Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Bob’s Burgers does not seem in itself particularly Christmas-y. It does not seem particularly Hanukkah-y or Kwanzaa-y or any type of holiday-y. Too many Ys, but you get the picture.
It follows Bob Belcher, his wife Linda, their three children Louise, Gene, and Tina, and a whole cast of motley weirdos in a small town. Bob owns the titular Bob’s Burgers, and the family works the struggling little restaurant. I know, it doesn’t sound that great.
But Bob’s Burgers is not only hilarious, but charming as all hell. They’re perfect for any day of the year, with their frank depictions of all different types of sexuality, their blazing respect for their characters, and the innate hilarity of their setups.
But their holiday episodes are the absolute cream.
They manage to squeeze some new pathos out of the holidays, where other shows usually do tired retreads of A Christmas Carol. Not for Bob’s Burgers. Think of a murderous Candy Cane truck, an icecapades show put on for Mall Santa, and a love story between a man and a mannequin. Look below for some mini-reviews, and Merry Christmas!
Bob Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins (2012) : This was the first Bob’s Burgers episode in its first full season. Right away, you can tell that this show does not play around with the whole Christmas-sitcom-conventions at all. Bob inherits a storage container from his uncle, and the family finds a man inside of it, voiced by Zach Galifianakis (this show always has the BEST guest stars). The man believes that he was a mannequin, a claim that is never disputed. He’s invited to stay with the Belcher’s for Christmas, and the family finds that he makes incredible window displays that attracts the entire neighborhood (like the Hanukkah one shown above!) and pours much needed funds into the restaurant. The kicker is that the man believes that he is in love with a mannequin, and the family sets out to reunite the lovers. It’s batshit insane, but sweet in a way only Bob’s Burgers can be.
Christmas In The Car (2013) : Without a doubt, my favorite Christmas episode that Bob’s Burgers has ever done. Linda, who loves Christmas, buys a tree on the first of November. After it dies on Christmas Eve, the family sets out to find a new one. There’s a Duel homage with a giant candy cane truck, and the kids conspire to catch Santa Claus. This episode is one of the weirdest, most festive pieces of television that I’ve ever seen. Check it out.
Father Of The Bob (2014) : Coming down from Christmas in the Car, this one probably ranks last on my list of favorites. Bob takes his family to his estranged father’s restaurant for a Christmas party (which isn’t particularly Christmas-y). Honestly, this was an episode that felt only barely Christmas. It was an excellent episode, and I don’t think that Bob’s Burgers could have done it at any other time of the year than Christmas because of all the ~goodwill~ that had to go into Bob even seeing his father, but I still didn’t come off feeling very jolly.
The Nice-Capades (2015) : This year’s episode aired almost six weeks before Christmas because of Fox’s weird scheduling. But what an episode! There were so many amazing guest stars, from Henry Winkler as a mall Santa Claus to Kevin Kline as Mr. Fischoeder (the Belcher family’s landlord), and the storyline was perfectly festive. A scene with a Mall Santa is a staple of most Christmas episodes, but Bob’s Burgers manages to subvert that expectation, with the kids knowing that Mall Santa isn’t real, but trying to impress him with an Ice Capades show for “Santa Santa” when they are threatened with the Naughty List. This is actually a great showcase for Louise, the youngest child of the Belcher family, to really confront her ideas about what makes people “nice”. It’s just another great demonstration of the show’s power.
Hope you enjoyed this little list – all the episodes can be found online or on iTunes! Got any recs for Christmassy shows? Put them down below! See you all tomorrow.
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