[7.2/10] Another solid outing for Bob’s Burgers. The A-story is nice, if not overwhelming. Linda and Louise going on a tour of an old speakeasy that turns into a treasure hunt is a fun story engine. The episode gets most of its laughs in the tour side of things, with the tour guide getting a lot of fun lines. And Cynthia talking to Logan like he’s a toddler, much to his chagrin, is worth some chuckles too.
But once the treasure hunt plot kicks into gear, things get slightly more serious. I can't say I’m super compelled by the search for the Jade Jellyfish, but honestly, it’s nice to see a little continuity from the movie, which I wasn’t expecting. Louise knowing where the “Poseidon” from the bootlegger’s note is thanks to her experience with Mr. Fischoeder in the film is neat.
So is the small but sincere story of Linda not really buying the treasure hunt, but enjoying spending time with her daughter. I like the idea that they don’t have many “things’ together,r and so Linda’s extra invested in the “Flappy Bappies” because it gets to be a mother/daughter bonding experience for them.
That ties in nicely to the ending. Lousie managing to be right and prove her mettle is a good win for her. Mr. Fischoeder claiming it as his property, and giving Louise seventeen bucks is an appropriate anticlimax within the Bob’s Burgers universe. And the fact that Louise is more glad for the adventure she went on with her mom, than interested in any lucre, is a heartwarming note to go out on.
The B-story is light and amusing. The battle of the buskers to decide who gets to take a prime spot is a fun premise. The various tricks are legitimately impressive, even in animation. And I’ll admit to not being especially wowed by the pipe guy’s song, but I do appreciate the swerve and the presentation.
Overall, another creditable, if not quite top notch outing from the show.
They really need to deal with Louise’s obsessive nature.
Review by JCVIP 4BlockedParent2024-03-12T04:35:07Z
You know fourteen seasons in I wouldn’t have guessed Linda and Louise would be my favorite dynamic, but honestly they’re a strong contender. Louise and Bob are obviously excellent too and home to many a heartwarming moment, but Louise and Linda are catching up. And what make them so rewarding is that it’s changed over time. Bob was always Louise’s favorite, and she and Linda had trouble connecting. What they have now is hard won over the course of the entire show, and now it’s so clear that so much of Louise’s daring nature, unabashed attitude, and unwavering sense of confidence and self comes from Linda. And seeing them vibe is so much fun. Linda is Louise after adulthood has given her (what even Linda would often consider boring) sense and wisdom, but all that means is she’ll say things that’d come out of Louise’s mouth like ‘let’s just hit them over the head with a heavy object’ and the only difference is she’ll reluctantly take it back.
It makes for a funny episode, but also one with a nice emotional throughline of Linda wanting to build upon and maintain this bond. That anxiety is deeply sympathetic, and so is Louise’s sense of betrayal at finding out what she thought was a partnership being her mother indulging her. This matters to Louise too, and nothing riles or hurts her more than being treated like ‘just’ something- just a kid, just a girl- instead of as Louise. And again they meet each other halfway. Linda believes in Louise’s convictions and lets her go after the jellyfish, and Louise indulges in both her mother’s and her own hidden but well established deep sentimentality for her family by hanging up seventeen whole dollars as a beloved memorial of something cool she did with her mom. It just hits for me. It pays off of 14 years of investment in the two’s relationship.
Also rewarding is the continued acknowledgement of the movie, for devoted fans. The B plot is just plain fun and more of Bob’s Burgers loving passionate and quirky weirdos. The pipe sequence is a surprisingly affecting capper to it all, and the show is unashamedly gleeful about each performance. It’s infectious, especially from Bob and Teddy. And to top it all off, a bit of Fischoder with killer delivery and lines. What more could you want from a Bob’s Burgers episode?