First week of the month of December and you’re now probably thinking of yourselves how the fuck this year have gone by that fast? Yeah I now begin to wonder that too now that we’re not only ending the year known as 2019 but also the 2010s decade as a whole. Really need to rethink my life here, huh? But anyway, it’s the Gene Show over at the show for this week’s episode and something tells me...that it looks like Gene’s time on showbiz is ready to be cut short unless he decided to take on the grounds of YouTube because internet and people are doing it these days.
In this week’s episode of Bob’s Burgers, Gene decided to audition for the local theater, only to not get the part, then get the part when Linda decided to intervene and go behind her only son’s back on what could be his biggest break yet in my spoilerific review of the ninth episode of Season 10, “All That Gene”.
So remember “Itty Bitty Ditty Committee”? You know, that episode where Gene created a band with Louise, Tina, Rudy, Peter, and Darryl only to get kicked out, questions his interest in music, and decided to quit, only for Tina and Louise to step in and help him out and find his rhythm that pretty sped up way to fast that pretty much in my opinion thinks that it was an all-out deus ex machina? Yeah, that almost pretty much what went down with this week’s episode when we explore Gene getting a role at a local theater but failed to even get a role but of course, Linda decided to come in and pretty intervene. Which is pretty much a big fat no-no. The episode as a whole was an alright now. I don’t hate it, but there were some flaws in the way to at least make it a decent episode. Mostly around the ending where it felt kind of rush with Gene, after getting his dreams crushed courtesy of not making it due to...his Gene-isms and Linda making a shady deal behind his back, closing out the episode with him saving the show. But despite all that, this was an alright episode and if you think that a Gene episode would pretty much save this season from making it a season of mediocrity...we’ll wait and see but for now, onto the review we go.
Starting off the episode in a humble note at breakfast as Gene enters the kitchen like he’s on a late show where the sidekick is calling out the host to enter the stage and pretends that it’s the Gene Show, where it’s all Gene, all the time. And already, the Gene Show already have a fan in the form of Linda. So hey, nothing said having your first fan of your career in showbiz being a member of your family. And look at that, pretty much starting somewhat strong with a wholesome note that pretty much come later on in the episode pretty much going downhill like riding your bicycle down a steep hill and noticing the result that it might hold type of downhill.
Oh yeah, and we found out in the episode that Bob does not like to be poked, mostly coming from both Tina and Louise with the utensils in the palms of their hands proving that Bob is pretty much a big hairy softie. There’s nothing wrong that. Do like it and it looks like it continues on as the episode drags on, even to the point where he made a bet with both Louise and Tina over the whole ticket sales, connecting to the main plot with both Gene and Linda in the local theater. So get ready to poked some more Bob, it ain’t going to be your day.
Onto the restaurant where everyone in the Belcher family, with the exception of Gene, noticed an odd smell revolving around the radius they are in when Tina noticed the smell in the form of fancy cologne and it looks like all fingers are pointing towards Teddy. And Teddy tried to dodge the question from the Belchers but failed to that and tells why he would wear the cologne, or rather body spray, in the first place is because he was hanging around with Kathleen. You remember her as the Irish lady living in the apartment from last season when we dealt with the whole golden snail statue of destiny in the netsuke and that pretty much reveals that Helen is pretty much a gold digger. So yeah, I think it’s great that Teddy may have found someone following the whole debacle. Sure, Helen...was pretty much the contender to be Teddy’s love interest since the end of Season 5 but then the wheels went reverse come Season 9 with the whole thing with the netsuke while Linda and Tina duke it out over who is better suited for Teddy, with Linda being #TeamHelen and Tina being #TeamKathleen and thus, #TeamKathleeen prevails. So I like that we got some continuity into this episode. Much like with “The Hawkening” a few weeks ago and pretty much describes the family’s, mostly Bob and Louise’s, friendship with Koji after the events of “Hawk & Chick”. So it was something that we have that. Though saying that, looks like we’re only getting this for this season and this season only and now await for next season to bring back up.
