Bob’s Burgers has become a beloved part of Fox’s Animation Domination lineup on Sunday nights. Now in its 11th season, one of its seasonal highlights every year is seeing how the Belcher family takes on the holiday season, including some hilarious Thanksgiving shenanigans that are always a hit with fans.
There have been eight different Thanksgiving-themed episodes in Bob’s Burgers history. In honor of the pending Thanksgiving holiday, we look back on those episodes and ranked them. Order up!
8. “I Bob Your Pardon”
This season nine episode finds the Belchers on a wild adventure trying to save a pardoned turkey from their town’s Deputy Mayor. It’s a solid episode, but it just doesn’t measure up to the other Thanksgiving offerings from the series.
7. “Thanks-Hoarding”
The Belchers put their usual Thanksgiving plans on hold so they can help family friend/handyman Teddy prep his home to host his family for a last-minute Thanksgiving dinner. However, while at Teddy’s, they realize one of his biggest secrets: He’s a hoarder and stores all of his random belongings in his dining room.
6. “Now We’re Not Cooking With Gas”
Bob’s Thanksgiving dreams come true after being able to obtain a rare Riverbrook Lake Farms heritage turkey after being on the company’s waiting list for years. There’s only one problem: There’s a gas line issue on his block and now he doesn’t have an oven to cook his prized bird. How does Bob solve his problem? By building a fire in the alleyway and cooking the turkey outside.
5. “The Quirk-Ducers”
In an effort to get a half-day of school before Thanksgiving, The Belcher kids pitch their idea for a Thanksgiving play for their school only to sabotage it in the hopes school will let out early. While Gene and Louise are in on the gag, Tina is blissfully unaware of the plan after putting a lot of effort into the play. Like many Belcher kids plans, it backfires, but not without still putting on one amazing show complete with a hydraulic explosion of turkey parts that end up being really gross but poetic.
4. “Gayle Makin’ Bob Sled”
Aunt Gayle sprained her ankle and needs to be picked up for Thanksgiving dinner since she can’t walk. However, there’s a big snowstorm and once Bob gets Gayle out of her apartment, his car gets buried by a snowplow. How does he decide to make it back home? By dragging Gayle by a hose attached to a kiddie pool. Of course, Gayle’s ankle isn’t really sprained, and she faked her injury in an attempt for attention. This leads to one of Bob’s most poignant lines in the entire series: “And maybe it’s good to be annoyed by your family, because that means you have one.”
3. “Turkey in a Can”
Bob’s favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, and his family knows this. So, when Bob takes extra steps to prep his turkey days away from the holiday only for the turkey to somehow end up in the toilet, he’s none too pleased. Even after prepping more turkeys, they still all end up in the toilet. The toilet turkey mystery is solved by the end of the episode (we won’t spoil it for you), but it provided for a sweet moment for the entire Belcher Family.
2. “Dawn of the Peck”
The town where the Belchers live is hosting the first annual Turk-Tacular Turkey Town Festival which is headlined by a running of the bulls-style event, but with turkeys. The only problem is the turkeys and other birds obtained for the event are very violent and end up taking over the town. Meanwhile, Bob’s upset his family opted to take part in the town festival instead of hang out at home during his favorite holiday, so he ends up boycotting the holiday, day drinking and dancing around the home alone to Donna Summer.
1. “An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal”
This was the first Thanksgiving episode from Bob’s Burgers, and it’s difficult not to name it the best in the whole series. The family’s landlord, Mr. Fischoeder, asks Linda and the kids to pose as his family to make an ex-girlfriend jealous while Bob poses as his cook. For their trouble, he offers to waive five months of rent. Despite this generous offer, Bob is still unhappy about not being able to spend his favorite holiday with his family. As with most Belcher family events, things take a turn for the wacky. Bob ends up drinking too much Absinthe and almost gets shot by Mr. Fischoeder’s ex-girlfriend. Fortunately, everyone ends up safe, but it’s a Thanksgiving the Belchers won’t soon forget. Also, we’re treated to Linda’s now-iconic Thanksgiving song.