8 Relatable Traits of Tina Belcher from ‘Bob’s Burgers’

It’s hard not to love Bob’s Burgers. Not only does the show, which focuses around a family-run (and struggling) burger business, continue to think of fresh concepts that other shows featured on FOX’s Sunday night comedy block have never utilized. (I mean, they had an entire episode based on a lost, talking toilet!) But it’s become such a hit that there are already plans to release both a comic book featuring the characters in the show, as well as a CD featuring many of the original songs created throughout the show’s four-season run. Your favorite comedian probably joined the cast for an episode or two, since the show is attracting a bunch of big names that refuse to simply cameo as themselves. I can write a billion more paragraphs about how solid this show is, but adding it to your Netflix queue is probably a better option.

My ultimate favorite Belcher has to be Tina, the oldest of three Belcher children. Tina’s going through the awkward stages of adolescence with such gusto, that every girl in the midst of puberty can relate to her train of thought. Horses? Amazing. Boys? Intriguing. Social anxiety? At an all time high. It’s odd to think that in the original test pilot episode, Tina was actually drawn as a boy named Daniel. To the production staff of the show, thank you so much for evolving this character to such an amazing point.

Here are eight great reasons why we can all appreciate, and relate to, the amazing Tina Belcher.

1. She’s a big fan of animals. Even animals that don’t actually exist.

Not only does she have an original pony toy from her favorite show The Equestranauts, but she attended her first Equestra-con, which she later learned was populated mostly by middle-aged men. Way to discuss Bronies in a pretty hilarious way, Bob’s Burger’s. Let’s not forget the unicorn she imagines, after her espresso addiction goes too far. 

Tina also bonds with a cow on the third episode of the show, and feels as if the cow is trying to communicate with her throughout the majority of the episode.

2. Tina enjoys writing fiction – even if it’s erotic zombie fiction or “friend-fiction.” 

Have you ever written fan fiction back in the day? You might have. You can admit it here. I totally did, and it’s pretty embarrassing.

Tina, on the other hand, writes sexy fiction (which means – lots of butts are involved) about people she knows, and isn’t afraid to share it with a classroom full of her peers. Who knows what kind of writer she’ll morph into after she reaches her late teen years?

3. Tina is a hopeless romantic.

Sure, she might have a crush on every boy – but if guys were your thing, didn’t you feel the same way at the age of 13? Tina’s a daydreamer, and most of her dreams involve kissing boys. Or being around boys. Or dancing with boys, and getting to look at their butts later.

This girl gets so smitten, that she tries to match up the band-aid she took from a guy she met while behind a grocery store milk refrigerator, full-on Cinderella style. Even better? She found her match, and gave him her phone number. I admire confident women who aren’t afraid to get what they want, even if it’s a lengthy (and possibly heartbreaking) process.

4. Tina has no shame in liking boy bands, and knowing absolutely everything about them.

Back in the day, you were into ‘N Sync or you were into the Backstreet Boys. Or if you wanted to slide under the radar, 98 Degrees also existed. Tina took her sister Louise to their very first boy band concert, Boyz 4 Now, and schooled her sister on which guy was the bad boy, which was the sensitive flower, and which one was just mega-old.

She helped her younger sister experience her first crush. Since Tina was a natural at crushes, she was also an amazing older sister with pretty great guidance. Even so, she claims to be no hero. She “puts her bra on one boob at a time, like everyone else.”

5. Tina’s not great with makeup – or being girly – but that doesn’t affect her confidence when approaching others.

By the way, this is me on a daily basis.

While Tina has experimented with dressing up and being girly, she doesn’t need to be different to make bold comments to others. She knows she’s naturally a charm bomb, ready to explode.

6. Tina doesn’t give up on the boy next door. Er – more like the boy across the street, at the competing restaurant.

Tina and Jimmy Jr. have had an on-again, off-again relationship these past few seasons, even though their parents are absolute enemies. It’s kind of like Romeo and Juliet, but with a Gordon Ramsay spin.

The truth of the matter is, while Jimmy Jr. is Tina’s #1 choice, she’s not afraid to move on if he’s not reciprocating any emotions. She leaves her options open. Even though she might occasionally slink to the ground in hormonal frustration from time to time. Hey, we’ve all been there.

We just might not be half as graceful.

7. She’s a strong woman, with a good head on her shoulders.

On a Reddit AMA, voice actor Dan Mintz called her a “feminist icon.” I couldn’t agree more. 

Mintz went on to say that Tina “has kind of a zen quality of being in the moment with whatever she wants.” She’d probably be quite good friends with Daria and Lisa Simpson, as both of them possess a shy, quiet, yet extremely strong intellect and understanding about the world around them. Even though Tina is in the midst of her most awkward years, she seems to embrace them fully, and not use them as an excuse to act out. 

8. She might fantasize about being someone else, but realizes she’s happiest being herself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRv8wewpQms

In an episode where a customer accidentally calls her Dina, Tina decides that Dina should be her brand new persona. Dina is probably super confident, and wears her barrette slightly different. While Tina had a lot of fun morphing into a brand new person, she soon realized that she’s just a lot more comfortable being herself. Really, that’s one of the hardest things to learn when you’re an adolescent, and Tina mastered it in the span of 23 minutes, plus commercials.

In what other ways have you been relating to the absolutely fabulous Tina Belcher?

Image Credits: , Game, Jimmy, Makeup, SlumpFeatured, Unicorn

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