Ranking Every Halloween Episode of Bob’s Burgers: Entering its 12th season, Bob’s Burgers is still one of the best television shows. It’s rewatchable, wholesome, and hilarious, and one thing I absolutely love about the show is its holiday episodes! It wasn’t until the season’s third season that the holiday-themed episodes were delivered, but ever since then, they have always delivered with something fresh and fun, and I look forward to these episodes every year! Because I just finished watching season 12’s Halloween episode, The Pumpkinening, I decided to go back, rewatch every Halloween episode and rank them here for the blog.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments! And if you’re not watching Bob’s Burgers…. why not!?
THE PUMPKINENING (SEASON 12, EPISODE 3)
This is the newest Halloween episode airing in the current season, so that’s why it’s ranked last. I have watched it a couple of times, but I think I need a few more viewings to really figure out where I would ultimately rank it. Linda and Gayle receive mysterious letters from someone calling them pumpkin smashers.
They realize someone knows about an incident in high school where they accidentally, and then deliberately, smashed all of the pumpkins that had been entered into a school pumpkin carving contest. The sisters return to their hometown to find out who is sending the letters. Bob manages to secure three bags of highly sought-after candy and is overwhelmed when all the kids in the neighborhood flock to the restaurant to snag some. The kids are equally exasperated, as Bob had promised them any leftovers.
I do love Linda and Gayle together. While I found the conclusion to their story a bit disappointing, it was hilarious watching them visit old classmates to solve the mystery of the pumpkin smasher letters.
Favorite Quote: “I asked a kid what his favorite candy was. His dad was concerned.” – Bob
Costumes: Louise: Peter Pan’s Labyrinth, Gene: GRADiator, Tina: SherLOCH Ness Monster
HEARTBREAK HOTEL-OWEEN (SEASON 11, EPISODE 4)
Louise has plans to get revenge on a couple who stiffed her on candy two years in a row. She’s thwarted when she, Tina, and Gene deliver food to an old woman in a nearby hotel who is attempting to contact her dead boyfriend, who she believes cheated on her in the hotel the night he died. Meanwhile, Linda convinces a squeamish Bob to give blood at a vampire-themed blood mobile.
Other than the newest Halloween episode, this is the one I’ve watched the least. But I’m sure that will change. I love the kids trying to help Dolores discover what happened the night her boyfriend died while surrounded by ghost fanatics hoping to glimpse the ghostly ex. I’m not super squeamish when it comes to blood, but I love that Bob is, even if this particular side plot isn’t really one of my favorites.
Favorite Quote: “Candy justice awaits.” – Louise
“Candy Justice sounds like a show about a stripper who’s also a judge.” – Gene
Costumes: Louise, Tina, Gene: A snail (group costume)
TEEN-A-WITCH (SEASON 7, EPISODE 3)
Desperate to finally win the annual school Halloween costume contest, Tina turns to witchcraft to ensure a victory. Unfortunately, she runs amok with Jackie, the crabby school crossing guard who is also a witch. She curses Tina, who begins to fear she’s now marked for death. Meanwhile, Bob becomes obsessed with finding out who keeps stealing his carved pumpkins.
My daughter loves to watch this episode, probably because of the witch-y angle. What’s Halloween without a bit of magic? I also love the ending, when Bob discovers who is stealing his pumpkins and why. It’s a fun episode featuring the snarky librarian, Mr. Ambrose, always voiced by Billy Eichner, so that’s a huge bonus.
Favorite Quote: “Witch, please!” – Mr. Ambrose
Costumes: Louise: Ryan Gosling from Drive, Gene: Half-Turner and half-Hooch, Tina: A sand-witch (sandwich, get it?)
TINA AND THE REAL GHOST (SEASON 5, EPISODE 2)
When an exterminator tells Bob he has a ghost inhabiting the restaurant’s basement, Linda and the kids perform a seance to contact it. It turns out the ghost is a teenage boy named Jeff, and Tina is instantly smitten. She begins to carry Jeff around in a shoebox, and Jeff is a hit with her friends… except for the jealous Tammy. Meanwhile, Bob and Linda find a customer boost when two paranormal investigators show up at the restaurant to investigate the alleged haunting.
The episode has its moments, even if the premise is beyond silly. But I love Linda in this episode and how supportive she is of Tina’s crush on a “ghost” and how she believes despite all logical thought.
Favorite Quote: “I don’t need a boy to pay attention to me. I’ll pay attention to myself.” – Tina
Costumes: Louise: Ryan Gosling from Drive, Gene: Half-Turner and half-Hooch, Tina: Just Tina
FULL BARS (SEASON 3, EPISODE 2)
This was Bob’s Burgers very first Halloween episode, so it holds a special place in my heart! Disappointed by the candy being passed out in their neighborhood, the kids travel by ferry to the affluent King’s Head Island. There they’re ecstatic to find the posh community passes out full bars of candy, and they join up with a few local kids to trick or treat. However, as it gets later, the kids discover “Hell Hunt”, where a group of teens chase down younger trick-or-treaters to torment them.
Meanwhile, Bob and Linda attend Teddy’s Halloween party, which soon becomes a “whodunit” murder mystery when Teddy finds his beloved guinea pig dead and is convinced someone at the party is the culprit.
This is a fun episode (I could say that about all of them, tbh). The kids decide this is the year they want to go trick or treating alone, and they end up on an island being chased by teenagers wearing animal masks (very reminiscent of The Purge). Bob and Linda attend a party and are soon suspected of guinea pig murder.
