With TAG shows once again representing the majority of nominees for this year’s Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, two members share their thoughts on nominated episodes from newcomer Common Side Effects and two-time winner Bob’s Burgers.
Benjy Brooke
Supervising Director
Common Side Effects
“Cliff’s Edge”
Adult Swim
What led you to work on this show?
Back in 2022, [creators] Joe Bennett and Steve Hely showed me their short proof-of-concept for Common Side Effects, and I was immediately hooked. I was struck by the unique tone—this sophisticated blend of comedy and drama, full of endearing and complex characters. At the time, I was Supervising Director for Scavengers Reign, and we got to dive right into Common Side Effects when Scavengers wrapped. The timing was serendipitous because it gave us the chance to continue working with a lot of the same incredible crew and build off everything we learned on Scavengers.
Did this episode present any creative challenges?
The montage near the end of the episode is a great example. That was unscripted and came in pretty late in the storyboarding process. As we were building the animatic, we realized we were missing a beat to touch base with all of our major characters before diving into the explosive finale. Joe provided Sebastian’s “Better Now,” which became the backbone of a montage boarded by Neïl Dieu. Each character moment in that montage is brief, but each holds a lot of emotional and thematic weight. And that song provides a really unexpected tone to underline the tension. I love it when the creative process leads to special, surprising moments like that.
What do you think makes this episode Emmy-worthy?
This episode is titled “Cliff’s Edge,” and our goal was to give the audience a sense of vertigo. The characters are all converging for a standoff at Marshall’s mushroom grow operation in North Carolina, and everyone has conflicted motivations and loyalties. It’s a tense episode that deepens the motivations of our entire cast and lays much of the groundwork for our upcoming season.
Why do you think Common Side Effects resonates with viewers?
I think this show is finding an audience because it’s taking risks and being adventurous with subtlety and tone. Despite animation being a medium with zero creative limitations, audiences tend to have built-in expectations about what it can achieve—and this show tries to play against those expectations.
Tony Gennaro
Supervising Director
Bob’s Burgers
“They Slug Horses, Don’t They?”
20th Television Animation
What led you to work on this show?
I’ve worked on the series since season one. Out of [CSUN], I got my first job in the industry in 1999 as a Production Assistant on King of the Hill, which I stayed on until it ended its initial run in 2010. After that I started on Bob’s Burgers where I began as a Design Coordinator and eventually worked my way up to my current position as Supervising Director.
Did this episode present any creative challenges?
From the animation side, I think the biggest challenge was creating and then producing different styles that had to read as hand-drawn by kids with crayons and colored pencils, since this story is told from the perspectives of Tina and Louise, the Belcher sisters. Bernard Derriman, who directed the episode, and Damon Wong, who boarded on it, drew two unique styles, and then our art department and technical team figured out how to produce them with just the right amount of boil that felt real without being distracting.
What do you think makes this episode Emmy-worthy?
It’s a story about siblings and the love/hate relationship that comes with having and being a sibling. Having a brother and a sister, and now being a parent of four kids, I know growing up with a sibling is mostly awesome because you’re never alone and always have someone there to play with. But you’re also never alone, and there is always someone getting into your stuff and sometimes breaking your toys. Executive Producer Nora Smith and our amazing writing staff told this story of siblings beautifully and walked the line of being heartfelt and emotional without being sappy.
Why do you think Bob’s Burgers resonates with viewers?
I think people connect with Bob’s Burgers because at its core it’s about love and optimism. The Belcher family may not be perfect, but they are rooted in love, and I hope that’s what people take away from the show.
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