So Teddy revealed that Kathleen got a new job as an accountant over at the town’s theater and of course, Teddy got a job in the background design and building the theater the whole entire set for an upcoming play. And of course, when the words “theater” and “play” ends up being mentioned courtesy of Teddy, Linda sensed an opportunity for Gene to have his breakout moment when hitting the stage. But of course, for that to happen, he need to audition if he were to hit the stage. And then another opportunity for Gene has open up when finding out that the theater is looking for a new cast member in an emergency audition since the original cast member decided to tell everyone to fuck off and take his talents to do a shampoo commercial. So it looks like Gene’s time on the stage is ready to come to fruition. I mean let’s not forget that this is the same guy who came up with the musical version of the movie “Die Hard” and later merge with Courtney’s “Working Girl” musical. So if he can do that, then auditioning wouldn’t be that hard of a task. And showing off Gene doing the worm as we prepare to transition from the restaurant to the theater. So uh...ball park’s now on them if all things fail.
Linda, Gene, and Teddy all arrive backstage and show the set being made for the theater for the upcoming play as we spotted Kathleen in her office and meet up with Teddy, alongside both Gene and Linda, and Teddy’s impressions for Kathleen...yeah...should really work on that when going for the whole rebound. I know that you finally put the Helen thing now behind you, but now with Kathleen in the picture, keep trying. You’re really nailing it. Onto the audition we go for this Gene bean here.
We got introduced to the stage direction of the play, Donovan, who is in charge of the casting in desperate need for someone to fill in the role of the character of Silent Eli and it looks like it’s up to none other than Gene Belcher to fill in that role. And how did he put up when it comes to the process? Try...getting the line right, which is one item checked out but when it comes to how it was executed pretty much does not impress Donovan. Whether if it’s Gene trying out in a high pitched voice like he somehow has inhaled helium from a balloon or doing it in a booming voice and even tried to modernize it for the present times but sadly, that didn’t even impress Donovan one bit and thus calling it a session. By that, meaning that Gene did not get the role and won’t be making it to the stage. Cannot pass go and will not be collecting $200.
And that of course, upsets Gene because he was all optimistic over the idea of being on stage. I mean, earlier in the episode to kick things off, he pretends that everything around him is his own one man show and finding out that the theater is missing somebody in the casting department, that pretty much sensed an opportunity and auditioned and trying to impress the director but didn’t even get the damn role. And that pretty much upsets him. Though that’s showbiz and of course, even though that little play isn’t your first, there will be more in your future though all fingers might be pointing towards what went wrong with the auditions and leaning towards Gene being Gene. He wants to head back home and want the day to end but for Linda, looks like she decided to do something that she will soon regret.
She headed back inside the theater and try to reason with Donovan and try to give Gene another chance. And by that, I mean give Gene the role despite the failed audition. But Donovan don’t want to because he think that Gene isn’t the right fit for the job. And not mostly because the name of the character is Quiet Eli, emphasis on the world “Quiet”, and knowing Gene as a whole...apparently, quiet is NOT in his dictionary. And about to hand the role to his 26-year-old cousin who have braces attached but then Linda decided to come up with a deal in hopes to give Gene the spot for the play. And that is of course to mention the very low attendance and Linda want to be the stagehand for the theater and even promising to sell every ticket and make it a full house. All that for Gene to be Quiet Eli and thus, the deal has been made. Gene have finally gotten a role despite the failed audition and for Linda...making a promise that she know that she may not keep and pretty much went behind Gene’s back after his failed audition. This is pretty much going to bite her right in the A later in the episode.
Onto the next day, the day after the audition with Gene all gritty with joy and excitement and trying to be in character as Bob and Linda witnessed the moment and head back to working with Bob telling Linda about Gene is feeling about the whole thing and how he got the role despite the failed audition. And that where Linda ends up blabbing it out and tells him about what happened with her making a deal with Donovan, the stage director, in selling the tickets for Gene to get the spot on the theater. I mean, Gene was very upset when he got rejected from getting it and Linda can’t stand looking at it, so she had to do something. Even if it means going behind Gene’s back and telling him the truth about what happened would hurt him even more. So it almost feels like she doesn’t have a choice. Bob questions how on earth is Linda going to sell all the tickets before opening day but knowing that since she’s going to be busy working behind the stage, that means that Bob is now in hold for the ticket sells and fulfill Linda’s so-called promise to get the theater a full house for opening day for the play.
