Let’s face it: There was not really a lot of reason to tune into Fox Sunday nights anymore. The network’s much-vaunted Animation Domination block lacked much of its bite.

“The Simpsons” stopped being funny before 2000. “Family Guy” stopped with its return from cancellation. “American Dad” is simply amusing, and “The Cleveland Show” is not worth watching.

But now there’s a reason: “Bob’s Burgers” debuted on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. this January. The show, from the mind of “Home Movies” co-creator Loren Bouchard, follows the lives of local restaurateur Bob and his troublesome family.

“Bob’s Burgers” is basically a “Home Movies” reunion. But while similar attempts at “Arrested Development” reunions have failed (see: “Sit Down, Shut Up” and “Running Wilde”), “Bob’s Burgers” is an immediate success, both quality-wise and in the ratings. Why? Because with “Arrested Development” creator Mitchell Hurwitz’s shows, the writing declined from show to show. With “Bob’s Burgers,” the writing, along with a little help from excellent veteran improv comedians, stays top notch.

What is so refreshing about “Bob’s Burgers” in particular is how easy it is to fall in love with it. Literally minutes into the second episode, countless winning jokes have already hit the mark, punctuated by the excellent deadpan delivery of series star H. Jon Benjamin as Bob.

At Comic-Con, Benjamin joked that he does not change his delivery, no matter what animated show he is doing. And it is true: Benjamin sounds the same in “Home Movies,” “Archer” and “Bob’s Burgers.” But unlike “Archer,” where Benjamin’s voice sounds clunky and odd even for a comedic take on James Bond, he fits everyday man Bob fine. The fact that a “Home Movies” fan can watch “Bob’s Burgers” and actually forget Coach McGuirk from “Home Movies” is a triumph for the show.

Like “Home Movies,” “Bob’s Burgers” has simplistic animation, and even haters of the simplicity must admit that the resulting goofy expressions on characters’ faces also do well to bring the humor home. In particular, Bob’s daughter Louise’s absurdly wide mouth and extreme expressions add to her zany lines.

The first two episodes essentially assign a character trait to each family member, but the hilarity that ensues overcomes the lack of depth in characterization easily. Bob’s wife Tina idealizes marriage, his daughter Louise is a troublemaker, his other daughter Linda is strange and his son Gene is loud and obnoxious.

But these characteristics are so played to the hilt that it works. In the series premiere, “Human Flesh,” Bob’s daughter Louise tells customers, the health inspectors and everyone who will listen that the meat at Bob’s Burgers is made with human flesh, regardless of ramifications. In the second episode, she plays with a school counselor’s suspicions of absentee parenting to hilarious results.

In the end, this is what makes “Bob’s Burgers” stand out from other animated shows out there. While it does make half-hearted attempts to coalesce the family back together again after the mishaps, it never does so in the overt ways that “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” do it. Characters like Louise and Gene do not think about the ramifications of their actions; they just do them. And that makes for exciting — and hilarious — situations.

Five stars