Review: Bob’s Burgers “Sheshank Redumption”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

While Linda’s in the slammer, Bob is trying to scrounge up enough cash to pay her fine. The kids come along for the ride, since it’s almost time for their parent teacher conferences, and eagerly try to find out why their mother’s been arrested. Eventually everyone finds out the truth, but they’ll have to face Linda’s wrath if they spill the beans.

Our Take:

There are many larger than life characters that make up the world of Bob’s Burgers, but Linda might be one of the biggest. This week’s episode finds her standing out in the wrong way, however, and it makes the most of its silly premise while trying to tie it into the kids’ troubles at school. It can’t exactly make the connection, but it’s a fun episode nonetheless.

Any episode of Bob’s Burgers that features a main character being detained for public pooping is sure to be a classic, and Sheshank Redumption really goes all out in shaming poor Linda for her regrettable transgression. It’s not exactly her fault that her body doesn’t like its new healthy sustenance, and she tried looking for a public bathroom, but the officers down at the station aren’t feeling too friendly toward public defecators. (Not even Sergeant Bosco, who makes a quick but welcome appearance to tell Linda that he thought he knew her better than this.)

By the end of the episode, Linda is behind bars due to trying to make a break for it. Even her cell mate is shaming her for the doody deed, but she can’t be released until Bob gets there to pay the cash fine for her crime.

As Linda’s stuck in the slammer, Bob and the kids go on a hunt to track down enough cash to satisfy the cops. It’s a fun goose chase that features a number of very silly side characters for Bob to play the straight man with, like a grumpy businessman who’s sick of closed banks and a grocery store cashier who feels like he’s going back in time when Bob writes a check to buy a pack of gum.

This week’s episode definitely has a lot going for just by way of the premise alone. There was plenty of fun to be had in the form of Linda’s hijinks and Teddy’s improv night, but the resolution trying to tie Linda’s plight in with the kids getting detention felt a little off. Linda’s speech at the end is basically ‘we all make mistakes so let’s just try our best’ — true, but very broad. Still, you really can’t go wrong with an episode that throws Linda in jail for public pooping! Plus, the kids reacting to her new toughness after spending time in the slammer was hilarious.