Review: Bob’s Burgers “Mommy Boy”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

The family’s going about a typical day in the restaurant when Teddy notices that Ham and Egger, the tale of an aging boxer, is playing on TV. Bob dismisses it as the poor man’s Rocky, but Tina and Louise are intrigued (“you had me at blood and revenge, Teddy!”) Mike the mailman stops by with the mail, including a package of sheet masks, prompting Gene’s explanation of his and Linda’s weekly spa ritual, Spa-terday. There’s also a letter for Linda about joining a group for female business owners, which she unfortunately discovers is scheduled during her and Gene’s weekly pampering time. Gene doesn’t take the news well, and is further unimpressed with Bob’s attempt to serve as a substitute. Before the next meeting, Gene requests to attend, and while Linda says no at first, she eventually relents. Meanwhile, Tina and Louise have been attempting to learn to fight, but failing to make any progress. Bob steps in to assist with their training, and unfortunately gets in over his head. Teddy stops by, thinking the restaurant is being robbed, and joins their “sparring match” in which all Belchers involved injure themselves with their poor technique. At the business meeting, Gene attempts to win over Linda and re-establish their spa routine with a grand gesture in the community center bathroom. At the restaurant, the rest of the family attempts to fight through their injuries to make Teddy a burger. Gene and Linda reconcile and inspire the rest of the group with their relationship and beauty mud.

Our take:

While Tina, Louise, and Bob’s Rocky knock-off inspired B-plot is a solid addition, this week’s offering is first and foremost a Linda episode, which is great! The best animated mom on TV and self-described “restauran-saur” adds incredible musical flair to any of the episodes that focus on her life, while her relationship with Gene is moved to center stage, and even highlighted in the title. Her “Business Women” ditty unintentionally overflowing into real life while she mumble-sings to herself about where to put her nametag is the kind of meta joke that we’ve come to expect from this silly series, while her emotional, but straightforward talk with Gene about taking time for herself balances out the humor with a truly wholesome ending, and a bit of character growth for the middle Belcher child.

What continues to separate Bob’s Burgers from other animated comedies is that both Bob and Linda are genuinely good parents. Bob may not get quite the same arc as Linda this episode, but stepping in to help ensure Gene doesn’t miss out on Spaterday (while also using the opportunity to explain to Gene that Linda’s not just a mom, she’s a person who deserves to have her own life) is genuinely refreshing, and not the kind of thing that would work on say, Family Guy or The Simpsons. He also assists the girls in this episode, after mentioning he’d taken boxing classes at the Y before the kids were born. Despite never having actually stepped in the ring (“I only did it for a week, ok? I don’t know why I brought it up. I didn’t think you guys would ask so many questions!” I’ll admit, I was surprised by Tina’s initial claim for her fighting experience being sleep-punching her Dad. I was hoping it’d be a throwback to her capoeira days, but having her and her sister bond over an off-brand Rocky movie is even better. Notable quotes from while they’re watching it include “What’d I tell you about punching the string!?” from the movie followed by “I pity the spools” from Tina, and finally Louise’s assertion of  “Ham straight.” when they’re defending their viewing habits to Bob, who asks them to remind him to show them actual good movies sometime.

Gene’s concern for Linda is exemplified when he partially explains his plan to his sisters, saying “I’m not losing mom to the cutthroat business world!” and continuing that he believes if she continues to attend the meetings “she’ll have all the tools she needs to climb the corporate ladder and become the president of all food and restaurants and have to move to New York! Or Ft. Lauderdale.” followed by his attempt to “Say Anything” his mother with spa music? It’s a realistic enough concern that you can buy into it, and makes his realization and growth at the end of the episode that much more impressive. The business group, for its part, is something I’d love to see more of, if for nothing else than to hear more of Edith’s inappropriate non-sequiturs.  The family feelings, the drama of not-actually-Rocky boxing, and the romantic comedy references came together perfectly this week, and I can’t wait to see what more is in store.