Written by Tyler Zucker
Fox’s hit animated series Bob’s Burgers has entertained millions of fans over the past decade with its simple story of the Belcher family and their seaside burger joint. With so many seasons under his belt, series creator Loren Bouchard decided to head over to Apple TV+ to take on a new, more musical story in a new, less greasy setting. Central Park captures the same family friendly humor as its predecessor while expanding upon its musical palette to an amazing degree.
The pilot opens with the central character Birdie (show co-creator Josh Gad, Frozen), a street performer and the series’s narrator, as he sings a quick song informing us about the iconic landscape and its inhabitants before introducing us to the main cast. He comically describes each of the four members while crouching in their bushes and watching them through their window.
Ever-anxious park ranger Owen (Leslie Odom Jr, Harriet) is loved by his journalist wife Paige Hunter (Kathryn Hahn, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse) and his two kids Molly (Kristen Bell, The Good Place) and Cole (Tituss Burgess, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). Based on the series first three episodes, it is clear that the writers know where these characters could go and which future pairings may lead to the funniest scenarios. Paige’s frantic energy bounces off of Owen’s nervous and by-the-books personality while the kids work together in their storylines, unlike a majority of sitcom siblings.
However, some characteristics do seem borrowed from the creator’s past effort. Owen tends to feel a bit like Bob’s Burgers titular character when angered or annoyed though not as apathetic or monotone otherwise. Molly also shares similarities to both Tina and Louise from the aforementioned series, but she is more artistic and less mischievous than the latter and is only crazy about one particular boy instead of every one like the former. These similarities could become less pronounced later into the season, but as of now they are quite noticeable.
Unlike Bob’s Burgers, Central Park is first and foremost a musical. Bob’s has featured musical numbers throughout the series, more and more so as the series progressed, but this series is actually driven by its excellent songs in every episode. From the third episode’s “The Park is Mine” fight song to the pilot’s “Own It”, they all sound like they were ripped straight from the latest hit play, and the narrative naturally flows with reprises and new songs starting and restarting. None of it feels forced and at least one of the songs is bound to get stuck in viewers’s head sooner or later.
It might seem daunting to fill each episode to the brim with Broadway caliber songs, but the extensive cast list helps make that feat seem effortless. Hamilton alum Daveed Diggs (Snowpiercer) plays the assistant to business entrepreneur Bitsy (Stanley Tucci, The Devil Wears Prada), and, although he is rarely in the musical numbers, when he does sing it is consistently hilarious and well executed. Tucci’s voice acting, as the bitter and sometimes clueless Bitsy, is so perfect for the character, and it is a pleasure whenever she is on screen. The relationship between the two characters is one of the many highlights of the show and seems likely to only improve upon itself as the show progresses.
Like most animated shows on streaming services, Central Park aims for a more serial narrative instead of a different story every week. Although the show is not exactly plot heavy, it is interesting enough for those not particularly invested in musical theater to watch. Bitsy ends the first episode by singing her song “Central to My Plot” in which it is revealed she wants to buy the park and replace it with apartment complexes. It’s the catalyst for most of the season’s plot developments and allows for many of the one-off characters to have a moment to shine while also expanding the world of the show.
With the rest of the season scheduled to be released weekly over the next few months, it’ll be a joy to check in on this colorful cast. Hearing the new songs written by artists such as Sara Bareilles, Aimee Mann, Meghan Trainor, and Fiona Apple as we see the story unravel every week is a nice change of pace to Bob’s Burgers story of the week format, and Tucci and Digg’s chemistry as Bitsy and Helen make for some of the most hilarious bits in the show so far. Molly and Owen’s misadventures feel fresh, and her drawings about being a superhero offer a nice alternative to the musical moments. Above all, the show’s kind humor and colorful outlook is such a pleasant viewing experience when everything else on or off TV has been so bleak lately.
