Ratings Analysis: NFL help disappeared on the Fox network, meaning The Simpsons (0.31, -0.24), Krapopolis (0.20, -0.70), and Bob's Burgers (0.24, -0.23) were all much lower than they were last Sunday. The biggest loser here was Krapopolis since it had The OT as its direct lead-in on the 12th but was actually down from the 0.24 rating it posted on its last non-NFL night. Family Guy (0.28, -0.12) had a softer decline when compared to the other three since the football inflation barely hits the 9:30 p.m. slot to begin with. ABC also had animation in the form of 2021 film Raya and the Last Dragon (0.24). Raya fell significantly from the repeat of AFV (0.36) that led into it but was a notch above the week-ago Star Wars (0.20). On CBS, a direct NFL lead-in helped 60 Minutes (0.80, +0.20) grow by two-tenths, but it did nothing to boost Yellowstone (0.28/0.24). The "Vikings v. Broncos" football game (4.78) was nearly six-tenths higher than last week's "Jets v. Raiders" match-up (4.20) on NBC. The Chosen (0.05, +0.01) gained a hundredth on the CW.
Finals Update: NFL Overrun (+2.0) and the "Vikings v. Broncos" NFL game (+1.1) adjusted up. 60 Minutes (-0.5) and Football Night in America (-0.7) adjusted down.
Bob's Burgers is a show that does Christmas episodes better than just about any show. Their Christmas episodes are traditionally season-best episodes for one of TV's best-ever animated programs. The show is great year-round, but its holiday episodes always manage to stand out. Here's all eight Christmas episodes, ranked from worst to best.
8- Father of the Bob
There's nothing bad about Father of the Bob, but it's far from the show's best. The plot of the episode is fairly basic, focusing on Bob's tumultuous relationship with his father. That's a good premise, but the problem is that it doesn't allow for much focus on the Christmas spirit. It's an episode that just happens to take place on Christmas, which doesn't make it a contender for anything but last on this list. Aside from that, the episode itself is just average. I enjoy it, but it's not one of the show's best and upping the Christmas magic probably wouldn't have moved this up from last place, despite great guest spots from Bill Hader, Nick Offerman, and Carl Reiner.
7- Better Off Sled
Based on episode quality alone, this one's probably higher than #5. However, this was more of a winter episode than a Christmas episode, knocking it down a slot. It still did have a Christmassy feel to it (thanks to the Linda plot), but the main plot wasn't really about the holiday at all. It was still a fantastic episode though, and a very, very funny one, too. Linda's knitting-centric plot didn't get all that much screen time, which kept the Christmas spirit to a minimum, but it's still going to be viewed annually in my house. The ending scene was also one of the best endings to any episode on this list, with the kids fighting over who gets to keep Linda's raggedy old scarf while poor Bob looks on, feeling insulted because nobody loves his scarves. That's a classic scene in the making.
6- God Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins
As the first of the show's line of Christmas specials, God Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins gets some nostalgia points. It started the show's most wonderful tradition, and we can all be thankful for that. The episode is definitely an enjoyable one, with tons of funny moments (Louise wanting her own apartment and Gene wanting the Cool Running Bobsled are highlights) and a zany plot. It's really fun, but it's lacking a special "something" that the all-time great episodes have. It's a little weird for my tastes as well, as other Bob's Christmas episodes tend to be a bit more grounded in reality. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I still prefer those episodes. This is definitely an episode that I'll watch during my now-annual Bob's Burgers Christmas episode marathon, but I won't be begging for seconds like I will be with others on the list.
5- Have Yourself a Maily Linda Christmas
The show's most recent episode is a solid entry into the Bob's Christmas collection. One thing to credit the show on is that its Christmas episodes are never the same from one year to the other. This episode reinforces that by bringing in Linda's family for a side plot with Bob, while the main plot focuses on Linda getting a holiday job to pay for the holiday. Both plots work very well, and since I'm a sucker for any episode featuring Megan Mullally's Gayle, I particularly enjoyed seeing her appear in the annual Christmas special. Linda attempting to deliver a piece of mail to a child on Christmas Eve could've taken a turn (there could have been some poop in the package as was suggested, or the kid could have never existed at all), but per usual, the show took a more heartwarming approach by having Linda convince Mike the Mailman to give the gift to the child (who was real, and not getting poop for a present!), even if it wasn't the proper method of mail delivery. It's those kind of heartwarming moments that are the reason this show is so good at holiday episodes in the first place, and even if this episode doesn't compete with some of the classic Christmas episodes just yet, it fits in so well with the other seven Christmas entries.
