14x04 Running Down a Gene

[6.0/10] Weak by Bob’s Burgers standards, but fine by most shows’. I’ve said my piece about Gene not being a great main character, so I won’t rehash it here. Suffice it to say, there’s nothing wrong with the conception of this one--Gene trying to recreate a dream where he had a great song idea--he just doesn’t really have the depth of character to support the plot.

The two best things about it are the funky dream sequences and the message. Bits like singing salami, or a bus full of Lindas singing “Wheels Go ‘Round” or other random wacky nonsense is entertaining, and allow the animators to go a bit wild. I particularly enjoyed the sequences where Gene gets to his magical keyboard, only to find that the keys have turned to overflowing goop, or float in the air, or his hands are too big to carry. The animators get inventive with it all, and it’s fun visually.

Likewise, the point made by Bob, that it’s the things you work hard on that end up being the most meaningful and rewarding, is a solid one. The fact that Gene was trying to reach the “perfect song” that just came to him in a dream, while ending up developing a much better one about his hard work trying to get that song, is a clever way to illustrate that idea.

But the song itself isn’t especially good, and is pretty trite relative to other Bob’s Burgers tunes. (Tina’s “What If They’re Right?” was a heartbreaker, for instance.) Gene’s not particularly funny when he has the spotlight, which drags the proceedings down. (Even even Bob, Linda, and Mr. Ambrose pick up some of the comedic slack.) And Gene’s efforts to get to bed so he can dream again aren’t particularly funny or engaging.

The B-story with Tina and Louise trying to catch the cricket that’s been chirping Linda awake isn’t much to write home about either. Pretty mild on laughs beyond Bob’s dry reaction to his floors being covered in foodstuffs, and not much in the way of story either.

Overall, a lesser light in what’s otherwise been a strong season so far.