And back to Bob doesn’t like being poked in the love handles from Tina and Louise with utensils in the palm of their hands and decided to say enough is enough and tell the Belcher sisters that the fun is now over but not until Louise called Bob out when noticing his somewhat of a sour mood and thinks that what’s he feeling right now have something to do with what Linda is doing and tricked him into selling the tickets and not even noticed that Linda may have gone behind Gene’s back into getting him the role in the first place. And that’s where Bob end up create a bet with both Tina and Louise where if the sisters sell every last bit of the tickets before opening day where if they sell the most tickets before opening day, they get something in return. Bob tried to reason by giving both Louise and Tina two days off from work, would be something in their benefits but what they really want is something that they been doing since the start of this episode. And it looks like Bob can’t argue over that nor try to pick another prize from the toy box and ready to pick the poking at the love handles as the main prize for Tina and Louise if they sell the most tickets, together, it’s not in the form of sister vs sister, though if that the case, then Louise would take the easy way out because...she’s Louise after all. But no, it’s two against the clock and with that, the bet is on for the Belcher sisters to sell every ticket to everyone as the clock is now ticking. As one inspirational, yet not so much, coming from a clown riding on a tricycle, let the games begin.
Back to the theater we go and as Linda works on her first day working behind the scene and Kathleen doing her accounting job as Teddy checks up on them, we have Gene getting ready for rehearsal as he spotted Mr. Ambrose walking by him and noticed that he’s one of the cast members of this upcoming play and introduces Gene to the others who are getting ready for rehearsal, the same as him, as we now...
Switch over to the rehearsal before the big day and of course, the setting is in the South, noting the southern accents and the background almost looks like it was set in possibly South Carolina. Don’t worry everyone, this would not end up being in a Song of the South level of theater that they’re doing. The scene here as we are witnessing is the cast, in character, having a potluck outside in the open field when one of the guys noticed someone hiding the bushes, which happens to be Gene’s character in Quiet Eli. And that of course, call up Gene to the stage and already go off character being off the script and also being shirtless, which according to Donovan, not even in the script or even in the passage as a whole. Thus going to take two and going back to square one but with a bit of an improvement with Gene finally getting the line right but it looks like the tone is now going to be an issue as Donovan call it a break and head on backstage to talk to Linda in private about the whole thing.
As we head back to the restaurant, Tina and Louise walked up towards a random customer and try to sell him the ticket for the play by coming up with a special deal that they just made up with an order of a burger comes with a price admission of a ticket to the theater for opening night for Gene’s play. Of course, the guy refused since Louise like to raise the price up and she raised it up to $40 and since the guy refused to take the ticket from them, she told him to get out of the restaurant, thus having Bob to come in tell both her and Tina to not harass the customers into selling the tickets since the harassment option isn’t the way to go when selling the tickets in the behalf of Linda and now need to find another way to get the tickets out of the way if they want poke time on Bob and they decided to take it the old fashioned way when all things fail and you think that since it’s 2019...what’s left of 2019 as we now prepare to enter 2020 in the coming weeks, you would go to the internet except that there are online ticket sales and well...the whole scamming ticket thing when you see in the news for when your team is in the playoffs is of course, illegal. Instead, Louise and Tina head out of the restaurant and decided to post it on street poles like posting anything on it from lost pets to pretty much finding someone to fill in space in hopes to not lose the loft in need for some money.
