Created by Loren Bouchard, Bob’s Burgers is an animated sitcom that centers around the Belcher family, their hamburger restaurant, and the misadventures of the Belcher kids. After 13 seasons, Bob’s Burgers has become one of the best animated series. While the show finds its strength in absurd humor, lovable characters, and spontaneous musical numbers, the series has its share of darker and more serious episodes as well.
Bob’s Burgers doesn’t shy away from strong moral lessons and bleak themes. Between addiction, financial stress, and grief, the animated sitcom has plenty of dark and somber episodes.
10 “Housetrap”
Season 5, Episode 19
After helping Teddy with a job in order to spend time in a fancy beach house, the Belcher family’s “vacation” takes a dark spin when the house owner returns home. The Belcher’s snoop through the house and begin speculating that something might be off, and after consulting Teddy, they decide that Helen murdered her husband.
Though Helen insists her husband’s death was an accident and even saves Linda from a similar fate, Bob discovers a buried box of a hammer and nails, confirming Helen did kill him. “Housetrap” does what Bob’s Burgers does best: blending its snappy humor with an unpredictable situation. In this dark episode, though, the Belchers must navigate living with a potential murderer and preparing themselves for a terrible fate.
9 “Burgerboss”
Season 2, Episode 4
“Burgerboss” centers around Bob, his growing obsession with beating Jimmy Pesto’s score on the game Burgerboss, and his downward spiral into an addiction to painkillers. Bob doesn’t always have his life under control, but “Burgerboss” is the first episode to showcase addiction and the impact it has on Bob and his family.
Because Bob is unable to stop playing Burgerboss, the Belcher family is at risk of losing their restaurant and their dad. Bob gets addicted to the painkillers for his carpal tunnel syndrome and even agrees to beat up a child bully for advice on how to get better at the game. Just when it seems no one can get through to him, Bob eventually comes to his senses and stops playing, though he secretly pays someone else to earn a new high score for him.
8 “Sheesh! Cab, Bob?”
Season 1, Episode 6
Bob is one of the best cartoon fathers, and his devotion to make Tina’s thirteenth birthday special proves he’s worthy of the title. Linda lets Tina plan her 13th birthday party, but Bob quickly notices how expensive it sounds and takes on a second job to make her wishes come true.
The Belcher family lives paycheck to paycheck, and with them having no extra money to spare at the moment, Bob is willing to do whatever it takes for Tina. On top of his exhaustion from working all night and day, each new passenger presents a new challenge and disturbing experience for Bob. Bob goes some dark and extreme lengths to ensure Jimmy Jr. will attend Tina’s party, like threatening to reveal Jimmy Sr.’s fetishes. It’s a bleak episode, but everyone enjoys the party in the end.
7 “Show Mama From The Grave”
Season 13, Episode 9
“Show Mama From the Grave” is one of Bob’s Burgers‘ most heartfelt episodes, but it’s particularly bleak. On the way to go sledding, the Belcher family takes a detour at the cemetery where Bob’s mother is buried because Bob has not visited her grave in 20 years.
Due to the time that passed since his last visit, Bob doesn’t remember how to find his mom’s grave and feels immediate guilt. His kids care more about having enough time for sledding, which means Bob rushes through paying his respects. Bob’s overwhelming guilt about not visiting his late mother is a sad and bleak theme in the episode.
6 “Mother Daughter Laser Razor”
Season 3, Episode 10
“Mother Daughter Laser Razor” delves into the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship. The episode explores parents learning how to balance being fun and strict as Linda tries to bond with Louise. With Louise being closer to Bob, Linda feels insecure about their relationship and goes to extreme measures to make Louise be her friend.
To try to repair their relationship, Linda forces Louise to a mother-daughter healing retreat, which only pushes Louise further away. Louise ends up locking Linda and all the mothers in a cupboard, and the pair have numerous shouting matches throughout the episode. The episode ends on a sweet note when Louise finally admits how much she cares for Linda, but “Mother Daughter Laser Razor” takes fans on a dark ride through Linda’s insecurities and fears.
5 “Fort Night”
Season 4, Episode 2
One of Bob’s Burgers best Halloween episodes, “Fort Night,” follows the Belcher kids and their friends on Halloween night. However, the kids can’t go trick-or-treating because they’re stuck in their fort. Then, Louise’s annoying classmate, Millie, holds them hostage. The episode gets increasingly disturbing and deals with heavy themes.
Millie takes joy in torturing her classmates, but things truly take a turn for the worse when they’re all at risk of being crushed to death by a truck’s loading dock. While the Belcher kids often find themselves in unusual situations, the risk of death is a much darker scenario for them.
4 “World Wharf II: The Wharfening”
Season 4, Episode 22
Season 4, Episode 22, “World Wharf II: The Wharfening,” takes inspiration from the spy and crime genres when Mr. Fischoeder’s brother, Felix, is willing to do whatever it takes to get Wonder Wharf. This leads to him holding Bob and Mr. Fischoeder hostage while holding a gun to their heads.
Bob’s Burgers fans have seen hostage situations in the show thanks to recurring character Micky, but this is the first time Bob’s life has ever been in danger. The episode presents a dangerous scenario that could lead to a dark future for the Belcher family. Thankfully, Linda and the Belcher family manage to save Bob, though the episode is a creepy watch.
3 “The Hauntening”
Season 6, Episode 3
The Halloween special, “The Hauntening,” is one of the best Bob’s Burgers episodes, as well as one of the most harrowing. Louise doesn’t fear anything, including Halloween and haunted houses. As a result, Bob and Linda create their own haunted house in order to terrify Louise.
Using the haunted house as a disguise, Bob and Linda make the kids believe they’re in danger of dying after a series of unfortunate events. For the first time in her life, Louise is scared. Though Bob and Linda succeeded in scaring Louise, making their kids believe they’re going to die is a little too dark.
2 “Pig Trouble In Little Tina”
Season 10, Episode 4
Tina is one of Bob’s Burgers most interesting characters, but “Pig Trouble in Little Tina” showcases a dark and disturbing side to her character and the series. Tina must dissect a fetal pig in science class, speaks ill of the dead, and begins having nightmares about it haunting her.
Believing the way to make up with the pig is to put the pig back together and use Tina’s blood as a sacrifice, the Belcher kids steal the pig and its organs from the dumpster, put it back together, and then bury the pig. If Tina’s nightmares weren’t disturbing enough, her makeshift surgery on a dead baby pig and blood sacrifice takes it to another level.
1 “Moody Foodie”
Season 2, Episode 7
When news of a harsh food critic circulates around town, Bob worries the critic will ruin the Belchers’ restaurant. In the Belchers’ panicked state, they make a terrible first impression, and the Moody Foodie leaves a bad review. Bob takes his anger out on his family and desperately tries to find solutions to keep his restaurant open.
A desperate Bob shows up at the Moody Foodie’s house, kidnaps him, and holds him hostage until he eats another burger and leaves a good review. Bob’s emotions occasionally get the better of him, but seeing him resort to such violent and desperate measures presents a dark side of Bob that viewers had never seen before.
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