4-Nice-Capades
Henry Winkler's guest voicing makes this episode great. It surely wouldn't have been as good with a different actor filling the role of Santa, as he added his special charm to the classic character. The kids putting on a show to prove to a mall Santa that they're good is great on its own, but the fact that their examples of goodness were so pathetic left me laughing hysterically. Viewers know that the Belcher kids are flawed, but Louise's grand Nice-Capades show proved that even they know that, and that was some character development that I enjoyed. Another great aspect was Bob's search for a gift in the closing mall, and his settling for a calendar is just the icing on the cake there.
3- The Last Gingerbread House on the Left
Starting with this episodes, we've reached the elites. The ones that will be Christmas classics that I'll make sure to watch each year before December 25th. It took me a second look to feel that way about The Last Gingerbread House on the Left, but I got there eventually. This one got better with age, going for an episode I felt was just average to one that I thought was truly great. I might have just needed a second look to get all of the jokes, but this one really worked after the second watch. The plot, starring Bob and one of the show's best recurring characters (Mr. Fischoeder), was really hilarious, and I loved the caroling subplot with Lin and the kids. That subplot was probably my favorite in any Bob's Christmas special, with a simple and fun nature to it that made it a treat to watch. The main plot was obviously great as well, and I loved the gingerbread contest's judge, Godfrey.
2- The Bleakening
The newest, longest, and most musical of the Bob's Christmas episodes, The Bleakening is a thoroughly entertaining episode for the show. It's not the show's best holiday episode, but that's an incredibly hard feat to accomplish. I was skeptical of this episode for many reasons, as I wasn't sure it could sustain itself for so long or make the musical aspect a meaningful addition to the show. It did both of those, far exceeding my expectations and delivering a season-best show. The length allowed for it the fully flesh out its plots, leaving nothing half-baked and feeling unfinished. The episode also incorporated all of the main characters in meaningful ways, with the kids and the parents all having something to do that impacted the plot. Teddy also provided for some hearty laughs, despite playing a minor role in the episode.
1- Christmas in the Car
The ultimate Bob's Burgers Christmas episode, and, in my opinion, the greatest Christmas episode of any show, Christmas In the Car is one of the funniest and best episodes of Bob's Burgers, period. Its plot is great and never drags, and I actually wish this one was an hour-long special. The episode is peppered with fantastic one-liners and jokes, such as Linda's Dutch Baby obsession, or Teddy's adventure with the Belcher fridge. The episode is plotted so well, with a great beginning, middle, and end and a natural progression for the storylines. Nothing was resolved quickly, and the writers clearly crafted this one very carefully. It's a masterpiece, and was, in fact, my first ever Bob's Burgers episode. My love for the episode, though, is far more than mere nostalgia. It holds up to this day.
What is your favorite Bob's Burgers Christmas episode? Vote in the poll below and let me know your personal rankings below!
It's finally here!!! It's time for the most wonderful episode of the year: the Bob's Burgers Christmas show! I look forward to these every single year and I still hold the belief that no show does Christmas better than Bob's Burgers.
A record-breaking snowstorm has hit town, and the Belcher kids are planning on doing some sledding with friends. Unfortunately, Logan and friends have taken over the hill for a snowball fight. They decide to sled there anyway, and they end up getting pelted with snowballs. Linda finds some yard in the basement, and she decides to finally take up knitting and make the kids scarves for Christmas. Louise decides to talk to Logan, but that doesn't help and she throws a snowball at him before running away. Rudy's cousin Mandy is a softball pitcher, and they ask her for some help throwing snow at Logan and his friends.