Back to the theater with Donovan talking to Linda about Gene’s actions mostly coming from what he just witnessed during rehearsal and even not doing rehearsal including eating some makeup, which...yeah, might as well get Gene a checkup. Trust me, don’t know what eating makeup will do to the body but might as well do that. That is not safe and pretty sure they tested it on animals before sending it to shelves at stores. Linda tries to reason with Donovan and state that Gene was just getting too excited over the fact that he finally landed a role in the theater and say that he’ll get it in time despite that the clock is now ticking since opening day is now right around the corner and Donovan tried to give Gene a chance and tried to keep things in check to make sure that Gene get things right but unable to do so and ready to cut him from the list but Linda refuses from letting that happen and mentions the deal that they made. But what the two didn’t even noticed while their conversation was in play, we have Ambrose listening in back in the background to the whole thing from start to finish, mostly on the topic of how Gene got the role in the first place and now ready to create some drama of his own that may include telling Gene about what went down.
As everyone is now ready to head out on the day before the big day with Ambrose now coming up towards Gene and decided to drop a massive truth bomb which of course, would probably land a massive blow into Gene’s hopes and dreams of being a performer must like with him being kicked out from the band that he made courtesy of Darryl, Rudy, and Peter due to him not having any rhythm. Telling Gene that he only made it because Linda made a shady deal with Donovan to get the spot moments after his now infamous failed audition and when Linda come up towards Gene as Ambrose exits stage left, feels upset to the fact that his mom went behind his back and now wanted to go back him after now realizes that how he ended up on stage is nothing more than a lie and now wanted to go home. But Linda felt bad following the audition and it almost looks like she doesn’t have a choice and don’t want Gene to feel bad. But finding out that Linda went behind his back after it and made a deal for him to get the spot pretty much made it much worse. So uh, congrats Linda, it looks like you may have destroyed your son’s hopes and dreams of being in showbiz. Really nailed it there.
Onto the next day, Gene has not come up to the table since he is still upset with Linda over the fact that she lied to him about everything and went up going for a full on hunger strike. And this is like a day after finding out that Linda made a deal to get Gene into the cast after following a failed audition courtesy of his usual Gene-isms and she felt bad over what happened and tries to reason with him and also tells him to at least eat something by heading on down to the table but Gene refuses to do so as he is of course, still upset over what his mother did to get him the role. And that of course, put Linda in a really, really bad position.
As she talks to Bob while doing the dishes, well Bob is doing the dishes as Linda try to make Gene a snack as an apology present of powdered toast and talk about parenting and what went wrong but Bob thinks that this isn’t the first either one screwed up when it comes to the parenting department because let’s face it, most of the times, either one of the parent, sometimes two, messed things up that made their kid to hate their guts. And of course, taking their word from none other than The Rock, as in former wrestler turned now actor Dwyane Johnson, that as long as they keep on trying their best, that as good as they can do. Almost feels like we’re being sponsored to promote the new Jumanji movie with...guess who...Dwayne Johnson.
Oh yeah, and let’s not forget about the whole ticket thing with Tina and Louise. After finding out that what happened with Gene was pretty much a big, fat lie courtesy of Linda, which sort of made him look like a total joke during rehearsal, with Gene now out of contention, meaning that the whole bet thing now have to be called off and Bob’s love handles now spared from the pokening but Tina and Louise ain’t having that. Saying that the bet is not over and the love handles are still in play and ready to be poked. Pretty much them saying that, “Hey! The bet’s not over old man. With or without Gene, your love handles will be poked whether you like it or not.” And now the burger sisters are now in dire need of getting rid of the tickets, something tells me that the posting on the pole option has now been opted out. And now need a certain group of people who pretty much have cash they can spend on, a lot of free time, and like ready for their time to come. So when Tina mentions someone like their grandparents in Florida, i.e. Al and Gloria, that of course get the old lightbulb shining with Louise and Tina and head on down to where they are going to get the tickets sold and thus of course, it’s heading down to the retirement home they go.
Linda calls Donovan following her conversation with Bob about the whole Gene situation but now noticing that he is now in full on panic mode because apparently, the situation when it comes to the play has now gotten from bad to worse when finding out that the rest of the cast have now contracted a serious case of the flu due to that fact that it’s a very close cast and didn’t even noticed that one of them have them. So uh...Happy Flu Season everyone. That fucking time of year again and remember to get vaccinated. Unless you’re an anti-vaxxer and if that case, get the fuck out of my sight. No cast members mean no play for everyone thanks to the flu, but look at the bright side, the theater isn’t going to be a full house since nobody is going to it thanks to a very low attendance...said Linda. Until finding out from Donovan that the play is now sold out. Which is now a massive problem for everyone here and look who’s responsible for selling them all?
