Since its first airing in 2011,Bob’s Burgershas continued to be a solid animated series. Unlike other popular long-running animated series,Bob’s Burgerscenters on a loving and supportive family. They have their little quarrels and shenanigans, but a lesson is learned by the end of the episode, and the Belchers become more united.
Related:Top 10 ‘Bob’s Burgers’ Episodes, According to IMDb
Though the series has been strong overall, it has started to dip in ratings, especially with the current seasons. We all know that doesn’t mean the episodes are bad, but it does make us wonder if the more recent seasons might be suffering due toThe Bob’s Burgers Movieset to hit theaters soon. Now is a good time as any to rewatch the best and worst episodes, better known as thehighest and lowest ratings, according to IMDb. Though even some lowest-rated episodes are still enjoyable.
BEST:Bob Day Afternoon (Season 2, Episode 2)
IMDb rating: 8.6
One out ofmany film homagesBob’s Burgersfeatures, begins with an early episode heavily inspired byDog Day Afternoon. After a rude bank teller turns down Bob’s loan, Bob returns to his restaurant, where Sergeant Bosco informs him there’s a hostage situation happening at the bank. Bosco needs the restaurant to be headquarters for police response. Mickey, the bank robber, requests food for the hostages and insists Bob delivers the burgers.
Even though the episode touches on a fundamental issue of financial struggles, it still brings enjoyment to watch. One of the best things about this episode is that it begins Bob and Mickey’s unlikely friendship, who becomes a reoccurring character in future episodes.
WORST:Yurty Rotten Scoundrels (Season 10, Episode 16)
IMDb rating: 6.9
Linda reluctantly offers to help her sister when Gayle hosts an artist’s workshop. It turns out that only one person, an online reviewer, signed up for the workshop. Feeling the need to protect her sister, Linda pretends to be a stranger who stumbled upon the workshop.
One of the better Gayle episodes as season 10 did a great job bringing a little more depth to secondary characters. In past Gayle episodes, Linda always caters to Gayle but in this episode a bit of healing between two sisters occurs.
BEST:Housetrap (Season 5, Episode 19)
When Teddy tells Bob and Linda that he fixes up beach houses for extra income, Linda offers to move the patio furniture of Helen’s, a widow, beach house, so an upcoming storm won’t ruin it. While the Belchers are there, Louise and Linda discover the house is unlocked and decide to snoop around. They discover photographs of the home’s owner with another woman, concluding Helen murdered her husband for his clock fortune.
It’s a different episode for the series, but it still brings excellent comedic moments. One of the most notable moments that gets the laughs is Bob hurts his back and becomes drugged up. The episode does the best by presenting some murder mystery for the Belchers and viewers. It’s something that the show should play with a more in episodes to come.
WORST:The Spider House Rules (Season 12, Episode 17)
IMDb rating: 6.8
While Bob tries to make a friend outside of restaurant customers, Louise tries to keep her new friend, an unwanted spider, hidden. This episode takes a different turn than most Louise-centered storylines. For the first time, Louise is forced to ask herself if she’s normal, and if she’s not, is that okay?
Why this episode is ranked low is a mystery. ‘The Spider House Rules’ does a great job depicting friendships from a child’s and an adult’s perspective. The outcome reminds us not to judge others based on appearance, and it’s more than okay to embrace our weirdness. It’s also more than okay not to want to socialize and make new friends if you’re surrounded by a few reliable people who make you happy.
BEST:The Oeder Games (Season 5, Episode 21)
IMDb rating: 8.7
Bob rallies the other tenants of Ocean Avenue to join him in a rent strike. When word gets to Mr. Fischoeder, he invites the tenants to his estate and proposes a water balloon fight. The losers will have their rent increased while the winner’s rent will be cut in half. Quickly, the tenants fold and grab water balloons and go into hiding.
