. The first time that we meet the park manager’s family, we are given their names and personality traits from Birdie. There are short cut scenes, the parents at their workplace, and the kids with their hobbies, which doesn’t give the audience any room to interpret the show for themselves. Because of the insistent cookie-cutter personality traits and characteristics that Birdie was directly telling the audience, I found myself getting bored with the show. There wasn’t room to wonder if the mother did well in her journalism career because Birdie already told us she’s struggling. There wasn’t room to wonder if the father was a passionate park manager because that was already mentioned. This is done in a relatively short time, and for the rest of the episode, there isn’t much left to learn about the characters. Bob’s Burgers achieves introducing the characters in a short time but more of why they act as they do. The first scene opens with a normal conversation between the family about burgers and why they aren’t selling well. Burgers are the main asset to their business, and they care enough about their business to devise ideas with each other. They also respect each other’s ideas despite their wacky family dynamic. Louise manipulates her class into telling them her father’s business sells human flesh. The reaction of the family, parents are angry and siblings think it’s funny, establishing their own personalities as well as Louise’s. Central Park has a family lunch scene where they eat in their home. Birdie annoyingly interrupts this scene with narration as the family talk about their days.

Personally, I don’t remember what they were talking about during this scene even though I watched it yesterday because this family is way too boring. The only person I like is the daughter that is voiced by Kristin Bell and that’s because, “Weirdos,” is arguably the best song in the musical show.

Bob’s Burgers also takes consideration into time by addressing the problem of the episode in less than 4 minutes. But, there is a second problem that arrives at minute 4 where Bob and his wife, Linda, address their marital issues. The show is set at a time where Bob and Linda are comfortably married to each other, a middle-aged relationship, and the viewers watch their relationship unfold. Linda puts in anecdotes of Bob’s disregard for their anniversaries that the viewers weren’t present for, and Linda’s feelings about this issue have been festering for a long time.

This may be a harsh critique comparing the creator’s Central Park 2020 first episode with Bob’s Burger 2011 first episode. I was a different kid in 2011, but I don’t believe that nostalgia is why I hold Bob’s Burgers at a pedestal. Although nostalgia is an important factor to consider, mistakes were made too early in Central Park. There are some things I did like about the show; the music was great, every single song was catchy. But Bob’s Burgers gives ‘American sitcoms turned cartoon’ a good name. I surely resonate with Tina and Louise more than the names of the kids I forgot in Central Park.