Tina and Louise. They went to the retirement home and sold them all because old people and theater maybe blend together. Bad for Donovan who now can’t cancel the play at the last minute thanks to a now sold out theater in action courtesy of the two. But now for Bob because he did made the bet with them. They all the tickets to the last piece to everyone in the retirement home and thus, it’s poke o’clock for poor old Bob. And with the flu now struck the play all together, it’s time like this for Gene to step up to the plate and save everything from turning the whole thing into an already a dumpster fire to the point where it’s a dumpster fire next to a building currently on fire next to a wildfire with a hoard of bird nests surrounding them. But Linda is only calling him to say that because of what happened, she want Gene out because if he were to stay in place for the play, it would hurt his spirit, or what’s left of it thanks to Linda’s lie before being hung up. And speaking of Gene...
Him entering the kitchen wearing the costume and ready to go back to the stage but in the most uncomfortable thing known to man, Gene taking things seriously and toned down his voice to be in character. A play now in massive damage control enough for the government to step in and send out the national guard, Bob now being harassed by Louise and Tina in the love handles, and now Gene stepping in to save the day and in character following Linda’s big lie. So uh...congrats Linda, you started this fire and it looks like it has become widespread enough for everyone in countries like Portugal and Uruguay can see the smoke from their house. 2019 is not looking good for you, huh? Let’s hope the Christmas episode save you from this come two weeks from now.
Onto the theater we go on opening night with the elders now coming inside along with Bob, Louise, and Tina in attendance to see Gene in action with Linda telling him that he doesn’t have to do. Being that it’s not too late to bow out. But Gene want to and if he want to take things seriously, then he has to act it out in a serious manner if he want to be taken seriously as an actor. Finally meeting up with Donovan, of course now under pressure over the fact that everyone have come down to the flu, with Linda telling him that Gene is now ready to be active to be on the stage and questioning how is he going to do this with only Gene being the healthy one of the cast and there’s Donovan comes into the conclusion that he would take up every role. And he means every role from the cast. So it’s pretty much turned into the Donovan Show featuring Gene in a more serious tone but they better hurry because when facing an elderly crowd, let’s face it, they ain’t waiting. Donovan heads out and take the stage and as Gene prepares for his cue, Linda stops him and apologize about everything from top to bottom. Apologizing over what she did to get Gene to get the Quiet Eli spot. And also telling him that if she weren’t his mom and happened to be some sort of random lady with an odd odor but with great dance skills, she would still be a fan of the Gene Show. And thus, Gene’s spirit has now been raised from the dead and ready to hit the stage by being himself. So thank god that the Linda Fire have finally put out. But it looks like the Play Fire is not yet been dealt with as Donovan play every character from the cast but looking like he’s killing it. Like really killing it because the dude is dying over there when trying to get the crowd going. Think one of the audience members pretty much hit the hay and looking like he or she ain’t coming back. Let their soul rest in peace. But as the show looks like it’s about to enter the fiery pits of mediocrity as it looks...
Enter Gene Belcher as Quiet Eli to save the show and make some noise by rushing out towards the stage and up the table and thus, The Gene Show has now been taken place and under control where it’s all Gene, all the time and it looks like the elders are quite enjoying it. Somehow a complete 180 from a tire fire courtesy of Donovan doing a one man show to Gene taking over and have the room going as he now goes from doing the jiggles to being shirtless and going insane like it’s a frat house college party, minus the bad stuff, and thus ending it out in the point of getting flashbacks to “Itty Bitty Ditty Committee” in the point of Gene having the time of life where he does the worm on the table, only for the table to break due to the weight of Gene and the items on it. You’re doing Buffalo Bills fans proud Gene. You’re doing them proud when it comes to breaking tables.
