Bob's Burgers: Tina and the Real Ghost

November 3, 2014 11:29 AM - Season 5, Episode 2

It's Halloween and the restaurant is haunted by bugs, ghosts and ghost-hunters. Meanwhile Tina has a crush on a new boy.

Exterminator: Hugs Not Bugs
Burgers of the Day: Texas Chainsaw Massa-curd burger, Human Polenta-pede Burger, Kales from the Crypt Burger, Paranormal Pepper-Jack-tivity Burger (comes with Pepper Jack cheese).

posted by bjrn (11 comments total)

"I don't want to put a label on it, we're just enjoying each other right now" -- Tina at the butterfly house with Jeff -- omg that moment killed me.
posted by mathowie at 11:30 AM on November 3, 2014 [3 favorites]

Yes, that moment was fantastic.

But what's with the lack of intros these days? I miss the regular exterminator and especially the (doomed) business next door, and the tune.
posted by bjrn at 12:26 PM on November 3, 2014

All of the kids' reactions to Jeff in the Box were spot on and in character and the end was actually touching but not treacly.

Bob: What is wrong with the exterminators in our town!

posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:43 PM on November 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

I love that Jocelyn clearly understands that the entire ghost boyfriend thing is a crock, but instead of pointing that out and risking unpopularity, she jealously manipulates everyone's blind faith to steal Tina's thunder and never once thinks it through to the inevitable, humiliating conclusion.

Kid logic!

(Also maybe a profoundly insightful allegory of the mechanics of organized religion.)
posted by Sys Rq at 7:29 PM on November 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

It's fun that they had a Halloween episode that didn't focus on trick-or-treating or any of the usual kiddie tropes associated with the holiday. It's an interesting choice to make it a Tina episode. I wonder if they're aware of how the character seems to resonate with people?

To the Pacific time zone!
posted by ob1quixote at 9:58 PM on November 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

I thought that my DVR had failed to record the opening!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 10:29 PM on November 3, 2014

It's possible they got sick of writing the gags... But nah. My first guess would be that the episodes have been coming in long, so they trim the opening to make room for other stuff.
posted by sparkletone at 11:02 PM on November 3, 2014

Hit post when I meant preview... As to the episode itself, I loved it. A great Tina episode and I particularly liked how Louise was really impressed by Tina's elaborate revenge plan (since that's usually her thing).
posted by sparkletone at 11:14 PM on November 3, 2014 [2 favorites]

bjrn: I miss the regular exterminator and especially the (doomed) business next door, and the tune.

MCMikeNamara: Bob: What is wrong with the exterminators in our town!

I thought that comment from Bob was a nod to their prior exterminators, giving a nod to those openings.

I wonder if this was also a jab at Ouija, the movie, with most people saying they realized that Louise was behind the Ouija board's responses.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:44 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

Ouija, the movie

Hopefully it's more faithful to the source material than Twister was.

(100% recycled material)
posted by Sys Rq at 10:54 AM on November 4, 2014

Considering Tina was voted best tv character on ew.com. I am fairly certain the showrunners know they have a good thing going.

I thought is pretty cool how Louise actually had a bit of self-imposed remorse whereas in the past her prankishiness has been unabashedly shameless.

Probably one of the best ensembles of characters on TV right now.
posted by M Edward at 2:18 PM on November 8, 2014