Review: Bob’s Burgers ‘Tina and the Real Ghost’
Spoilers Below:
Is it just me, or does it seem like it has been forever since the last Bob’s Burgers episode? Thankfully, FOX served up a fresh installment last night.
In this Halloween special, Bob and Linda hired an exterminator, Marcus, who instead declared that a ghost lives in the basement and needs to be captured in a box. Using a Oujia board, the family determined that the ghost’s name is Jeff and were convinced he transported himself into their shoebox. While Bob continued to be visited by ghost hunters, Tina, meanwhile, began dating Jeff, who started to become popular in school, despite not being visible or, you know, real. Tammy then reported that Jeff wished to date her instead (Gene: “Nobody is saying it, but Jeff is a scoundrel!”) Louise then confessed that she was the one that controlled the Ouija board and the situation was getting out of control.
Tina, Gene, Louise, Tammy, Jimmy Jr., Zeke and that other chick ventured out to a cemetery on Halloween night, and became trapped in a mausoleum, allegedly by “Jeff.” Just when everyone’s level of fear was the highest, Tina revealed that she was behind the last part of the prank, and they all realized they were each using Jeff to compensate for something in their lives. As kids do.
In Case You Missed It:
1) The Burgers of the Day: Texas Chainsaw Massa-Curd Burger, Human Polenta-pede Burger, Kales from the Crypt Burger, and Paranormal Pepper-Jack-Tivity Burger.
2) Linda: “I just need one more sip of my séance wine.”
3) There is a local exterminator called “Beetle Knievel.”
4) Tina’s best line: “You’re just a box, aren’t you? I’m on a date with a box.”
5) “He dumped you?! I’m going to kill him…again!”
6) For Halloween, Gene dressed as Turner and Hooch (“Half dog, half Hanks, all cop.”) and Louise was “Ryan Gosling from the major motion picture trailer, Drive.
This episode worked, and thankfully for me as a reviewer, the reasons were obvious. First of all, I love Tina episodes, and hopefully you do as well. Tina is the strongest – and arguably most popular – character on the show. If you don’t believe me, then check out (either in person on online) the reception Dan Mintz receives at any sort of Bob’s Burgers convention or press event. And for good reason, because Tina offers up some of best humor as the awkward pubescent teenage daughter, which obviously makes for some of the show’s funniest lines. However, she also shows her intelligence by occasionally breaking out of her naïve/lovestruck/fantastical spells to be the most level-headed Belcher or kid, and is always aware of the valuable lessons everyone eventually learns on the show. This episode allowed her to show off every one of the strength she possesses – other than erotic fiction stories.
Also, as I’ve previously pointed out, Bob is at his best when he has to put up with the shenanigans of others. (Linda, on the other hand, is best when others have to put up with her shenanigans.) There wasn’t much of the latter, but the former was the entire subplot. Bob dealing with the ghost hunters in the restaurant (and the numerous burger special opportunities this allowed for) made this a well-rounded episode.
Plus, I love Halloween, so I guess pulling off a successful (albeit belated) holiday special should give the episode some bonus points. In the end, I would have liked a few more quotable lines, but I got my fill of Tina, so I can’t really complain too much.