Teddy’s party is fun because it has some of my favorite supporting characters like Gretchen and Mailman Mike. I also love the kids at King’s Head Island; when they have a chance to leave the island with their bags of candy but they decide to stay to help out the neighborhood kids instead. Poor Gene, though. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a Halloween episode where he doesn’t lose all or most of his candy.
Favorite Quote: “I got 42 maybes, Bob! Who can plan for that?” – Teddy
Costumes: Louise: Edward Scissorhands, Gene: U.N.I.T.Y-phase Queen Latifah, Tina: Mommy Mummy, Linda: Mermaid, Bob: He only wears a fat suit.
NIGHTMARE ON OCEAN AVENUE STREET (SEASON 9, EPISODE 4)
While trick or treating, Louise, Gene, and Tina find out someone is stealthily stealing candy bags. Teddy begs Bob to let him decorate the restaurant in order to compete with another handyman named Glenn, but both men get a little too carried away. This is a classic Halloween episode from Bob’s Burgers.
I adore the kids’ costumes, and I always love any episode where they team up with their classmates to have an adventure or solve some mystery. Who is stealing kids’ candy bags!? Teddy’s intensity is on display here as he goes all out trying to one-up Glenn in the decorations department. It seems silly, considering it’s Halloween the night they start decorating, but that’s the joke. I love this episode.
Favorite Quote: “I’m not explaining to the kids that their dad died in a chainsaw spider accident.” – Linda
Costumes: Louise: Dragon with the Girl Tattoo, Gene: Andre 3000 the Giant, Tina: Nun of Your Business
PIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE TINA (SEASON 10, EPISODE 4)
In order to fit in and be invited on Tammy’s haunted hayride, Tina reluctantly makes fun of the ugly-looking fetal pig she is about to dissect in science class. The ghost of the pig begins to haunt her dreams and she seeks help from Louise and Gene to appease the dead pig and banish it. Linda becomes obsessed with removing a giant ball of ear wax from Bob’s ear.
This is one of the Halloween episodes I find genuinely creepy. The dead pig is pretty gross, and there are some pretty gruesome moments – at least, I think they’re gruesome. Poor Tina just can’t escape this dissected pig, and it all comes to a head during the haunted (literally) hayride. Linda is also pretty funny as she attempts to clear Bob’s ears of wax buildup, and yes… she finds it pretty arousing. This episode grew up on me, and now it’s one of my favorites. Plus, Fiona Apple sings the song that plays over the credits, so… bonus.
Favorite Quote: “I heard skeletons are inside all our bodies every day.” – Jocelyn
Costumes: Louise: The Bjorn Identity, Gene: Fiona Applesauce, Tina: No costume
FORT NIGHT (SEASON 4, EPISODE 2)
Louise, Gene, and Tina invite a couple of friends into their alley fort in order to map out the best houses to hit for trick or treat, but a parking truck soon traps them inside. Millie, a classmate obsessed with Louise, comes to their rescue but eventually annoys Louise to the point where she lashes out at the other girl, who decides to leave them inside the fort so they’ll miss Halloween. Meanwhile, Linda and Bob struggle to finish the kids’ costume of a Chinese dragon before trick or treat begins.
Molly Shannon voices Millie and she is absolutely perfect. Millie is quirky and maybe a little crazy and would probably Single White Female Louise if they were any older. This is the first episode where Millie shows up but it’s certainly not the last and she’s one of my favorite side characters in the show.
Favorite Quote: “If dust hits the ground and no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound?” – Millie
Costumes: The kids were going to be a Chinese dragon (group costume)
THE WOLF OF WHARF STREET (SEASON 8, EPISODE 3)
Fog and rumors of a wolf roaming the streets put a major damper on trick or treat, so Linda decides to try and have some spooky fun with the kids by searching for the wolf with them. Bob’s pain medication makes him hallucinate to the point where he believes Teddy is an actual werewolf out to get him. This episode is spooky and so much fun.
From Linda and the kids wandering the foggy streets to Bob trying to outrun Teddy on his crutches, it’s so great. It’s fun to see Linda and the kids together because Linda is always trying so hard to be the fun parent, though she rarely succeeds. I also adore Bob and Teddy’s very odd friendship and Teddy’s loyalty to him. It’s a shame the kids don’t get any candy, but they do have the kind of Halloween night I would prefer. That’s probably why I enjoy the episode so much.
Favorite Quote: “Remember the time you thought the rug was making fun of you? Or the time you took that nighttime aspirin and you ended up peeing in the blender?” – Linda
Costumes: Louise: Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men, Gene: Handsome grapes, Tina: Mom-bie, Linda: Cher-iff
THE HAUNTENING (SEASON 6, EPISODE 3)
Louise admits that she’s never been scared before so Bob and Linda take the kids to a haunted house they put together themselves to try and scare Louise. However, some genuinely spooky mayhem ensues after they arrive.
I will admit it here and now: this episode genuinely scared me the first time I watched it. So much so that I skipped it in my subsequent rewatches of the show. LOL. But it’s by far the BEST Halloween episode of Bob’s Burgers. There’s plenty of humor, but honestly, it has some really freaky moments that make you wonder just what is happening in the house and even the creepy neighborhood it’s located in.
I won’t spoil the episode, but if you’re not a regular Bob’s Burgers viewer, I would definitely recommend watching The Hauntening if you want to watch a freaky, fun Halloween episode. It’s a standalone episode (as most of their episodes are), so you can watch it without ever having seen an episode before. Do it!
Favorite Quote: “Being an old person is scary.” – Louise
Costumes: None beyond what Bob and Linda wear in their makeshift haunted house.