Mandy is able to defeat Logan and his friends and make them retreat, giving the Belchers and their friends free reign of the hill for their sledding. Unfortunately, this doesn't last long. Logan and friends bring Cameron, a varsity basketball star, along with them. He takes out Mandy, leaving the younger kids with no defense, and they retreat. Linda's knitting isn't going very well, because it's taken hours to make knit a few inches. Bob is able to get it done a lot quicker, though. The kids tell Bob, Linda and Teddy about their issues with Logan, and they make some suggestions. Louise gets an idea to ask Teddy to plow the hill, which would ruin the hill for Logan and his friends. That night, Teddy calls to tell Louise that he couldn't go through with the plan because he doesn't want to get in trouble. Using Teddy's old bully as inspiration, Louise is able to convince him to plow the hill.
Teddy finishes plowing and rushes off, telling Louise that he was "never" there. Linda continues to struggle at knitting, and she has a nightmare about knitting. The next morning, the town is hit with even more snow, rendering Louise's plan useless. Louise is devestated, and she decides to try to sled anyway, wearing some kitchen items as armor. Despite reservations, Gene and Tina go along with her. At the hill, Louise's plan backfired even further, learning that the plowing made the old snow turn to ice, making it way worse than normal snowballs. And to make things worse, her "armor" falls off. Not a great day to be Louise.
Mandy shows back up with the entire softball, basketball, and lacrosse teams, and they pelt Logan and his friends with so many snowballs, causing his friends to retreat. However, Logan won't leave, and he grabs Louise to use as a human shield. Linda throws out Bob's scarves because she's so discouraged about her own struggle to knit. Bob tells her that they can give his two and her one scarf, and tell them that they're all from their grandmother, so neither of them will get the credit. Logan lets Louise go, and she helps him out be giving him a head start. That doesn't stop him from being pelted, but it's still something nice Louise did. On Christmas morning, all of the kids want Linda's scarf and not Bob's, because his are too perfect. This brings Linda a little too much joy. Poor Bob.
Wrap-Up:
Despite having a much smaller focus on Christmas than the previous installments, this was still a worthy addition to the Bob's Burgers Christmas collection. The main plot of the episode was a genuine delight, perfectly utilizing recurring characers both old and new while still putting the Belcher kids (well, Louise) front and center. It didn't have much to do with Christmas, and was more of a winter theme, but it was still so very entertaining. Linda's plot was really what brought Christmas into the episode, and it was really entertaining. The nutcracker-themed dreams were really something else, and I found them absolutely wonderful. Her rivalry with Bob over scarf knitting was so funny, and the ending, which finally gave Linda a knitting-related win, was perfect. And it even made me want one of those raggedy little scarves. All in all, the lack of an overall Christmas theme keeps this episode from being on the level of Christmas In the Car, but it's something I'll certainly be watching every year anyway.
Louise takes part in the science fair on this week's Bob's Burgers, but Gene and Louise aren't exactly in the mood to help her out with her project. Plus, Bob and Linda have a coat rack problem!
It's time for the science fair, and Tina gets partnered with someone she doesn't know, Susmita. Susmita comes up with the idea for their project, and Tina goes along with the idea. Bob, meanwhile, ordered five different coat racks that were on sale because he wanted to pick out the best one and return the others, but he runs into a problem: he can't return them. Also, they're tiny because they're made for children. And now he has to sell them. Tina gets an idea to alter their science project in order to make contact with aliens. One of their fellow students, Henry, is afraid of the idea and tries to discourage them from making the project, but Tina doesn't listen. This causes Henry to go Gene and Louise for help in stopping the project.
Teddy helps Tina and Susmita set up their project, and they begin trying to communicate with the aliens. While they wait for aliens to return contact, Susmita asks Tina for some dating advice. Suddenly, contact with "aliens" is made, but it turns out that it's just Henry and the other Belchers messing with them. They send a message posing as aliens, stating that they're going to attack Earth because they made contact, which causes Tina and Susmita to freak out.
Because they think it'll be their last day on Earth, Tina decides to do everything she wants to before it's too late. She kisses Jimmy Junior, and also Zeke, just for the heck of it. Susmita also wrote a love note to the boy she likes, but she was too chicken to give it to him. Just then, they get another message telling them that the world won't end, after all. However, something Henry says to Louise and Gene causes them to fess up to Tina about what they did. Tina wants to re-start the science project, but Susmita doesn't want to, fearing about the potential fallout of it. They have a fight, and end up making two separate projects.
Tina's new project, focusing on peanut butter, isn't going well. It starts raining outside, and the little coat racks actually end up helping to bring business, since people don't want to put their coats on the back of their chair at Jimmy Pesto's. At the science fair, Tina presents her new project, before giving up on it and talking about contact with aliens again.
