Ranking Every Thanksgiving Episode of Bob's Burgers (so far)
Confession time: I’ve never been huge on Thanksgiving. I’ve honestly never really gotten the hype. But the Thanksgiving episodes of Bob’s Burgers are, consistently, the best episodes of the season. They often include 2 of the strongest side characters (Gayle and Teddy). Silly, slightly unhinged Bob is the BEST.
This is a show that knows how to do heartwarming and funny seamlessly and authentically, and the Thanksgiving episodes often blend those elements. I’ve ranked every Thanksgiving episode (so far) - read on to see how far down the list your favorite made it.
Note: Bob’s Burgers didn’t release holiday episodes until season 3, so that’s the earliest episode on this list. All images via imdb.com
10. Dawn of the Peck - Season 5 Episode 4
Fans who were surprised that the Bob’s Burgers Movie was effectively spooky clearly did not remember this episode. The fowl the Fischoeders purchase for a turkey trot go rogue and start attacking the runners - including Linda, Teddy, and the kids. While this episode has some solid moments and a great resolution, the central plot hinges on the family ignoring Bob’s obvious hurt at their insistence on skipping his favorite holiday for a festival, and that warrants a low ranking.
Best line of the episode: Bob drunkenly singing Donna Summer in falsetto.
9. Stuck in the Kitchen with You - Season 12 Episode 8
While volunteering at a senior home, Bob gets roped into cooking Thanksgiving for the entire group of seniors with Louise as his sidekick. Meanwhile, Tina and Gene stage a Thanksgiving parade and Linda helps Sergeant Bosco coax his mother out of her room. The later seasons simply lack the silly irreverence of earlier seasons, and this episode is no exception. While it’s a decent episode, the lack of laugh-out-loud moments puts it low on my list.
Best Line of the Episode: “Old people love hard candy, right?” “They love to unwrap them when it’s very quiet.” - Linda and Dierdre
8. I Bob Your Pardon - Season 9 Episode 7
Very low on food, very high on plot! The Belchers go on a wild turkey chase when they overhear the Deputy Mayor’s aide say she’s taking the pardoned turkey to a slaughterhouse instead of an animal sanctuary. The turkey’s name changes from “Drew P. Neck” to “James van der Beak,” there’s some beautiful foliage animation, and a little Brady Bunch reference. There isn’t as much Belcher kid interplay as I’d like, but it’s a fun ride of an episode.
Best Line of the Episode: “No, I mean, [cranberry sauce] comes from cranberries. But you can get it in a can if you’re hollow inside and your heart is dead.” - Bob
7. Now We’re Not Cooking with Gas - Season 10 Episode 8
Bob’s wildest dreams come true when he gets a heritage turkey from the exclusive Riverbrook Lake Farms. But the plan falls apart when the gas in their building is turned off. Desperate to cook his turkey, Bob resorts to roasting it on a spit, inciting a standoff with the city officials. I relate to this episode on a personal level - Bob’s slavish devotion to cooking his fancy turkey is exactly what my fiancé would do. I also wholeheartedly relate to Tina trying to get everyone to do a touchy-feely activity that they all reject. This episode doesn’t quite pop the way other episodes do, but it’s still a solid episode.
Best Line of the Episode: “Does Italian dressing burn?” - Mr. Huggins
6. Diarrhea of a Poopy Kid - Season 11 Episode 7
In season 5 Bob’s Burgers did its first episode of 3 vignettes, and in recent season they’ve relied on the format far too heavily to fill their schedule. So when I first saw the format of this episode, I admit, I rolled my eyes. But ultimately, I have a soft spot for this episode, thanks to some very tender moments. Gene spends Thanksgiving in the bathroom with a seeming stomach bug, and the family tries to cheer him up by telling him stories to make him hate his favorite foods. I love that Bob’s Burgers has always given Gene a lot of room to express his creativity and personality, and the family’s acceptance of Gene’s experimentation always warms my heart.
Best Line of the Episode: “So President Gene Harrison Ford Belcher and his wife, Mom, buckled their seatbelts for takeoff.” - Tina
5. Gayle Makin’ Bob Sled - Season 6 Episode 4
One of the reasons I love Bob’s Burgers is that it’s one of the few animated series to acknowledge weather in a realistic way, with snow in episodes in addition to Christmas episodes. In this one, Bob ends up having to pull Aunt Gayle in a kiddie pool in a bad snowstorm while Linda and the kids try to cook the turkey. Bob’s annoyance with Gayle is palpable, and you really feel his deep, deep irritation. But they ultimately come to understand each other better, and it’s a sweet treatise on the way we can love (and be VERY frustrated with) our families at the same time.
Best line of the episode: “I will be so embarrassed if Dad publicly freezes to death.” - Louise
“Maybe it’s good to be annoyed by your family, because it means you have one.” - Bob
PS - There’s a slight continuity error with this episode, as Gayle references being dumped by Mr. Frond, but the episode where they date aired after this one.
4. Turkey in a Can - Season 4 Episode 5
Unlike the Halloween episodes, Bob’s added Gayle to its Thanksgiving episodes pretty early on. In season 4, Gayle spends the week leading up to Thanksgiving with the Belchers, and every day, the turkey Bob is brining mysteriously ends up in the toilet. It’s the silliest whodunit you’ve ever seen. As an aside, the butcher who sells Bob each replacement turkey is convinced Bob has a crush on him, and it turns into one of the best running jokes in the Bob’s Burgers universe.
Best line of the episode: “In THIS economy?” - Tina
3. Thanks-Hoarding - Season 8 Episode 4
I must profess - I have a special fondness for Teddy-centric episodes. Bob’s Burgers is a masterclass in digging underneath the eccentric, obnoxious, and prickly outer shells of people and exposing their humanity in a compassionate way. In this episode, the Belchers help Teddy prepare to host a Thanksgiving meal for his family, and discover he has a dark secret. There’s a lot of spatchcocking, some great wine jokes, and some lovely commentary on the nature of family.
Best Line of the Episode: “Teddy and a stool, sitting in a tree.” “T-R-E-E-E-E-…E” - Gene and Tina
2. The Quirkducers - Season 7 Episode 6
This episode has - bar none - the best song of any Bob’s Burgers episode. Based on the Mel Brooks Movie/Musical The Producers, Louise and Gene come up with a plot to tank the Thanksgiving assembly so they can get a half day off of school. They convince Mr. Frond to stage a play based on Tina’s struggles with being called “quirky.” They plan to shoot giblets and gizzards through an air compressor at the audience to shut things down, but Tina saves the day with a heartfelt musical number about being yourself. It’s an inspiring watch for any teen or person who has ever been a teen. The gross factor of the projectile offal brings the ranking down a bit, but it’s overall one of the best episodes of the show.
Best Line of the Episode: “This play has been a real passion project for me.” - Mr. Frond
1.An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal - Season 3, Episode 5
It is rare that the first attempt at anything is the strongest, but this delightfully chaotic episode still holds the top spot on the Thanksgiving episode rankings. Mr. Fischoeder hires the family for Thanksgiving to woo his longtime crush - because she only dates men who are already in relationships. There are so many absolutely iconic elements to this episode - rainbow toilets, homewrecking sharpshooters, 10 schlongs, and who could forget - Linda’s first Thanksgiving song! It establishes Bob’s over-the-top devotion to the holiday, and has accurate Victorian architecture. What’s not to love?
Best Line of the episode: “If you teach me to shoot, I’ll teach you to regret teaching me to shoot.” - Louise
