Bob's Burgers Season 11 Episode 4 Review: Heartbreak Hotel-oween
Sarah Little
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Bob's Burgers is notorious for delivering memorable holiday episodes, and this year's installment did not disappoint.
While it's doubtful that Bob's Burgers Season 11 Episode 4 will go down in history as the show's best Halloween-themed episode, it succeeded in delivering lots of laughs and unique storylines.
On par with the characters' MO's, Louise set out to cash in on a personal vendetta that Tina was determined to stop while Bob was reluctant to give blood on a vampire-themed blood mobile thanks to his queasiness.
First of all, a highlight of all Bob's Burgers Halloween episodes has always been getting to see what the Belcher kids dress up as that year. And thankfully, we were treated to multiple costumes through the use of a couple of flashbacks.
The best one by far, in my opinion, was Gene's Cat Stevens costume, with Louise's Blade Bunner in a close second. But nothing will probably ever top Gene's Andre 3000 the Giant costume on Bob's Burgers Season 9 Episode 4.
Louise: Candy justice awaits.
Gene: Candy justice sounds like a show about a stripper who's also a judge.
The show excels at creating puns and utilizes them in the most creative ways, which is one of its many qualities that separates it from other adult animated sitcoms.
From the Burger of the Day to the kids' costumes, the writers are consistently smart with their creative decisions when it comes to crafting a joke, even if it's a subtle one that you have to look for.
On this particular Halloween episode, Louise planned to do what Louise does best, and that's getting revenge.
I mean, who could blame her? Not getting candy from a house on Halloween when your two older siblings did can be very traumatic for a nine-year-old.
And then being promised that she would get double the candy next year only for the couple to not remember the deal they made is just plain hurtful.
Louise: We're gonna walk up to their house. They open the door. They won't see our faces. Tina, you'll do all the talking. Distract them by commenting on their décor, maybe something like the line we talked about.
Tina: "Check out that wall, where'd you get it? Walmart?"
Louise: Exactly.
However, as you get older, you realize and come to appreciate the significance of letting grudges go, something that Tina at the ripe old age of thirteen knows so well apparently.
Tina has always been mature for her age, as have Gene and Louise because they have to be on a show that is made for adults. But Tina is the older sister, so she is the one that constantly teaches her younger siblings the facts of life.
Tina's wisdom and teaching moment was a serious one for a special holiday episode, especially one that usually centers around treats and tricks. But it wasn't at all unwelcome.
There were still elements of Halloween sprinkled throughout the half-hour, with lots of blood, summoning ghosts, and mystery solving. It featured classic elements of the spooky season, just with a bit of insight from our favorite teen.
Louise: I get it. I got my own little vendetta going on tonight.
Tina: Can't you both just move on? Halloween's about forgiveness! I think.
Gene: Forgiveness and Frankenstein. The two F's.
Tina went to great lengths to prove to Louise that people are not always what we think of them and that it's not productive to waste your time obsessing over grudges. Louise, surprisingly, in the end, understood this.
That's not to say that Louise will never try to exact revenge on those who wrong her, she is nine after all, but it was a nice sibling moment between the polar opposite sisters.
And Gene was in the background cracking quick jokes, something he excels at, and the very reason why we all love him.
Another aspect of this episode that worked well was the parallel of Louise's grudge against the candy-less couple and Dolores' desire to send her ex-lover to Hell for supposedly cheating on her.
It goes to show you that holding onto bothersome things can affect anyone at any age.
Some people are just a bit more extreme with the ways in which they plan to get back at those that betray them. Some people try to steal a bowl of candy, others resort to eternal damnation. Either way is bad, I guess.
Nevertheless, Dolores was a hoot and we hope to see her again on future episodes. Maybe her and Gus will go on a date and hit it off? They both definitely deserve to find love.
The Belcher kids' shenanigans on this episode were definitely the strongest part. The story about Bob's aversion to giving blood, on the other hand, lacked in finesse and was very one-dimensional.
Of course, we all laughed when Bob fainted repeatedly when he saw the needle in his arm, but that was pretty much the only joke to come out of that plotline.
I'm A positive. I remember cause it was my first A plus. And Bob's O negative. I remember that because I said "Oh, don't be negative just cause I got a better grade on my blood test, you!"
Linda
There wasn't much depth to it other than the fact that Bob was afraid of blood and needles, humorously being dubbed a needle weeny by the phlebotomists.
Most of the time, when they focused on the adults' story, we were wishing that the show would switch back to Tina, Louise, and Gene's adventure at the hotel.
The vampire-themed blood mobile was good for a few laughs, but was by far the weaker part of the half-hour.
In terms of where this episode ranks compared to past Bob's Burgers Halloween episodes, I would have to say somewhere in the middle.
There have been better episodes that we now return to every time Halloween comes around, and there have been worse episodes that are easily forgettable.
The kids' story at the hotel was delightful and unique, but we would have to knock the overall quality of the episode down a bit for the weaker aspect of the episode involving the adults.
Louise: What if we go to that house, we totally just get candy normally, and we open the fart hatch and Gene does a little fart?
Tina: Nope.
Gene: Okay, so I just fart inside the snail and we all die like Roger?
Dolores: Too soon. Actually, no it's not.
Fortunately, Tina, Gene, and Louise's hilarious and surprisingly inspired escapades upped the episode's rank. When a ghost and a seance is involved, it's always a good time.
Overall, we are grateful towards Bob's Burgers for gifting us with these special holiday episodes, and we look forward to seeing what they have in store for Thanksgiving on Bob's Burgers Season 11.
What did you think Bob's Burgers Fanatics?
Where does this episode rank amongst the previous Halloween episodes? Were you proud of Louise for not going through with her plan?
And did the giving blood story feel out of place to anyone else?
Let me know in the comments and do not forget that you can watch Bob's Burgers online right here via TV Fanatic!
Bob's Burgers airs Sundays at 9/8c on FOX.
Sarah Little was a staff writer for TV Fanatic.She retired in September 2021.
