--- description: Forget the Simpsons / Family Guy crossover. This Sunday, Fox's funniest animated show crosses two '80s movies--to music. title: Review, Bob's Burgers Season 5 Premiere image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcf7b5d22f1781098/6986a6bf13c79fc57419435f/414_21a_11_tk1-0139_hires1.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # _Bob's Burgers_: Die Hard, Laugh Harder by [James Poniewozik](/author/james-poniewozik/) ## James Poniewozik Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 3, 2014 1:00 PM CUT  BOB'S BURGERS: Gene must decide if the show can go on when his musical tribute to two beloved 80's movie hits is challenged by another classmate's school play in the all-new "Work Hard or Die Trying Girl" Season Premiere episode of BOB'S BURGERS airing Sunday Oct. 5 (7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. BOB'S BURGERS ª and © 2014 TCFFC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. BOB'S BURGERS: Gene must decide if the show can go on when his musical tribute to two beloved 80's movie hits is challenged by another classmate's school play in the all-new "Work Hard or Die Trying Girl" Season Premiere episode of BOB'S BURGERS airing Sunday Oct. 5 (7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. BOB'S BURGERS ª and © 2014 TCFFC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.FOX by [James Poniewozik](/author/james-poniewozik/) ## James Poniewozik Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 3, 2014 1:00 PM CUT The Internet expended a lot of energy last weekend over the _Simpsons_ / _Family Guy_ crossover. Was it a travesty? Was it an embarrassing stunt? Is Peter Griffin not fit to carry Homer’s Squishee cup? Yes, yes and yes! But there’s really little to add to that debate that [South Park didn’t say perfectly](http://entertainment.time.com/2007/10/19/tv%5Ffight%5Fsouth%5Fpark%5Fvs%5Ffamily/ "undefined") years ago. The insult that really stuck with me, though, had nothing to do with _The Simpsons_. Homer and Peter are flying in an airplane–because some _Family Guy_ writers wanted to do a joke involving an airplane–and Homer notices another passenger: Bob Belcher of _Bob’s Burgers_. “We gotta carry him because he can’t fly on his own,” Peter says. The joke, I guess, is that _Bob’s Burgers_ coasts on the ratings strength of the other two Fox animation shows. (To be fair, the same bit zinged Seth MacFarlane’s late _The Cleveland Show_.) If you can’t argue the facts, argue the law, they say; and if you can’t argue quality, argue ratings. _Bob’s Burgers_ wasn’t on the air last week to make the case for itself, but it’s back this Sunday. And while I would never argue _The Simpsons_‘ overall place atop TV Mountain–_Family Guy_, you’re on your own–its season 5 premiere proves that, right now, _Bob’s_ is the best animated show on Fox. True, this greasy-spoon family comedy has flown, well, under the radar for most of its four years on the air. But it’s become the reward I save on my TiVo season pass, the show I want to watch when I’ve finished all the shows I _have_ to watch, thanks to its inspired weirdness, expressive voice casting (including H. Jon Benjamin, Eugene Mirman and Kristin Schaal), odd but fully realized characters–and some of the best musical comedy bits on TV. Every one of those qualities shines in the premiere, “Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl,” which involves, of course, elaborately staged musical adaptations of _Die Hard_ and _Working Girl_ (the Bruce Willis movie’s “sassy sister”). I could spill the details–middle child Gene (Mirman), with more enthusiasm than talent, competes with a rival to write the school musical–but I would hope I had you at “musical adaptations of _Die Hard_ and _Working Girl_.” If you’re already watching _Bob’s_, the premiere will not disappoint. If you haven’t yet, don’t worry–you can jump into this episode with no problem. Let _The Simpsons_ and _Family Guy_ dogfight all they want. _Bob’s Burgers_ has wings, and it sings. Review, Bob's Burgers Season 5 Premiere ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3457510/bobs-burgers-die-hard-laugh-harder/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3457510/bobs-burgers-die-hard-laugh-harder/"},"headline":"Bob's Burgers: Die Hard, Laugh Harder","datePublished":"2014-10-03T13:00:24.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T10:33:41.280Z","description":"Forget the Simpsons / Family Guy crossover. 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