Review: Bob’s Burgers “Escape from Which Island?”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Mr. Fischoeder tasks Bob with catering a meeting with his old rich friends. Expectedly, it goes awry when the group takes hard drugs and one goes feral, forcing Bob and the rest to look for escape when a storm picks up.

OUR TAKE

Hey, remember those weird rich friends Mr. Fischoeder had in that one episode about Bob having to join in when they were doing competitive gingerbread house making? Well, they’re back for some more weird old rich guy shenanigans and Bob’s been roped into their nonsense once again. Unfortunately, while it is pretty wacky and a little harrowing as the group navigates a raging storm and a member who becomes a wild animal (I don’t remember his name and frankly I think that says more about the episode than it does me), it doesn’t end up feeling as fun as that aforementioned gingerbread episode. Part of that makes sense seeing as this is not a Christmas episode (hopefully there’s one of those this year since they skipped halloween) but also that I guess I just wasn’t as hooked by what was happening for some reason. Maybe if Bob had also ended up on the drugs somehow, leaving Fischoeder as the one sober guy to corral everyone to safety? Then again, they do at least make use of his unspoken respect for Bob by siding him when Bob tries to be the voice of reason. Stuff I like is there, there’s just not as much of it as I would like, I guess.

The B-plot focuses on Linda trying to teach the kids party etiquette and Tina ending up feeling overwhelmed and pressured by it all. This one felt kinda underutilized and once again I find myself comparing it with that one Christmas episode, where they all went caroling but ended up dealing with a guy with major serial killer vibes. Again, not asking them to force Christmas stuff in there when we’re in November (I already get annoyed enough at that when they start doing Christmas ads in SEPTEMBER). Maybe instead, this plot could’ve ended with them actually going to a party. Gene and Louise seem like they understood what Linda told them but end up messing up in funny ways, while Tina, who seemed like she would crash and burn, ends up being the most sociable one there. I dunno, maybe what we got is fine too? This whole episode is perfectly fine on its own, it just reminds me of ones I like more and therefore wish more of that was in this one. But hey, okay Bob’s Burgers is better than plenty of shows at their best so I’m good with this as it is for now.