Bob’s Burgers spoilers follow, though you likely already know them.

The only thing more unashamedly brilliant than the Belcher family is Bob Belcher himself. Not only is this man a fantastic cook, despite working in a “crappy restaurant”, but he’s also proven time and again to be an integral part of the LGBTQ+ community in his local town.

By the sixth episode of season one, titled ‘Sheesh! Cab, Bob?’, Bob reveals himself to be supportive of the trans community, becoming friends with a group of queer sex workers. Not once does he hesitate or reveal any underlying bigotry. He simply accepts them for who they are. It would seem that Mr. Fischoeder had it right when he said that “Bobs are once in a lifetime.”

But it isn’t just Bob’s allyship that that has helped him flip his way into our hearts as skillfully as he flips those burgers. It’s his unquestionable bisexual flair too.

Don’t believe us? Well, it can easily be missed if you’re looking for the message to be loudly hammered home in every scene. But if you watch for the nuance of Bob’s sexuality, you begin to see the telltale markers of a bisexual man emerge.

Arguably, it’s the memorable supermarket scenes from season four’s ‘Turkey in a Can’ that really cement his bisexuality as (un)official canon. That episode changed everything. It had such an impact that even now, eight years later, people are still talking about it.

At the time, fans and several queer news outlets alike praised how the episode helped Bob transition into the bi icon we know today. It’s so widely accepted that Bob is bi that he even has his own character profile on Bi.org.

During the episode, Bob’s beloved turkeys keep ending up in the toilet, followed by the occasional slip into the litter tray. Determined to have a wonderful Thanksgiving, which any fan knows is Bob’s favorite holiday, he relentlessly keeps buying a new bird to cook. Enter Tony, the deli counter guy.

Bob’s continuous need to buy more turkeys is misconstrued by Tony as a means to ask him out, an offer he pretends not to be interested in. However, during their last encounter, Tony gives Bob his number. Bob tries to pretend he isn’t interested, but soon says the classic line: “I’m straight. I mean, I’m mostly straight. And I’m married. But if I wasn’t… who am I kidding, you’re out of my league. I’ll call you.”

In a few short moments, Bob quickly clears up the idea that he’s heterosexual, and that if he weren’t married, he’d likely explore his flirtation with Tony further. The fact he even doubts his worthiness to date Tony smacks of relationship insecurities many experience when interested in someone new.

To some viewers, Bob’s comment may read more like a throwaway moment, an insignificant queerbait that entices without ever delivering. But when you put it alongside other just as subtle interactions, Bob’s bisexuality becomes increasingly clear.

‘L’il Hard Dad’ from season five, is another great example that reaffirms Bob’s bi status. When Bob purchases a Vanquisher helicopter from Hobby Hole employee Terry, the two men end up in an intimate embrace. Terry wraps his arms around Bob to help guide him through the controls, with Bob remarking that the process is pretty intuitive.

At this point, the creators could have shown Bob pulling away from Terry, the two of them feeling awkward about the situation. Instead, when Terry admits he doesn’t need to hold Bob in this way Bob says “no, it helps.”

In later seasons, specifically season nine’s ‘Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street’, Bob comments on how attractive Glenn, the “smell-nice handyman,” is. Quickly followed by him stating that Glenn isn’t his type. It’s unlikely a straight character would do that. They’d either not say anything at all, or make a joke about not being into men—types wouldn’t factor into it. At no point does Bob give any indication he’s joking, he says it as deadpan serious as many of his other lines.

Of course, such subtlety brings a complicated element to the reading of this character. By never officially using the word bisexual, Bob’s sexuality remains largely ambiguous. We’ve seen it from other animated characters, like Lisa Simpson; viewers are given regular breadcrumbs of apparent confirmation, yet it’s done in a way that never outwardly says what we all suspect and know.

Given how LGBTQ+ friendly Bob’s Burgers is, it seems strange that they’ve yet to make that loud and proud leap. However, considering that someone’s queerness isn’t their only defining feature, there’s an authenticity to the creators not screaming from Wonder Wharf that Bob is bi. He’s comfortable in his skin and knows who he is. The need to hastily make it a prominent part of the show would arguably shift the dynamics, making the move seem less genuine and heartfelt.

Maybe one day the show will finally give Bob a queer flashback to confirm previous same-sex love interests, but it’s not needed to confirm his bi status. Regardless of who he’s loved and/or been with, Bob Belcher is a man who’s secure in his sexuality. If that isn’t iconic bisexual energy, we don’t know what is.

Bob’s Burgers airs on Fox every Sunday night in the U.S.

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