[8.1/10] I liked both halves of this one. The Tina A-story initially seemed like a pretty standard kid caper, which I enjoy quite a bit. There were plenty of the weirdness flourishes that Bob’s Burgers does so well, like the scary kid and her teddy bear, the continuing rivalry with Tammy, and the continually great interplay between Zeke and Jimmy Jr. The jostling for position between Tina and Tammy meshed nicely with the babysitting escapade and gave the episode a backbone.
But more than that, I liked where they went with this plot. The resolution that the girl they’re babysitting is the bully, not the bullied, and that causing Tina to reevaluate her relationship with and treatment of Tammy (who is, in fairness, terrible, or at least “difficult”) was a neat direction to take things, and though it comes off a little moralizing, it works as something to give a little heft to the great humor.
The B-story, with the rest of the Belchers running into Teddy at a fancy new burger restaurant was great, and everybody had something to do. Linda making money as an impromptu bathroom attendant is such a funny, Linda-esque development. Teddy freaking out that Bob will see him eating at another burger restaurant gives the character plenty of hilarious notes to play, and the kids trying to blackmail him for chocolate cake is a nicely absurd turn. And Bob’s reaction to the whole thing is the peak of this one, with him trying to play it cool, but the family acknowledging that he gets super weird and “sulky” about people liking other burgers, and warning Teddy not to fall into the trap. Lots of great comic hijinks all around.
Overall, an eminently laugh-worthy episode where both sides of it work.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-11-24T20:52:34Z
[8.1/10] I liked both halves of this one. The Tina A-story initially seemed like a pretty standard kid caper, which I enjoy quite a bit. There were plenty of the weirdness flourishes that Bob’s Burgers does so well, like the scary kid and her teddy bear, the continuing rivalry with Tammy, and the continually great interplay between Zeke and Jimmy Jr. The jostling for position between Tina and Tammy meshed nicely with the babysitting escapade and gave the episode a backbone.
But more than that, I liked where they went with this plot. The resolution that the girl they’re babysitting is the bully, not the bullied, and that causing Tina to reevaluate her relationship with and treatment of Tammy (who is, in fairness, terrible, or at least “difficult”) was a neat direction to take things, and though it comes off a little moralizing, it works as something to give a little heft to the great humor.
The B-story, with the rest of the Belchers running into Teddy at a fancy new burger restaurant was great, and everybody had something to do. Linda making money as an impromptu bathroom attendant is such a funny, Linda-esque development. Teddy freaking out that Bob will see him eating at another burger restaurant gives the character plenty of hilarious notes to play, and the kids trying to blackmail him for chocolate cake is a nicely absurd turn. And Bob’s reaction to the whole thing is the peak of this one, with him trying to play it cool, but the family acknowledging that he gets super weird and “sulky” about people liking other burgers, and warning Teddy not to fall into the trap. Lots of great comic hijinks all around.
Overall, an eminently laugh-worthy episode where both sides of it work.