[8.1/10] Another great holiday episode from Bob’s Burgers. Both the A-story and B-story work here, with a lot of good laughs and some loopy but palpable heart, which befits the holiday.
The main story sees a fun scheme by Tina and Daryl, where they pretend to date in an effort to win “Cupid’s Couple” at the Valentine’s Day dance, thereby boosting their romantic stock at the school and being able to pursue the paramours they’re really after. Along the way, Daryl’s supposed to tutor Tina in math, and Tina’s supposed to tutor Daryl in how to be a boyfriend.
It’s a fun setup. There’s a lot of good gags to be had in Tina coaching Daryl up, the obviousness of their various ploys, and the Wagstaff students’ nonetheless “hook line and sinker” reactions to all of it. Gene and Louise get some laughs in as well, as Tina’s blackmailers and accomplices. But, I also like the twist. Tina’s seen enough romantic comedies to know how these things go and warns Daryl not to fall for her, only to end up falling for him!
But it’s a double-twist, when Daryl points out that they’ve got nothing in common and Tina realizes she was just falling for the pretend side of Daryl she created. Her efforts to get him and Rosa back together are sweet and mature, and the message of their being “no leagues” is an exceedingly nice one. The fact that, after this byzantine plan, Tina still ends up failing math, only to end up sitting next to Jimmy Jr. in the remedial class, is a great little button to put on it.
The B-story is a lot of fun too, as Linda comes up with a Valentine’s Day advent calendar for the two of them to spice up the run up to the holiday. Their failed attempts to “cook sexy” and take bubble baths and do other risque things as a couple of middle-aged parents are a hoot. I really like where things end up though, with Bob performing a dorky but earnest Magic Mike-style striptease for his wife, and not caring who sees (despite the jeers of the neighbors) because damnit, they’re both just into it. The mutual love and support between these two big weird dorks is just all kinds of endearing and inspiring.
Overall, both stories work quite well, and there’s plenty of laughs to be had to boot. (Jocelyn in particular is in rare form.) You can’t go wrong with a Bob’s Burgers holiday tale.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-03-25T05:18:10Z
[8.1/10] Another great holiday episode from Bob’s Burgers. Both the A-story and B-story work here, with a lot of good laughs and some loopy but palpable heart, which befits the holiday.
The main story sees a fun scheme by Tina and Daryl, where they pretend to date in an effort to win “Cupid’s Couple” at the Valentine’s Day dance, thereby boosting their romantic stock at the school and being able to pursue the paramours they’re really after. Along the way, Daryl’s supposed to tutor Tina in math, and Tina’s supposed to tutor Daryl in how to be a boyfriend.
It’s a fun setup. There’s a lot of good gags to be had in Tina coaching Daryl up, the obviousness of their various ploys, and the Wagstaff students’ nonetheless “hook line and sinker” reactions to all of it. Gene and Louise get some laughs in as well, as Tina’s blackmailers and accomplices. But, I also like the twist. Tina’s seen enough romantic comedies to know how these things go and warns Daryl not to fall for her, only to end up falling for him!
But it’s a double-twist, when Daryl points out that they’ve got nothing in common and Tina realizes she was just falling for the pretend side of Daryl she created. Her efforts to get him and Rosa back together are sweet and mature, and the message of their being “no leagues” is an exceedingly nice one. The fact that, after this byzantine plan, Tina still ends up failing math, only to end up sitting next to Jimmy Jr. in the remedial class, is a great little button to put on it.
The B-story is a lot of fun too, as Linda comes up with a Valentine’s Day advent calendar for the two of them to spice up the run up to the holiday. Their failed attempts to “cook sexy” and take bubble baths and do other risque things as a couple of middle-aged parents are a hoot. I really like where things end up though, with Bob performing a dorky but earnest Magic Mike-style striptease for his wife, and not caring who sees (despite the jeers of the neighbors) because damnit, they’re both just into it. The mutual love and support between these two big weird dorks is just all kinds of endearing and inspiring.
Overall, both stories work quite well, and there’s plenty of laughs to be had to boot. (Jocelyn in particular is in rare form.) You can’t go wrong with a Bob’s Burgers holiday tale.