Wrap-Up:
This wasn't one of the better episodes of the season, but it was still an enjoyable half-hour nonetheless. I would have actually preferred to see more time given to Bob and Linda's plot about the coat rack, because I found that to be really enjoyable. Tina's plot was pretty hit-and-miss for me, honestly. It certainly had its moments (the messages from the "aliens" in particular), but I didn't really think it was that funny, or all that unique for that matter. Tina fighting with Susmita over the project and then making up at the end was pretty predictable, and unoriginal. It just felt like something I've seen many times before, which usually isn't an issue I have with Bob's Burgers. All in all, this episode was a little disappointing, but it's still probably worth a re-watch.
It's time for the Bob's Burgers Halloween episode, an annual tradition that is always a treat (and not a trick). While this season hasn't been perfect so far, it has been really good, and that coupled with a Halloween theme is enough for me to expect an awesome episode this time around. I hope I'm not getting my hopes up for no reason.
It's trick-or-treat night, and a jealous Teddy comes in with a proposal for the Belchers. The store next door hired a handyman (Glenn) to put up decorations, and Teddy wants to make him jealous by getting a job doing the same thing for the Belchers, even if it's not a paying job. Somehow, he thinks this will make him look like a winner and Glenn look like a loser. (Teddy's mind scares me a bit, I won't lie.) Unfortunately, the decoration he puts up isn't as cool as the one Glenn puts up, so Teddy decides to outdo him again. Meanwhile, the kids are trick-or-treating and are getting a ton of candy. They run into Jimmy Jr and Zeke, who ask Tina to go to a haunted mansion with them. Tina declines, and they head off. A few kids from school run into them to tell them their candy got stolen.
While the group confronts Jimmy Jr. and Zeke, Gene's candy gets stolen. Back at the restaurant, Glenn outdoes Teddy once again, and Teddy concedes the Halloween war to him. However, Bob isn't ready to throw in the towel. The kids try to avoid being on Ocean Avenue to stop their candy from being stolen, and they decide to only step onto the street when absolutely necessary and stay in the shops at all times. Unfortunately, this plan fails and Tina also gets her candy stolen. Louise is now the only one with candy, and they all have to defend it so they can get some candy. This plan also fails and the last bag of candy is snatched.
The kids chase after the person who nabbed their candy, but they can't catch him on foot. They get on a bus, and the bus helps them catch up with the person easily, until he makes them get off. At Bob's Burgers, Bob and Teddy turn the spider decoration into a chainsaw spider, and it destroys Glenn's display.
The kids (save for Tina and Gene) go into the haunted mansion that their candy thief ran into, and it's pretty terrifying (for them, at least). Tina and Gene discover the candy thief, and it's Dr. Yap. He tells them how bad candy is for their teeth, and that he just cares about them. Louise asks where the candy is, and they run to get it before it's destroyed. They get there just in time, and they're able to convince the garbageman to give them their candy back. They return the candy to its rightful owners. Meanwhile, the owner of the neighboring shop tells Teddy that Glenn really just wanted to impress him.
Wrap-Up:
This was a spectacular episode of Bob's Burgers, and it was easily my favorite of the season. It truly felt magical and it really embodied the Halloween spirit, which is something the show has always been great at doing. This is a soon-to-be classic that I'll rewatch frequently in years to come.
Both of this week's plots were fantastic, but the candy theft plot was definitely the better one. It was a really interesting plot that I never tired of, because it was absolutely hilarious and very well-paced. It was just perfect. Teddy's plot of jealousy was great from the start, but it got so much better once Bruce Springsteen Bob got in on the action. The chainsaw spider (that's a phrase I never thought I'd type, let alone type twice in one review) destroying the neighboring display was a sight that I will not soon forget.
There were so many great jokes and references this week, but my favorites have to be Gene's reference to the War on Halloween that "Newt Gingrich warned us about" and Andy and Ollie referencing Bonnie Raitt's song Something To Talk About for absolutely no reason at all. Linda yelling about their "agreement" was also a true laugh out loud moment in an episode filled with laugh out loud moments.
Also, the Belcher kids' costume game is on point. I can't even pick a favorite, they're all brilliant.