Reaction/Thoughts:
So all and all, what do I think about this week’s episode of Bob’s Burgers? This was an alright episode if I got to be frank here. Sure, it felt rushed, mostly around the ending of the episode much like with “Itty Bitty Ditty Committee”. But that episode wrapped up with a deus ex machina type of way to wrap that up, where to this episode, it felt rushed but at least it didn’t go in the ways like with Gene, after having doubts about everything when it comes to his interests whether if it’s music or in showbiz, deciding to quit, only to bring it back without like any inspiration at all. This one of course, we have an apology and let’s not forget that Linda did mess things up and pretty much ruined Gene’s hopes and dreams thanks to her making a deal to get him the role, only to bring things back up and boosted his confidence.
Although this is a Gene episode because the title said so and would also be Gene being in the center stage and would revolve around his interest in being in the show business. But that was only for the first half of the episode with Gene getting an audition, only to fail, and gotten it thanks to Linda making a deal with Donovan, only to be called out thanks to Ambrose listening in the background and tells Gene what went down and the wheel has pretty much turned into Linda’s episode, maybe but not really, with her trying to reason with Gene and apologize over everything and not make him hate her. Gene episode. Linda episode. Might as well make it a Linda and Gene episode much like with Bob and Tina back in “Motor, She Boat”.
Do like the continuity in this episode with Teddy going over head over heels for Kathleen since the events of “The Helen Hunt” back in Season 9. Glad that Teddy could find a special someone and yeah, though that Helen would’ve been the perfect choice for him since the end of “Housetrap”, wiping away the whole she murdered her husband accusation, until Season 9 happened and with the netsuke in play turning her into a gold digger and thus, enter Kathleen into the picture. I mean...Teddy...really need some work when it comes to getting attention for the woman. But I’m sure that he’ll do fine when it comes to Kathleen. Sure, she pretty much doesn’t get the hint that Teddy likes her as a crush and not like your run of the mill, everyday handyman who you would call in case of a problem with the plumbing. So yeah, Teddy, really need some improvement on that and hope you can finally be happy with your life.
So final thoughts on the episode, this was an alright episode. Though I feel like the rewatch factor is somewhere shining over it once you done watching it. Felt rushed, mostly around the ending of the episode with Gene coming in to save the day and ending it with Gene doing the worm, only for the table to break, but at least it was somewhat straight forward courtesy of Linda feeling bad about all of this when it comes to Gene and his interest. Should bring more continuity into this following the whole thin with Teddy hoping to get Kathleen’s attention and of course, Bob...being sensitive as always but it was enjoyable. So nothing with that. So I’ll be giving “All That Gene”...
...a 7.5 out of 10. But that’s my opinion for this episode and now I want to hear yours. Tell me what you think about this week’s episode. Do you like it? Do you hate it? Does this episode felt kind of rushed in your mind? Would you watch The Gene Show with Gene if you have the chance? Do you think that Teddy will get Kathleen by the end of this series? All that and your mini review in the comments down below. And we’re off for two weeks on December 8 courtesy of the Miss Universe contest. But December 15, Christmas episode, and it’s Linda’s time to shine as she work for the post office as Linda’s parents and Gayle pay a visit in the tenth episode of Season 10 and the eighth episode when it comes to the Christmas episodes in the form of “Have Yourself a Maily Linda Christmas”. Last one of the year 2019 and the last one for this decade of the 2010s.
Thank you so much for reading and not hoping to be a massive time waster. If you want to check up on updates and fandom stuff, follow me over at Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram pages to do all that. Same username as the website to search it up. And if you want to help the page out to keep things flowing as we are now preparing to enter the new year in the coming weeks...
- PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/yahoo201027
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/yahoo201027
- Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/Y8Y8K4OP
Feel free to do so over at PayPal, Patreon, and Ko-fi pages to make sure everything doesn’t turn into the real life play that we have just witnessed in the episode. Once again, no new episode this upcoming weekend and I’ll see you guys in two weeks. And until then, I will see y’all later.
***Bob’s Burgers is owned by 20th Century FOX, Bento Box Animation, and Loren Bouchard. Please Support the Official Release***
No comments:
Post a Comment