redeeming my childhood

I did not grow up on cartoons like many children in my generation. My Saturday mornings were filled with my own imaginative past-times; creating worlds for my Playmobil figures to live in, planning circuses, plays, and game shows for my siblings and I to put on for our parents, and writing my pointless little stories in which my characters ran away from home and lived outlandish and extravagant lives. The only screen time I was allowed to partake in consisted of watching e-card messages on Dayspring, watching our old home movies, and maybe, if I was lucky, 20 stolen minutes of caring for my Webkinz animals while my momma-dearest was upstairs.

So yes, I lived an odd and sheltered childhood. My parents refused to let anything get in the way of organic creativity, and thus, I roamed free in my little world with only my thriving imagination to guide me. It wasn't until I was old enough to sign up for my own Netflix that I began to explore the vast expanse of storylines and characters that other people had created. I found that, instead of being glued to my screen to make up for lost time and rotting away my brain cells, I was actually using these new sources of entertainment to gather inspiration for my own stories that were always floating in unconnected sentences across my mind.

When I met my girlfriend and she first started showing me her favorite watching material, I was sucked into the world of cartoons and animated shows. I had previously been under the impression that cartoons were for the children whose parents had no desire to harbor creative passion, and instead set their little ones in front of the TV in order to get as many consecutive minutes of quiet as possible. All of a sudden, these little 10-minute bits that had always seemed pointless and unproductive to me became the solace where I fled to embrace my inner child. I found so much safety in the PG innocence of a cartoon.

I clung to each episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and road the emotional rollercoaster that is Steven Universe. With a little bit of exploration, I stumbled upon adult cartoons, to which I quickly became attached. Some of my favorites included classics such as American Dad and the Simpsons, as well as newer shows such as Solar Opposites and Archer. There was so much bliss to be found in the rich (and sometimes crass) humor of an adult-oriented animation.

Of all the shows I have tucked into my arsenal of entertainment, however, none will ever rival my ultimate crown of the cartoon genre-- Bob's Burgers. My first exposure to this gem of a show occurred after I drank a little too much alcohol at my girlfriend's house, and while I tossed and turned in attempt to sleep, she watched Bob's Burgers in the background, filling my subconscious with voices and stories that delighted my intoxicated mind. I woke up the next morning with a love for a show I had never truly watched. An 11-season binge quickly followed, and Bob's Burgers found a special place in my heart.

It has never been embarrassing for me to admit that my comfort show is indeed a cartoon, instead of the more common go-to's, such as The Bachelor, or Grey's Anatomy. I find the members of the Belcher family, quick-witted Louise, boy-obsessed Tina, reluctant Bob, optimistic Linda, and eccentric Gene, much more relatable than characters in any other shows. The show follows this endearing middle-class family through every-day situations that turn into zany adventures that always end happily.

Yes, Bob's Burgers is the show I watch to zone out on my breaks at work, to wind down before bedtime, and to boost my mood when I'm feeling blue. I can quote lines from most of the episodes, and sing along to the little jingles (only if no one is watching). I've shared my love for Bob's Burgers with my siblings, my friends, and random people I meet on the street. Nobody is too old or too young to enjoy an uplifting episode of this beloved show.

I never thought that I could keep my childhood alive by watching a show I discovered in my 20s. Somehow, I connect on a deep level with the personalities of each fictional member of the Belcher family, reminding me of the kid I once was and the one I always want to be.