Bob's Burgers has been around for 2011 and in that time, the show has changed a lot. The one thing that hasn't changed is the group of characters at its core.
While some might argue that Bob's Burgers only has six core characters, I disagree and believe that the show has six including Teddy. Even though Teddy wasn't there for the show's premiere, the handyman has quickly become an honorary Belcher family member.
Due to that, he's considered as part of the central characters in the series. After Teddy, there is the entire Belcher family consisting of Bob Belcher, Linda Belcher, Tina Belcher, Gene Belcher, and Louise Belcher. With 5 Belcher family members and one Teddy, this isn't an easy ranking to do.
If anything, it feels like trying to pick my favorite book or my favorite episode of Bob's Burgers which feels impossible but let's get into it.
Let's rank the 6 central characters of Bob's Burgers
6. Teddy
As much as I love Teddy, he's not technically a member of the Belcher family so he's going to the bottom of the list. Plus let's be honest: Teddy is a little bit weird and has some moments so sometimes, it feels like he's just a little off-base when it comes to the Belchers. Regardless, the show wouldn't be the same without him as he's the restaurant's one consistent customer. Even if nothing works out, Bob's Burgers always has Teddy to fall back on.
5. Linda Belcher
Coming in at the #5 spot is none other than Linda Belcher. The matriarch of the Belcher family, it pains me to put Linda so low on the list. As awesome as Linda can be, she just doesn't get as much love as the other characters. When looking at a regular season of the show, Linda never gets as many devoted episodes or as great of storylines. Plus like Teddy, Linda can tend to be a bit much at times and that doesn't always bode well in certain plots. Either way, one of TV's best moms snags the #5 spot on our list.
4. Gene Belcher
This is where some Bob's Burgers fans might be ready to fight me but just hear me out. As the middle child in the Belcher family, Gene lives up to the stereotypes. He tends to be a bit over-the-top and can't seem to find what works for him. While music is something he loves, he doesn't seem to have the same passion as his siblings. Plus like Linda, the Gene-centric episodes don't always tend to show him in the best light. Ultimately, Gene ended up close to the middle of the list like the classic middle-child stereotype.
3. Bob Belcher
Right in the very middle of the list, we have the namesake of the series: Bob Belcher. We couldn't put Bob any lower as he's the entire backbone of the family and the restaurant. While Bob has his moments, it's clear he's trying his best. Even though the restaurant has yet to take off, Bob doesn't give up and he brings that same energy to being a father and husband. Ultimately, the series wouldn't be the same without Bob so he had to be near the top of the list.
2. Tina Belcher
Let's talk about about girl, Tina Belcher. Coming in at #2, this is another pick that might ruffle some feathers. Between her two siblings, Tina feels like the character who has matured yet still stayed the same since the beginning. She's a hormonal teenager who isn't afraid to be herself and a lot of us admire that. Additionally, some of the best Bob's Burgers episodes have been focused on her including "The Horse Rider-er," "Pig Trouble in Little Tina," "The Equestranauts
" and "Vampire Disco Death Dance."
While Tina is a great sibling, friend, and an awesome character, she was edged out by one of her siblings.
1. Louise Belcher
Last but certainly not least, the top stop goes to none other than Louise Belcher. As the youngest sibling in the Belcher family, Louise has done the most growth throughout the series. At first, she seemed like a hyper and money-obsessed child yet the show changed her in the best way. As the series carried on, Louise became thoughtful, caring, and mischievous without some of the extra elements we saw when the series began.
There are some episodes that are just better because Louise shows up and frankly, part of that is because of Kristen Schaal's amazing voice acting job. Plus we can't forget about the writers, making it all happen. Once again, some of the best Bob's Burgers episodes feature Louise in its central plot including "The Hauntening," "Amelia," "Boyz 4 Now" and "Hawk & Chick." There's no other character I could think of to top this list other than Louise.
Season 15 of Bob's Burgers airs Sundays on Fox at 9/8c.
How would you rank the central characters of Bob's Burgers? Be sure to let us know your rankings!