The Fox Network has been hit-and-miss with...well...everything. Whether it's sitcoms or movies, it typically seems like the execs are just throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. This is especially true for its Animation Domination block. For years, they've been trying to find something to equal the decades-spanning success of The Simpsons. And, for a while, all they came up with was Family Guy, which they canceled a couple of times. Fortunately enough, its modern generation of animation has found critical success within a new gem, Bob's Burgers.
This fun series about a poor, burger-flipping family has been entertaining fans for nearly a decade, and with that decade comes a variety of holidays and seasons to spend with them. Unlike The Simpsons as of late or Family Guy ever, Bob's Burgers treats holiday seasons as something special and has given quite a few of them at least one special (Thanksgiving, of all things, gets a really special nod.). In celebration of the Belcher's celebrations, this list will be running down a few key episodes to watch on the next big holiday.
10 Full Bars
Like any cartoon Halloween special, this series' first one has a special place in our hearts (and not from anxiety or diabetes or something). "Full Bars" turns back the clock and brings the viewer to a simpler time when Halloween was just about candy. It reminds everyone that not every house is equal and that the best places to Trick or Treat overall will always be rich neighborhoods.
This story focuses on the three Belcher kids, as they launch an ingenious plan to hitch a ride on a ferry and Trick or Treat in a more well-endowed neighborhood. While this pays off considerable with insane portions of candy, the kids find themselves also dealing with local bullies, as the story becomes less about the treats and more about the tricks. On the side, Teddy also has a costume party that quickly turns into a murder mystery.
9 Christmas in the Car
Bob's Burgers, much more than its contemporaries, is a story about a humble, simple family. What better way to remind fans of this than a wonderful episode that hones in on Linda's misguided festiveness, Bob's misplaced passion and obsessiveness, and the chiming of three less than cooperative kids. The Belcher's here venture to the cold winter woods, as they try to get a Christmas tree at the last minute but definitely not from a lack of trying to get one early.
As they're driving, they come across a crazed truck driver boasting a candy cane truck who consistently tries to run the Belchers off the road. The rapport is great in the tight spaces of the car, and the family's varied realization that they're being hunted is also great but what really sells this episode is its heartwarming ending.
8 The Quirk-Ducers
How can one truly talk about Bob's Burgers without a decent reference to the kids? "The Quirk-Ducers" is the most Belcher children-focused story on this list, but it is quite a doozy. In an effort to get a half-day for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, Gene and Louise hatch a plan to produce a play that is so bad and offensive that it'll make their school counselor Mr. Frond stop everything and send everyone home.
Using their friends as some of the worst actors and actresses in school and Tina's more-than-suggestive script, what could go wrong? A lot. A lot can go very wrong, and it's a hilarious sight to see.
7 Father of the Bob
It's always fun to get a little insight into Bob's upbringing and backstory. His quirky yet obsessive nature with cooking is always a sight to see unfold, and "Father of the Bob" certainly doesn't disappoint in justifying that on top of giving a nice father-son re-connection story.
In an effort to help fix Bob's relationship with his father Big Bob, Linda encourages the entire family to attend his father's annual holiday party. There, hijinks ensue, as two eccentric chefs argue over nothing, and Linda and the kids bring a little Belcher charm to Big Bob's own restaurant.
6 Eggs for Days
It's rare to see an Easter special nowadays if at all; so not only was it a fun surprise to see Bob's Burgers take a whack at it, but it was also an absolute riot seeing another one of the Belcher's homely yet somehow quirky traditions.
In this episode, Bob and Linda hold an annual Easter Egg hunt within their cramped apartment, awarding the kids with Easter baskets if they manage to find them all and competing with one another to see who can hide eggs the best. What follows for their latest hunt is drunken antics and the sarcastic, reluctant acquiescence of some very annoyed kids.
5 The Hauntening
Bringing things back to Halloween, "The Hauntening" takes a step back from the costumes and Trick or Treating aspect and celebrates another tradition for Hallow's Eve: scares. In this episode, Louise finds herself a little disheartened that she's not able to be scared anymore or, at least much, by the typical trades of the holiday.
To amend this, Bob and Linda try to make their own haunted house, full of cheap costumes and spaghetti guts. Not impressed by their attempts, Louise and the family decide to leave but suddenly find themselves stranded as an unexpected threat looms in the distance.
4 The Bleakening, Part 1 & 2
The only two-parter on this list, "Bleakening" uses absolutely every second of its extended run to not only tell a compelling, holiday story but also fill it with the Belcher family's underrated singing talents. Wanting to spread holiday cheer among the community, Linda decides to host a holiday party, inviting all of the Belcher's friends and handing out free sliders.
Plans go awry, however, as the after-party soon reveals that someone has stolen the restaurant's tree. From there, Linda and Bob continue a manhunt to find the culprit whereas the kids follow their own lead, Teddy's Christmas legend the Bleaken.
3 Thanks-Hoarding
It's always fun to take a step back from the Belcher family and learn a little more about the community around them. Teddy, especially, is a fond friend who the series oddly neglects with full commitment.
That changes in this episode, as the Belchers, in an attempt to help Teddy prepare for his family's own Thanksgiving dinner, get too deep of a look at Teddy's apartment, family history, and psychology. Hilarious at one end yet distressing at the other, this episode is a really nice showing for someone who is essentially the sixth member of the Belcher family.
2 Bob Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins
This list has run down quite a few of the series' best Christmas specials, but it certainly holds a special place (second place to be exact) for its very first one. "Bob Rest Ye Merry Mannequins" is a fine example that anything, even Christmas, is not going to be done conventionally with this family.
Case in point, the Belchers take in a homeless man for the holidays who decides to pay them back by preparing for the holiday window displays, with him "acting" as one of the mannequins. This episode shows sincerity in the oddest places, as the Belcher's hearts are warmed by mannequin-turned-man.
1 An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal
Topping this list is a holiday that the Belchers do better than anyone else. The series' first Thanksgiving special not only reveals how special the holiday is to them (or, at least, Bob) but how important traditions like Thanksgiving are important for their family bond overall. Mr. Fischoeder needs Bob's family to pose as a surrogate one for him, as he tries to seduce a woman only attracted to married men. While Bob is reluctant, he's taken in by an offer for free rent, whereas Linda is tempted by the performance, and the kids are essentially bribed.
As Linda and the kids seem to have the time of their lives acting for Mr. Fischoeder, Bob is left in drunken misery, as he feels neglected. What ensues is a true testament to family and tradition, as Bob's quirks come out only as an extension of the family's love for one another.