[9.5/10] This episode is just so hilarious from top to bottom. The show delivers a great and loony conflict with Louise squaring off against her Edison-loving substitute science teacher over whether ol’ Tom was a master or a menace. It involves elementary school vendettas, reimaginationactments, musical theatre, spice-based inventions, and even the threat of death! There’s so many highs and hahs throughout the whole thing that it stands out as one of the show’s best outings.
I think my favorite part of it is that there’s something funny for damn near everyone in the cast to do. Louise is at her most determined and insane, while still scheming, which is a great recipe for the show. Gene gets the chance to bust out of his musical rut and “Electric Love” is one of the show’s best songs, which is saying something. Tina’s devotion to going method with Topsy and yearning to tell the elephant’s story despite the threat of electrocution is that weird sort of trademark Tina fixation that I love. Plus, Bob and Linda’s science fair skirmish over whose spice container invention is better is the kind of low stakes goofballery that I love.
The same goes for all the secondary characters. What We Do in the Shadows’s Mark Prosch is outstanding as the Edison enthusiast who’s over-the-top antagonistic to Louise. The hinting, passive-aggressive librarian who gives Louise the idea is a hoot. Mr. Fischoeder’s take on “the theater” is a delight. Aunt Gale’s cat-related sadness and overenthusiasm is worth a laugh. And the biggest laughs in the whole episode may come from Teddy’s overelaborate cover story about being a decorated physician.
There’s just so many great little moving parts throughout all this, and they all come together in the climactic science fair presentation. There’s genuine suspense and even some impressive animation when Tina stands under the Van de Graaff generator, and Louise’s victory is pretty darn sweet.
Overall, this stands out as one of the brightest gems in Bob’s Burgers’s early output, with a great song, fantastic bits for everyone on screen, and a Louise plot for the ages.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-09-09T01:21:19Z
[9.5/10] This episode is just so hilarious from top to bottom. The show delivers a great and loony conflict with Louise squaring off against her Edison-loving substitute science teacher over whether ol’ Tom was a master or a menace. It involves elementary school vendettas, reimaginationactments, musical theatre, spice-based inventions, and even the threat of death! There’s so many highs and hahs throughout the whole thing that it stands out as one of the show’s best outings.
I think my favorite part of it is that there’s something funny for damn near everyone in the cast to do. Louise is at her most determined and insane, while still scheming, which is a great recipe for the show. Gene gets the chance to bust out of his musical rut and “Electric Love” is one of the show’s best songs, which is saying something. Tina’s devotion to going method with Topsy and yearning to tell the elephant’s story despite the threat of electrocution is that weird sort of trademark Tina fixation that I love. Plus, Bob and Linda’s science fair skirmish over whose spice container invention is better is the kind of low stakes goofballery that I love.
The same goes for all the secondary characters. What We Do in the Shadows’s Mark Prosch is outstanding as the Edison enthusiast who’s over-the-top antagonistic to Louise. The hinting, passive-aggressive librarian who gives Louise the idea is a hoot. Mr. Fischoeder’s take on “the theater” is a delight. Aunt Gale’s cat-related sadness and overenthusiasm is worth a laugh. And the biggest laughs in the whole episode may come from Teddy’s overelaborate cover story about being a decorated physician.
There’s just so many great little moving parts throughout all this, and they all come together in the climactic science fair presentation. There’s genuine suspense and even some impressive animation when Tina stands under the Van de Graaff generator, and Louise’s victory is pretty darn sweet.
Overall, this stands out as one of the brightest gems in Bob’s Burgers’s early output, with a great song, fantastic bits for everyone on screen, and a Louise plot for the ages.