Just after signing on with Matthew McConaughey to produce the animated series “Rooster,” Fox has given “Bob’s Burgers” the green light. From the mind of Loren Bouchard, co-creator of “Dr. Katz” and “Home Movies,” “Burgers” is an animated series based on an East Coast family who runs a fast food joint.
“One of the great things about telling a story is that (the show) could be a workplace and family comedy at exactly the same moment,” said Bouchard, who originally thought of doing a comedy about a family of cannibals running a restaurant but dropped the cannibalism part.
Bouchard, who is executive producing/co-showrunning “Burgers” with Jim Dauterive (“King of the Hill”), said he chose a burger place versus a traditional restaurant because “it feels very iconic.”
Although “Burgers” will have a similar look and tone to the rest of the comedies from Fox’s Sunday animated block, it will be “a little more urban,” said Bouchard, who spent several years working in bars and restaurants during his 20s.
The original voice cast included H. Jon Benjamin as Bob, John Roberts as wife Linda and Kristen Schaal, Eugene Mirman and Dan Mintz as the kids. Fox gave the series a 13-episode order after viewing a 12-minute presentation. It’s unclear whether the cast will return, but Bouchard is optimistic.
As am I. “Dr. Katz” is one of my favorite series of all time and Bouchard was an integral part of its success.
Fox has teamed with Matthew McConaughey to executive produce “Rooster,” an animated series based on the laid back actor’s brother, Mike “Rooster” McConaughey.
“My brother’s life is so unbelievable, we had to animate it,” McConaughey said. (case in point: Mike’s second son was named “Miller Lyte,” after his favorite frosty beverage)
The series will follow a redneck sheriff who marries a younger Mexican woman, only to inherit her 114-plus relatives.
The show was reportedly part of a bidding war between Comedy Central, TBS and Fox, with the latter emerging as the eventual winner. Matthew will serve as executive producer on the series, via his production company, J.K. Livin’ Production.
This should satisfy fans of “King of the Hill,” the long-running series from Mike Judge which went off the air this year. Since Seth McFarlane’s slate and “The Simpsons” already populate Sunday nights on Fox, we can expect “Rooster” to air during a different night.
Given the time of year, I’ve been very busy, so that’s why I’m posting my thoughts on the season finale of “Dancing with the Stars” a bit late. I’m still angry at the outcome.
Looking at each of the 16 couples out there, I can’t believe how long I’ve been writing about the show. It’s been a learning experience, that’s for sure. Hopefully this knowledge will be of use someday, but I’m having trouble picturing that scenario.
We haven’t seen Whitney Houston for a while. How many comebacks does one get before they’re just a nostalgia act? An artist can’t fail on their first comeback and then call their return a few years later another comeback. A comeback somehow implies success. I’d call Whitney Houston’s current situation an “attempt.”
Ashley Hamilton looks like a Target model.
I guess it’s exciting to see all these celebrities back on the dance floor. I forgot Macy Gray was a contestant. Watching Natalie kick ass again, it’s obvious that she should be in the finals. She has the strength, flexibility, and finesse that is made for ballroom dancing. She’s the only one who could have given Mya a run for her money. I still have no clue why fans didn’t vote for her.
Kelly Osbourne with Louie Van Amstel (Viennese waltz)
So, Kelly and Louis just made everyone cry. You know, as much as I hate buying into the simple stories of some of these celebrities, Kelly Osbourne’s progress on this show is quite touching. She and I are about the same age, and I specifically remember watching her on “The Osbournes” and thinking she was a terror. She’s redeemed herself on this show in my book. I just hope she doesn’t make a sex tape or land another reality gig.
Mya with Dmitry Chaplin (jive)
Yeah, yeah, we get it — you guys are going to win.
Donny Osmond with Kym Johnson (Argentine tango)
Was this dance this boring the first time? I imagine the steps are virtually the same, but it’s missing the gusto an Argentine tango should contain. Also, Donny nearly dropped Kym at the end.
How in the hell did Donny and Kym get first place for this final dance? Kelly and Louie produced the waterworks and they get third? Not fair.
I didn’t really pay attention to the “Michael Irvin vs. Jerry Rice” segment. You didn’t either.
Aaron Carter is a talented dancer. One could make a case that he belongs in the finals. What is he going to do now that his time on the show is complete? Oh yeah, we didn’t really know what he was doing before he learned to do the rumba.
The group mambo with Joanna Krupa, Steve Wozniak, Jerry Springer, and Cloris Leachman barely kept me awake. Is the finale always two hours? That’s a very long time to make us wait just to find out who the champion is.
More Whitney Houston. She came back. Another comeback.
Kelly and Louis just got third place. When did I start writing these things? Three months ago? Wow. It truly must have been a life-changing experience for Kelly. She brought something new to the table every week and it’s been exciting to witness her success on this show.
Congratulations to Donny and Kym for winning Season 9 of “Dancing with the Stars.” Throughout this competition, I’ve complimented Donny’s ability to be both technical and entertaining.
Mya is a different type of dancer. What are the words I’m looking for? Oh yes, she’s a better dancer. She’s a better dancer than Donny — easily. Every time she and Dmitry took the floor, I would forget about my obligation to critique her routine. Seriously, what are her flaws? I challenge any of my readers to state a convincing argument why Donny deserved to win
Donny owes the state of Utah a huge “thank you.” I don’t know why I’m so angry. Donny seems like a good guy, but he must know that Mya got screwed.
Lap it up, Utah. You have the new “Dancing with the Stars” and MLS Cup champions.
Only two more shows until we have a new champion. I tend to think of it as the first championship, since I had never watched “Dancing with the Stars” until this season. Has there been another contestant on this show as good as Mya, the R&B singer about to walk away with the mirrorball? I doubt it. She really is a gifted dancer and I can’t imagine any celebrity from past seasons that match her ability.
