A Bob’s Burgers Christmas (Episode List)
A ranking from best to okay
If you don’t watch Bob’s Burgers (FOX) already, there’s no time like Christmas to start. Every year the animated show, starring the vocal talent of H. Jon Benjamin (the voice of Archer amongst many others), plays host to a Christmas episode. It’s a very traditional way of making television, since so many TV shows have switched to non-seasonal episodes, but it works well because it increases the rewatch potential. It’s comforting to know that in the bleakest of months something colourful and light is available. With humour that crackles, vocal talent that pops, and something else that snaps. Or is that breakfast?
Without further stalling, here are the Christmas episodes in ranked order, according to some very scientific methods to ensure this is the best list of Bob’s Burgers Christmas episodes out there:
7. Father of the Bob (Season 5 Episode 6)
The most important thing to know about this episode is that it’s okay in a Christmas episode sense, great in a making you feel something sense. It ranks low as this is a Christmas list and not a “7 Times Bob’s Burgers gave us feels” ranking. It uncovers a necessary part of Bob’s past, his relationship with his father, but in a sense it feels like that would be better left unsaid. The show would stand without the detail.
Alright episode but Bob’s ancestral family is nothing compared to his immediate family as far as laughs go.
6. The Bleakening, Part 1 (Season 8 Episode 6)
This episode takes a jaunt towards the horror genre. There’s an Xmas monster on the loose who will take all the joy out of the holiday by stealing decorations. The kids set out to stop it. Sadly, as this is mostly setting the scene, this part scores lower than part 2.
It’s a bit of a slow-burner.
5. Nice-Capades (Season 6 Episode 5)
The kids upset a mall Santa by kicking him out of a massage chair. He says he’s putting them on the naughty list. They do their best to get off the naughty list by putting on a show of their goodness. Quite a nice episode because it shows how just showing you’re good is not enough. Or as Jesus put it:
You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You’re nothing but show-offs. You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You won’t go in yourselves, and you keep others from going in.” (Matthew 23: 13–14)
In this case, think of Santa’s good list as the kingdom of heaven and the kids as Pharisees.
Also, got to love an episode where you can’t tell if it’s actual Santa or a guy in a suit (definite lean to guy in a suit, since it’s hard to imagine Santa in a massage chair).
4. The Last Gingerbread House on the Left (Season 7 Episode 7)
It shows off the vocal talents of the core ensemble plus a couple of great performance from the much loved extras, Felix and Mr Fischoeder. The main story is Bob competing in a gingerbread house contest! It also has a great B-story in having everyone else carolling and looking for a tenor to sing “You can’t spell Christmas without us” (also, as someone who has done door to door I can recognise the reactions of the householders being carolled, only for a nice person to turn up where you least expect it)
This episode was really hard to place in the ranking and is placed fourth simply by virtue of the top 3 being extra special good.
3. The Bleakening Part 2 (Season 8, Episode 7)
Part 2 of the Bleakening is better than the first part because it effortlessly carries on the horror tone established in part 1, plays around with it, and it’s so much more visually stunning. It’s also got the better half of the Teddy story, where he tries to catch the monster by dressing up in costume. A great commentary on community and what is important at Christmas time.
Trying to keep it as non-spoiler as possible here and to reveal anything else would let the cat out of the bag. Point is, watch both parts of this two-parter and the payoff is a hundred percent worth the intro
2. Bob Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequin (Season 3 Episode 9)
The family inherit a storage locker which contains a guy who thinks he used to be a mannequin brought to life by the pain of losing his wife mannequin? Yes, please! Voiced by Zach Galifianakis, Chet the mannequin man is a great temporary addition to the cast. This is definitely the one to watch if you haven’t seen any Bob’s Burgers so far. It’s kooky.
Pretty representative of the show and it’s general quality. Only pipped to the post by…
1. Christmas in the Car (Season 4 Episode 8)
Blending Christmas and thriller themes, this is a more self-contained version of the Bleakening, though less mystical. It’s got some of the best vocal performances and jokes from the core group and is relatable to any family trying to put Christmas together at last minute. It’s a great example of what this show can do with a simple plot.
It also shows that big things can come in small packages.
The writer of this piece is excited that another episode is coming out really soon though is annoyed that he can’t seem to find any channel that plays the new episodes in a timely manner, only Comedy Central that plays reruns in the morning with absolutely no fanfare for new episodes. It wouldn’t be the first time FOX underestimated the brilliance of a show and failed to capitalise on it
