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!
Earlier today, Fox announced that they are in preliminary talks to revive 'King of the Hill'. The beloved animated series ran for a whopping 13 seasons and 259 episodes and finished its initial run in 2009. Ultimately, this news wasn't shocking at all, in fact, it was as normal as things get. From the film industry to broadcast television, revivals are simply unavoidable in today's entertainment landscape. Despite the public's general disdain for lack of fresh ideas, it's definitely a smart business idea to put your money on an established brand instead of something new and original. Still, that doesn't mean revivals always end up making money. Fox's '24 Legacy was canceled after one short season due to disappointing ratings while ABC's 'The Muppets' had initial interest but ended up losing nearly 70% of its audience over the course of one short season. But, despite recent failure, reviving 'King of the Hill' is a smart idea for many different reasons.
Fox is in a Comedy Drought
Fox has a diverse line-up of comedies, but most of them aren't doing well. 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' ended its season with a meager 0.6 in the 18-49 demo and averaged a weak 0.85 overall. 'New Girl' and 'The Last Man on Earth' didn't perform much better with both shows hovering around the 0.9 range. As far as newbies go, only 'The Mick' managed to survive, and while it had a high average, it ended its season in the same range as the live-action comedy veterans. Ultimately, the non-'Mick' live-action comedies only performed at around 70% of the broadcast rating average, which isn't very good. Having an established animated program added to their slate could turn things around. In fact, it seems that the only solid-performing comedies on Fox are the animated ones.
Animation Is Doing Really Well
Sure, Fox's live-action lineup isn't doing well, but the animated stuff is on fire. 'The Simpsons' is nearly 30 years old, but still managed an impressive 1.8 average. Sure, it was boosted by football on many occasions, but it still easily beat out the live-action comedies when it didn't lead out of a big football game. 'Family Guy' also managed a respectable 1.2 average while 'Bob's Burgers' did about the same as the live-action shows despite airing in the 7:30 pm death slot. Additionally, all 3 animated shows had impressive year-to-year trends. 'Family Guy' was down 13%, 'Bob's was down 8%, and 'The Simpsons' was actually up a touch from last year. In comparison, 'New Girl' & 'Last Man' fell around 20% while 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' was down by 30%. Even outside of Fox, Adult Swim's 'Rick & Morty' premiered to a new series high for its third season and 'South Park' was up 16% year-to-year for its latest one. It would be very smart to invest in a well-known animated program at a time where animated shows are doing incredibly well and 'King of the Hill' would fit like a glove on Fox's cartoon-dominant Sunday lineup.
Syndication Exposure
'King of the Hill' ended its run 8 years ago. Since that time, the series has been airing in syndication, primarily on Adult Swim. It's very likely that many people who never watched the show in its original run have discovered it through this medium.
The Time is Right
Unlike the upcoming 'American Idol' revival, which is returning barely two years after the show ended, 'King of the Hill' has been off the air for over a decade. None of the characters have aged since the series is animated and most of the voice actors are still alive. Ultimately, having Hank Hill & company return to the small screen would be a smart idea for both Fox and fans of the series.
What The Past Ratings Tell
Ratings patterns varied for the 13 seasons due to schedule shifts. A promising mid-season addition for 1997, King of the Hill climbed the ranks in season 2, peaking in 25th place. However, Fox shuffled the sitcom to Tuesdays, as well as undesirable timeslots on Sundays between 7-8pm. FOX moved the series to Tuesdays at 8pm in 1998, leading to a sharp drop in rank and hemorrhaging approximately 45-percent of the audience. It returned to Sundays at 7:30 in 1999, gradually regaining momentum with steadiness as overall seasons collapsed. Starting in 2002, FOX experimented with time shifts on Sundays, resulting in the sharpest drop in Season 9 due to preemption. More scheduling disruptions took their toll on season 11, followed by FOX cementing season 12 with the 8:30 timeslot in the Simpsons/Family Guy valley.
Throughout the 29+ moves FOX foisted onto the durable franchise, King of The Hill proved resilient to scheduling whiplash. In the current scheduling climate minus Football overrun, King of The Hill has potential to boast 0.8-1.0 ratings if placed in the Sunday 7:30 timeslot. Higher potential exists if KOH returns to the Simpsons/Family Guy valley at 8:30, with potential from 0.9-1.2. And if saddled with undesirable 7:00 scheduling, KOH may manage a 0.6-0.8. Placement is key, as KOH has potential to repair the softened Sunday lineup. A return engagement may ring another solid performer and aid FOX in restoring solidarity lost in 2014 when American Dad moved to TBS.
What do you think of this article? Would you like to see more of 'King of the Hill'? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Welcome to the fifth edition of the Sporcle Quizzes of the week! I've got three quizzes about Animated shows for you today.
1) Cartoons for Adults
I created this quiz last week, and I really enjoyed creating it. I love animated shows, especially ones like Archer and Bob's Burgers. I tried to include some very popular shows, as well as some shows that only lasted a season or so. It was interesting to see the results, because I was surprised by them.
# of Questions: 25
My Score: N/A
2) Pick the Different: TV Voice Artists
This is the quiz that made me choose Animation as the week's theme. I thought it was a really unique and interesting quiz that I would really love to see more of. It was a lot harder than I initially thought it would be. I never realized how many roles that some voice actors play.
# of Questions: 26
My Score: 15/26
3)Animation by Necktie (Picture Click)
This quiz was really neat. I found it when looking for quizzes for this post, and I'm glad I did. This quizmaker always makes really great, unique quizzes that I really find fun. This quiz is no different.
# of Questions: 24
My Score: 23/24 Contest
Once again, it is time for the contest. Here's what you need to do to enter:
1) Play all three quizzes.
2) Comment your score on each quiz in the comments.
On Friday, I will post the results of the Contest.
I hope that you have enjoyed this post (And the quizzes). I'll be back in one week with yet another installment.
TOURNAMENT
This is the fifth week of the 1st TVRG-Sporcle Tournament. For each week, the winner of the week gets a varying amount of points, depending of how many people participated. If 5 people participate, the winner gets 4 point, if 6 participate, the winner gets 5 points, etc. For each place lower, the point increment drops by one point. At the end of 10 weeks, the person with the most points will win.
Tournament Standings:
1) The Middle of Nashville- 19 Points
2) JB- 16 Points
3) Andrew- 12 Points
4) Full Boyle- 4 Points
5) HV- 2 Points
6) theratingsjunkie- 0 Points
Contest #6 will be a bit late, but should be released tonight.
In advance of the prime time premiere of Golon the Insatiable, I took the opportunity to create a little history lesson about FOX's Animation Domination, starting with the origins of The Simpsons and going through the highlights of all of their animated hits.
Click on the image below to begin, and enjoy! For a better reading experience, the text is easily readable and is broken up by many images. Please note that although it is made in Adobe Slate, it is presented in a different manner than the recent ratings and schedule posts.
