My 7 Favorite ‘Bob’s Burgers’ Episodes That Teach a Valuable Life Lesson
Is there a more destructive family on screen than the Belchers? Probably not. But is there also one that is an A-game team like them? Nope, the Belchers are the best.
Bob’s Burgers, created by Loren Bouchard, is not a typical sitcom, it’s much weirder, bolder, and there’s too much fart noises for an animated series.
However, every episode of the show, if you see through all the cringeworthy shenanigans they face daily and the chaos Gene, Tina, Louise and their parents Bob and Linda create – you will see that the series is about a family that stays together no matter what.
Every episode brings together a story that ends with them becoming even stronger, but these 7 episodes are my favorite, because they show each of them being themselves and showing why that’s important.
1. “V for Valentine-detta” (Season 8, Episode 8)
We all know about the way Tina feels towards Jimmy Jr., like we know that teenage romance and heartbreak is a tough thing to go through. And this episode beautifully handles the painful experience of heartbreak.
When Tina feels hurt because Jimmy Jr. dates someone else, she initially plots to ruin their date. However, soon enough Tina realizes that hurting another girl would only make her hurt more and won't change the way Jimmy Jr. looks at her. Choosing kindness and empathy, even when vulnerable, is a powerful sign of growth.
2. “Bob Actually” (Season 7, Episode 9)
One of my favorite episodes, partly because of how many plotlines it handles at once. It’s also Valentine-themed, though. In this episode Bob forgets to buy something for Linda, but decides to go to a dance class and learn how to dance to perform for her. Lesson learned? Never give up on romance.
There’s another great plotline though, when Louise wants to save regular-sized Rudy from heartbreak and she tries to persuade his crush to go on a date with him. So cute!
3. “Boyz 4 Now” (Season 4, Episode 1)
The episode tackles several problematic moments, but my favorite part of it is when Tina, being an older sister, helps Louise to go through an unexpected crush she developed on Boo Boo, the frontman of the Boyz 4 Now band.
Tina is supportive, even mature, and makes sure her little sister never feels bad about herself. There’s the true sisterhood I am talking about!
4. “Dream a Little Bob of Bob” (Season 11, Episode 1)
In my opinion, this episode should be used as a healing tool for those who suffer from “place in life” anxiety. In this episode Bob realized that he lost a key, so he went to his car to find it, but instead saw a lot of garbage being left there.
Suddenly he faints and sees a little weird dream, where the things from his car become alive and help him realize that it’s okay to fail sometimes, but you should never talk or feel bad about yourself.
5. “Ex Mach Tina” (Season 7, Episode 8)
This one is a Tina-centered episode that follows her becoming some sort of robot for a while. While she is physically stuck at home with an injury, there’s a screen at school with her face that apparently Jimmy Jr. finds very likable.
So Tina spends days sort of facetiming with him, but when they meet in person she feels that intimacy is gone, that’s why she decides to keep talking to him as a machine. Finally, she makes the right decision to confront her fair of being rejected and joins him in person. And he finally appreciates it.
6. “Lindapendent Woman” (Season 3, Episode 14)
An episode important for women who want to have everything under control. Linda, tired from her restaurant work, finds a new trendy supermarket and starts working there. At first everything goes smoothly, but then she realizes she was too kind to every colleague and now she has to work instead of all of them.
The store turns to chaos, Linda loses her mind, trying to fix everything, but when her family comes to the rescue she finally feels safe. The idea to work anywhere else will leave her mind for a long time after that.
7. “The Quirkducers” (Season 7, Episode 6)
One of the best musical-themed episodes of the series! In this episode, Belcher kids with their friends decide to pull off a dangerous prank to be sent home and have a half day before Thanksgiving, but everything doesn’t go according to the plan.
It’s the end of the episode that feels your heart with hope: Tina finds a way to save it all with truth and love. She gives a heartfelt speech about the importance of embracing your true personality and being yourself no matter what. And it’s something we all should remember.
