Review: Bob’s Burgers “Y Tu Tina Tambieìn”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

It’s Springtime and Tina is bored out of her mind. When she falls behind in Spanish class, the instructor puts her in a special study program where she meets an older boy from Spain named Rodrigo… only he’s not exactly real. Meanwhile, Bob and Linda try to run the coolest booth at the school fair while Louise and Gene practice their throwing with the aim of dunking Mr. Frond once and for all.

Our Take:

This week’s episode of Bob’s Burgers is a very simple one. Tina plays the starring role this week in her usual way, falling for yet another boy while her siblings get tossed aside and Bob and Linda do their own thing. But even though Y Tu Tina Tambieìn doesn’t break new ground narratively, that’s okay, because luckily it’s also an extremely funny episode.

Maybe it’s thanks in part to the way I can relate to listening to endless Spanish language education cassette tapes over my teenage years (thanks Pimslur!), but Tina getting her heart set on the fictional Rodrigo is so fitting and such a Tina thing to do that it’s a perfect recipe for narrative success. Hearing him recite his wooden lines that sound straight out of the last decade while Tina tries to insert her own feelings in between makes for a romance that’s much more humorous than her typical crush — which is a good thing for sure.

Gene and Louise are in a bit of a war for her time, as they want to make sure they practice enough with their throwing arms to make dunking Mr. Frond a breeze at the upcoming school fair. While the two of them don’t really have much to do beyond the usual, their subplot really shines due to Mr. Frond’s competitive nature. Watching him get increasingly salty toward the kids he’s usually so sickeningly supportive of as a guidance counselor is hilarious.

Even Bob and Linda, who get the most meager of side stories, are able to pull in some solid laughs due to how well their bit works with the time it’s given. Running a water stand and trying to make it ‘cool’ is perfect with Linda’s cup drawings (the cigarette had me dying) and Bob’s backwards hat, making for a C-plot that didn’t have me wanting more or less.

Overall, Y Tu Tina Tambieìn was one of the most fun episodes in the latter half of this season so far for me. Watching Tina relive my own Spanish language cassette days was super satisfying, and the way Gene and Louise end up bringing her back to her senses was somewhat neat, too. Bob and Linda winding up with the most in-demand booth thanks to the super spicy chili was the icing on the cake, making this an episode that ranks muy buena in my book.