Related:The Best Episode of Every ‘Bob’s Burgers’ Season
The season five finale delivers a conscious effort in expanding storylines about the community’s hardships. The episode was almost like aHunger Gamessituation, but with more laughs and served as an episode to bring in supporting characters but still kept Linda and Bob at the center.
WORST:Video Killed the Gene-io Star (Season 12, Episode 14)
Courtney and her father shoot a music video at Wagstaff, and Gene refuses to participate. Tina and Louise use candy to convince Gene to join, and he eventually gives in. During filming, Gene states he doesn’t want to be a part of the shoot because it’s not unique. Meanwhile, at the restaurant, Bob, Linda and Teddy become obsessed with the contents of a locked briefcase.
Even though this is a lower-ranked episode, the overall message is one of the sweetest the series offers– sometimes you have to do things you don’t love for the people who mean the most. The side story of Linda, Bob, and Teddy does bring the most laugh as they come up with different scenarios of why a customer left the locked briefcase. Though it’s enjoyable, there isn’t any payoff as we’re all left wondering… why walnuts?
BEST:The Hauntening (Season 6, Episode 3)
IMDb rating: 9
Bob and Linda take the kids to different haunted houses every Halloween. Louise, who loves to be scared, isn’t particularly excited as she finds that haunted houses are boring and predictable. Linda assures her youngest that they have something different planned this year— Linda and Bob borrow an abandoned place to put on their scares. After failed attempts at scaring Louise, they find their tires are low on air and discover a man watching them across the street which leads to Louise getting her best scare experience.
Some of the best episodes are when Bob and Linda team up together to either teach their kids a lesson or wants to give their kids a great experience to make them happy. What makes this episode one of the best is it’s a nice break from Louise’s usual cynical facade, and she simply wants to be included and scared like the rest of the kids.
WORST:All That Gene (Season 10, Episode 9)
After encouragement from Linda, Gene auditions for a small role in a local theater performance, Gene discovers he only lands the role because Linda promised the director she’ll sell the remaining tickets for the show’s opening night.
Though most Gene episodes are known to be a little obnoxious, this episode features many heartwarming moments between a mom and son. Usually, Linda will be distracted by responsibility and all that glitters in a stage show. Instead, she prioritizes supporting and encouraging Gene, who is unfit for the role, but because he wants to nourish his talents, Linda puts her best intentions forward.
WORST:Interview with a Pop-Pop-Pire (Season 12, Episode 16)
IMDb rating: 6.5
While the family waits for Big Bob to arrive for dinner, so Tina can interview him, the family makes up their own stories of an infamous tree incident that happened to Grandpa in his younger years.
Related:TV Characters That Prove the Middle Child Isn’t Always Forgettable
This isn’t the first (most likely not the last) episode that centers on telling different stories. At the same time, some of them are great additions to the series— this one falls short. One of the contributing downfalls to this episode being ranked the lowest could be that even though Tina wants to interview, this isn’t one ofthe best Tina moments. Another reason could be the episode is focused on a secondary character we don’t have a lot of great connection with. While the actual reveal of Big Bob’s injury is slightly heartwarming, the payoff isn’t rewarding.
BEST:Glued Where’s My Bob (Season 6, Episode 19)
While the kids are in the middle of a “goop” (covering items with sticky substances) pranking war, Bob receives a call informing him a local food magazine is coming to interview him. Bob falls victim to the goop war when he sits in Teddy’s sticky spackle that Louise spread across the restaurant’s toilet. When word gets out of Bob’s predicament, the whole town, local news line up to get a view of him, and the magazine’s team arrives.
It’s no surprise that the 100th episode ofBob’s Burgersis one of the highest-ranked episodes. It delivers some of the series’ strongest hilarity hijinks, especially when Teddy and Dr. Yap attempts to pull Bob off the toilet.Glued Where’s My Bobis the best episode that sums up the whole series: laughter and heart. Bob said it perfectly at the end of the episode, “this kind of stuff happens all the time.”