My list of crushes growing up is hazy at best. I remember thinking Larisa Oleynik from “The Secret World of Alex Mack” was very cute. She may have been my first crush. At some point around this time, I saw Pras’ “Ghetto Superstar” music video. The song featured Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Mya, a young singer with a soothing voice and, in my eyes, the perfect face. Now its 2009 and she still looks great — now she’s even a terrific dancer.
Donny and Kelly will have to be phenomenal tonight if they have any chance at winning this thing.
Couples Dance
Each of the judges gave one of the teams some pointers. Let’s see if the couples paid attention.
Kelly Osbourne with Louis Van Amstel (Argentine tango)
This performance was sharp and focused. Still, she didn’t show any character. Actually, the celebrities rarely do. Donny is the only one who attempts to bring any theater to the dance, but that sometimes fails. Although I expect Kelly to finish in third, she has certainly improved by greater strides than any of her opponents — they just had more talent to being with.
Mya with Dmitry Chaplin (paso doble)
So, Mya is the clear-cut favorite to take home the trophy. Even though she nailed the footwork in this routine, I think it lacked intensity. This team rarely bores me, but I expected something more powerful since it’s the finals.
I’ve been watching this show for months and I still don’t know squat, apparently. The judges all loved it.
Donny Osmond with Kym Johnson (cha cha cha)
Donny should have been ousted last week, but American women who grew up with Donny in the 70s kept him afloat. This is the best Donny has danced in a couple weeks — not a bad time to get it going.
Megamix
All couples will dance three styles (Viennese waltz, samba, jive) back-to-back. They will then be judged first, second, and third.
Already, I don’t like this. How can the judges possibly monitor all three teams at once? Each of the couples are dancing to their own rhythm. Which is correct? They are all doing different moves at different times. This looks so sloppy, the judges should just disregard this whole performance. If there is another season (obviously, I’m kidding), they shouldn’t bring back this “Megamix” mess. Here’s how the couples placed:
1st: Mya and Dmitry 2nd: Donny and Kym 3rd: Kelly and Louis
Go figure.
Freestyle
The couples pick the music and construct their own dance, which doesn’t have to stay within a certain genre.
Kelly Osbourne with Louis Van Amstel
She looks really pretty. That’s cool. I’m amazed that she kept her composure after falling. I expected her to break down and cry, but she didn’t. She just kept smiling and dancing.
Mya with Dmitry Chaplin
I don’t think I ever noticed how talented Dmitry was until this dance. I’ve always focused on Mya, which makes complete sense.
Anyway, what the hell happened with this dance? Something just seemed off.
Oh well, they still got a score of 27.
Donny Osmond with Kym Johnson
This was probably the best dance of the night, correct? The choreography was designed in a way to keep everything interesting. I don’t think this dance will get him the mirrorball, but he deserves second place.
Hm, maybe he will win. He just got a perfect score.
I wonder what it would have been like to watch this finale with someone unfamiliar with “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Even if this person had seen an episode or two of “Seinfeld,” they surely wouldn’t have gotten though this block of television without walking out of the room. There’s too much going on for the casual viewer — too many ideas, too many risks, too many inside jokes. Last night’s episode was a love note specifically to the fans of the two shows. Of course, there are millions out there.
I’ve been having trouble gathering my thoughts on the finale. Given the lush layers of meta-comedy, it’s been tough developing a succinct piece. Rather than break down last night’s plot or provide a critique, I want to answer the simple question that other reviewers have posed — a question you might be pondering as well: Will there be another season of “Curb?”
Yes, there has to be, and all the evidence was provided last night. In 2007, Larry David and his wife filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences.” (When I get my divorce, that is what the documents will say.) David took two years off between Seasons 6 and 7 to get his ducks in order. In that time, he began piecing together what would become the story arc for Season 7: Larry tries to win Cheryl back by casting her in a “Seinfeld” reunion. It’s the perfect plan for Larry David’s character and the perfect incentive for fans of “Seinfeld” to give “Curb” a chance.
To be honest, I think the past two seasons of “Curb” are the best in its run. I watched an episode the other day from Season 2 and, while funny, it doesn’t hold a candle to those from 6 or 7. Larry David has mastered playing this slanted version of himself. Go take a look at his performances in the earlier seasons – he hasn’t figured “himself” out yet. When you examine all the levels on which Season 7 operates, it’s really impressive. Larry David the actor as Larry David the character playing George Costanza the character will go down as one of the most convoluted, yet brilliant moments in television. Reading about this stuff isn’t fair to the episode — just watch it, laugh, and recognize the years and years it took for this comedy to materialize. It’s astonishingly unique.
But why will there be a Season 8?
I know it’s been said before, but “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is Larry’s life. The show is ultimately constructed from the content in the notepad Larry carries around everywhere he goes. After Larry went through his divorce, it’s no surprise that the next season of his TV show dealt with that issue. Do I think Larry intended to win his actual ex-wife back by having “Curb’s” Larry and Cheryl re-unite in a near tear-jerking scene? No, I don’t. But since Larry David’s life, quite literally, belongs in television, it’s not all that weird that he would simultaneously mock the medium. In the show, Jerry Seinfeld points out that reunions are lame — fans want everything to work out wonderfully, with plenty of schmaltz and all the loose ends perfectly tied. Thankfully, this season’s finale will simply please fans of “Curb” — not fans of traditional television.
What else is a wealthy observational comedian supposed to do with his time? Not work? As Larry shamelessly admits in this season’s episodes, his life implodes when he has nothing to do.
We’ll get another season when Larry gets sick of being Larry. From what I understand, that shouldn’t be too long.
