[8.0/10] I feel like Bob’s Burgers is the only show on television that could base an episode around the mom getting her hand stuck in a rock formation because she refuses to let go of a camera, and make it not only moving but hilarious. I love Linda. I love her corniness, and the way she loves her family, and the way she’s always chasing these sweet little ideals that are probably unattainable for the Belchers but that she goes after anyway. It’s that kind of ebullience that makes episodes like this one work.
So of course she’s desperate to get the perfect Xmas card photo, the one that will ensure the Belchers continue to receive a voluminous complement of cards in return each year. Of course she drags her family away from their puzzles, hats, harmonicas, and even Bob’s beloved juicer to go on a three-mile hike to take that photo. And of course, when things go wrong, she’ll gladly let her hand go numb rather than lose the photo that represents her family as she sees them.
It’s honestly as endearing as it is crazy. Linda’s fixations tend to get the laughs out of me, whether she’s cajoling nearby hikers or fiddling with an ornery piece of technology, or remaining steadfast in her camera-clutching. But there’s also an earnest streak to her. When she nearly tears up looking at the photo because it’s “the way I see you guys in my head,” and when she explains to her family why the card means so much to her, it’s almost unbearable wholesome, a testament to why she goes on these wild quests -- an effort to capture and celebrate the bonkers but lovable family she cares about so much.
Along the way, the episode brings plenty of the funny. I love the low-key recurring bits in this one. Bob’s obsession with his juicer is perfect dad nerd stuff for him, especially when he starts making up his own juicing song and talking about how he was a “different person” when he made an orange, lemon, and mint juice cocktail. Tina’s lack of patience for Gene’s harmonica playing is the gift that keeps on giving. Plus, the addition of the park ranger (series regular Rob Huebel, I think?) who fits that Bob’s Burgers archetype of someone who’s just a little nuts but takes their low-stakes job very seriously, makes for a nice new ingredient in the Belcher milieu.
Of course, in the end, they find a way to pull Linda out and hang onto the photo. But I appreciate the setup and payoff of it, with Louise playing with her brain-teaser puzzle -- one of the kinds you (read: me) would mess around with when waiting for your number to be called at Cracker Barrel as a kid -- only to figure out how the same principles could apply to freeing Linda. It’s a nice moment of triumph, and the ensuing montage of family photos over the credits is tons of fun.
On the whole, this is another great Linda episode, with a clear throughline both narratively and emotionally, a lot of great laughs, and a well-deserved win for one of our favorite TV moms.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-03-05T02:44:56Z
[8.0/10] I feel like Bob’s Burgers is the only show on television that could base an episode around the mom getting her hand stuck in a rock formation because she refuses to let go of a camera, and make it not only moving but hilarious. I love Linda. I love her corniness, and the way she loves her family, and the way she’s always chasing these sweet little ideals that are probably unattainable for the Belchers but that she goes after anyway. It’s that kind of ebullience that makes episodes like this one work.
So of course she’s desperate to get the perfect Xmas card photo, the one that will ensure the Belchers continue to receive a voluminous complement of cards in return each year. Of course she drags her family away from their puzzles, hats, harmonicas, and even Bob’s beloved juicer to go on a three-mile hike to take that photo. And of course, when things go wrong, she’ll gladly let her hand go numb rather than lose the photo that represents her family as she sees them.
It’s honestly as endearing as it is crazy. Linda’s fixations tend to get the laughs out of me, whether she’s cajoling nearby hikers or fiddling with an ornery piece of technology, or remaining steadfast in her camera-clutching. But there’s also an earnest streak to her. When she nearly tears up looking at the photo because it’s “the way I see you guys in my head,” and when she explains to her family why the card means so much to her, it’s almost unbearable wholesome, a testament to why she goes on these wild quests -- an effort to capture and celebrate the bonkers but lovable family she cares about so much.
Along the way, the episode brings plenty of the funny. I love the low-key recurring bits in this one. Bob’s obsession with his juicer is perfect dad nerd stuff for him, especially when he starts making up his own juicing song and talking about how he was a “different person” when he made an orange, lemon, and mint juice cocktail. Tina’s lack of patience for Gene’s harmonica playing is the gift that keeps on giving. Plus, the addition of the park ranger (series regular Rob Huebel, I think?) who fits that Bob’s Burgers archetype of someone who’s just a little nuts but takes their low-stakes job very seriously, makes for a nice new ingredient in the Belcher milieu.
Of course, in the end, they find a way to pull Linda out and hang onto the photo. But I appreciate the setup and payoff of it, with Louise playing with her brain-teaser puzzle -- one of the kinds you (read: me) would mess around with when waiting for your number to be called at Cracker Barrel as a kid -- only to figure out how the same principles could apply to freeing Linda. It’s a nice moment of triumph, and the ensuing montage of family photos over the credits is tons of fun.
On the whole, this is another great Linda episode, with a clear throughline both narratively and emotionally, a lot of great laughs, and a well-deserved win for one of our favorite TV moms.