EXCLUSIVE: Adult Swim has closed a deal with Twentieth Television for exclusive off-network cable rights to 20th Century Fox TV’s animated comedy series Bob’s Burgers, now in its third season on Fox and renewed for a fourth. The deal includes Seasons 1-3 of Bob’s Burgers, which will begin airing on Adult Swim this summer. I hear the license fee is just shy of $500,000 an episode, in line with what TBS and Adult Swim paid for Twentieth TV’s animated comedy The Cleveland Show in 2010. In addition to Cleveland, Bob’s Burgers will join two other current/former Fox animated comedies on Adult Swim, Family Guy and King Of The Hill.

While not a breakout for Fox, Bob’s Burgers has been an OK ratings performer and quickly has achieved cult status. It also has been well received by critics and landed an Emmy nomination for best animated program last year. The timing of the show’s rollout on Adult Swim, ahead of the broadcast fall launch, could give it a boost on Fox as many series experience a ratings resurgence as a result of additional exposure on cable.

Bob’s Burgers, created by Loren Bouchard, who writes/executive produces the series with Jim Dauterive, follows the ups and downs of Bob (H. Jon Benjamin), who runs Bob’s Burgers with the help of his wife and their three kids. “We hope that this deal makes Loren Bouchard filthy rich. After working on great shows like Home Movies and Lucy, Daughter Of The Devil, he deserves it,” said Mike Lazzo, SVP Programming and Production for Adult Swim.