When you think of long-running TV shows, there are few less cinematic than Bob’s Burgers. The show is aggressively domestic in its scope. That’s kind of the point. This is a mundane family doing mundane things – but it’s funny and charming and they love each other very much so it’s feel-good as well.

And yet here we are: Bob’s Burgers has been given the movie treatment. And what’s even weirder is that it works really well. There’s admittedly very little to differentiate this from an extended episode of the series. Even the quality of the animation is, superficially speaking, almost identical to the show (but it has to be said that the actual movements of the characters are astonishing. They absolutely leap off the screen – especially whenever we get into a song and dance number).

Surprisingly, for such a musical show, there are very few songs actually in the film. Just about enough to qualify as a musical, but it’s definitely on the cusp of being part of that genre and just being a movie with some songs in it. Other than that, the only real difference between this and what you get on television is the pacing. As a movie, this isn’t forced to whip through a three-act structure in 22 minutes, hitting a gag every 60 seconds along the way. Here, we’re allowed the chance to let story beats breathe and it’s something that particularly comes into its own in an especially emotional sequence towards the end, reminiscent of that scene from Toy Story 3 in the incinerator.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie is a triumph in that it’s just about the best movie fans of the show could have hoped for without completely betraying what the show is to begin with. It’s a deeper, richer episode of the series and, you know what? That’s great.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie is currently in cinemas and lands on Disney+ on July 12th.