Review: Bob’s Burgers ‘Uncle Teddy’

Spoilers Below:

Ohhhh gosh, it’s so hard not to like this episode. It had Teddy and Tina as main characters, and that’s just a recipe for success. It’s like chocolate and peanut butter, or french fries and ketchup, or alcohol and weed; you’re just guaranteed to enjoy yourself.

Speaking of booze and bud, I may be a bit rushed with this review. You see, I just got back from a hilarious comedy show featuring Bob’s Burger’s very own H. Jon Benjamin, Eugene Mirman, and Larry Murphy (not trying to name drop; this is simply a warning) so this review could be biased and/or foggy in delivery.

First, let’s look at the facts: Bob and Linda were on their way to The First Annual Gathering of the North Atlantic Burger Lovers (which would also be the First Gathering of Bob & Linda’s Privates in a Hotel Room in Years) and desperately needed a sitter. Enter Teddy, in an semi-capable role.

As Teddy struggled to cope with the kids’ eccentric shenanigans, Bob and Linda tried to cope with the reception of Bob’s fellow internet message board “friends,” who saw him as a critic and cynic (because he used sarcasm and abused caps lock) in regard to them all.

Meanwhile, Tina used Teddy’s lack of supervision to hang out with some dreamy boys.

In the end, well, everything worked out. Surprise! But it was how it worked out that really made the episode. The Journey is the Desitnation, Man – and all that.

In Case You Missed It:

1) Burger of the Day: “It’s Only Sourdough Burger (But I Like It).”

2) Apparently Teddy likes The Mentalist. That’s too bad.

3) Some of the screen names, other than Bob’s “Burger Bob” moniker: Just Grillin’, Beefer Sutherland, Beef Geek, and Meat Cute.

4)Jonas referred to his keyboard as a “melodica.”

5) I loved Gene’s criticism of the delivery boys: “My sandwich top is askew. Askew!”

6) Bob & Linda resided at a motel called the “Indefinite Stay.”

7) “We need our sleep. We’re so little.” Wow, Louise can be cute, can’t she?

Show of hands: who wants me to just give this Teddy & Tina Fest a 10 and call it a day?

Well, as much as it pains me, it ain’t that simple this time around.

Yes, Teddy is probably the best non-Belcher on the show. And yes, Tina is the best Belcher. But the two of them together doesn’t automatically spell a successful episode. Far from it. Not that this episode was far from it, but I’m just trying to make a point.

Look, I definitely enjoyed Teddy in charge, as well as Bob & Linda shirking their parental responsibilities for a week (Teddy: You want to talk to the kids? / Bob: “Eh, not really.”) was exceptionally funny, but the episode just didn’t pack the punch that I thought it would.

I thought Teddy would have a more uniquely-Teddy solution. I thought Tina would be a bit weirder, and a bit more, well…Tina-like. She had her time in the spotlight, but it wasn’t utilized in the way I’d hoped.

Curses to me for this blasphemy, but I must speak the truth. This was indeed a funny episode, but it missed its mark in the grand scheme of fake cartoon universes that take place in burger joints.