So, quite the week we had to start the month of November. We still have a government shutdown... We had a government shutdown, but it’s only temporary until January. However, the shutdown seems to be over after 40 days, right as the episode was about to premiere the night of. Shame to the politicians who voted for it because the reason for the shutdown was so that millions wouldn’t lose their healthcare. At least we had a blue wave, thanks to the shutdown this past Tuesday, with the election in certain places, especially New York City, going in favor of Mamdani as their new mayor. Better than having Cuomo take charge, so thank God for that, even though I don’t even live in New York City. I had no other idea to discuss as an introduction, other than to say that this has been a slow start to the new month. Well, aside from GTA VI being delayed again. At this point, they might as well not release it. Might as well not release it because we can’t have nice things if they’re going to keep pushing the release date.
Oh yeah, and we also have two candidates for the upcoming Final Round of the 2025 Battle of the Week Voting Tournament, diving away from politics to serve as the introduction. It’s Blue Exorcist and The Great North. Rin Okumura vs Moon Tobin for the championship title on November 30, with Election Night on December 12. Either we get a first-time championship for Blue Exorcist and the first win for the anime community since 2018, or another year of dominance for the cartoon community with The Great North making history to become the first fandom to repeat as champions in the history of the voting tournament.
In this week’s episode of Bob’s Burgers, Tina attempts to pair Zeke up with a date ahead of the school dance by having a double date with Jimmy Jr as the rest of the Belchers, alongside the returning Ron and Hugo, as well as the exterminator are on a sting operation to trap a giant rat in my spoilerific review of the sixth episode of Season 16 of Bob’s Burgers, titled “Get Her to the Zeke”.
Other than the 300th episode that we had not too long ago, as a highly anticipated one going into this season, we have another one that was in that category for a totally different reason when the script cover for this particular episode came out last year. Yes, folks, we’re referring to the pairing debate when it comes to Tina. It’s the age-old question of who Tina should end up with, as if we’re picking political parties. Even though shipping wars in fiction don’t hold geopolitical consequences, you get the idea when it comes to huge fandoms, and yes, might as well consider Bob’s Burgers as a huge fandom because it is a legacy show, to have something like a pairing debate to be one of the branches of this tree.
This has been around for a while, and pairing debates aren’t new in the world of fiction. Especially when it comes to the question of who Tina should end up with. It’s pretty much a two-party system these days for the Bob’s Burgers fandom when it comes to Tina because we know that she has, and still does, the hots for Jimmy Jr since the very beginning of the series. And even though there are some moments throughout the series where, in one episode, he’s sympathetic and caring as he does care about Tina, and even shares some moments, from giving Tina a rose on Valentine’s Day to saving Bruce the Goose that would put a strain on his already injured butt, only for the next episode where he doesn’t care or having to be around Tammy and Jocelyn as part of I guess the popular group alongside Zeke.
That alone has a portion of the fandom... maybe a majority if you happen to be on Tumblr or Reddit, mostly Reddit, thinks that Tina deserves to be with someone else. Someone within her grade who can at least treat her right and not want to deal with the status quo, and/or wants this whole will they/won’t they to end. Wanting someone new. Something fresh. And it happened to be in the form of Jimmy Jr’s best friend, Zeke. With Josh out of the running as of Season 10’s “Tappy Tappy Tappy Tap Tap Tap”, Zeke is pretty much the viable option in the pairing debate for Tina. And there were some moments with Zeke having some moments where he may have some liking towards Tina, like him giving Tina a news story of him being the mad pooper, to Tina proving Zeke’s innocence by believing his story and giving him the mascot costume for him to perform for his grandmother. Enough for a portion of the fandom to have Zeke as a viable option for Tina.
And while that wasn’t the case in this episode, and you’ll find out later in this episode, it’s pretty much a two-party system on who Tina should be with for the long run. And even though we know that Tina is boy crazy and would easily fall for a random guy, not to mention having Sam as a dark horse candidate for Tina, and who knows if Tina for once try crushing on a girl, just putting it out there, like the US political system, it’s pretty much pick a side, or don’t because you don’t give a crap, respect, and again, this doesn’t seem to be the case for this week’s episode other than pure speculation leading up to the episode’s premiere and might as well break it all down. This is “Get Her to the Zeke”.
Trouble in paradise already to start the episode as the Belchers are having dinner for the night. Tina is distraught with something that is bothering her to put her in a sad state, leading up to right now at the dinner table. Don’t know how the Belchers picked it up once the kids returned from school, they did, they were just hoping for all of this to blow over, but here we are. And Louise right away knows what is bothering Tina, and, yeah, it’s the obvious answer when it comes to the poor girl. It’s Jimmy Jr.
We have a flashback to earlier in the day at school, with Tina walking up to Jimmy Jr at his locker with her talking to him about something. That something was her asking him to be her date for the upcoming eighth-grade dance. Coming up with a dance proposal of her own by placing sticky notes on her shoes to let Jimmy Jr know if he wants to take her to said dance. And knowing that it is a school dance, the third time in the history of the show, if you count ‘em, at the school... at this point, there better be an episode where it just focuses on the dance like we saw in “Butt Sweat and Fears” with Chelsea’s party. There might as well be one just for the eighth graders since, you know, last year in Wagstaff before moving on to high school. Got to make the best of it in comparison to the actual prom later in their lives. Well, that is if we don’t get into an economic crashout and nuclear warfare that could stand in the way.
Oh, and Jimmy Jr said no to Tina’s offer to be her date to the dance. Hence, Tina was feeling under the weather at the dinner table. And, of course, Linda wants to unleash hell on Jimmy Jr for declining Tina’s invite to her date to the dance. Something about farting on his grave, though that would require her to live past 100. At least Jimmy Jr has a good reason for why he said no, that isn’t dealing with an injury to avoid the embarrassment or as if he’s being pressured or just doesn’t want to go, for him to turn down the invitation, or someone else asked him to the dance. No, it’s because of one person who doesn’t make them feel left out when it comes to large social gatherings like a school dance. Something that Tina should at least know where this is going, since the last time she had to deal with the situation, she was in it.
But yeah, it’s Zeke for why Jimmy Jr has to turn Tina’s invite down, and for good reason. Because if Jimmy Jr does say yes to be Tina’s date to the dance, then Zeke would be all alone. The two (Jimmy Jr and Zeke) were planning on going anyway, just pretty much going to stag and pretending Jimmy Jr doesn’t have a date so that he can make Zeke feel better. Not as a pity partner, but because, again, for a good reason. We know that when it comes to Zeke’s character, at times, he can be obnoxious and rowdy, who just loves to roughhouse, especially towards Jimmy Jr, and, like Louise, gets into trouble at times, but he can be caring and sensitive, the more you get to know about the guy. Everyone knows it, and Tina knows it too, with the few times either one helps the other throughout the show, that is pretty much fanning the flames for the Zekina shippers (the people who ship Tina and Zeke). But other than that, when describing how sensitive Zeke can be despite having the wrestler’s physique, as Jimmy Jr said, he’s a delicate flower, and he would be devastated if he were the only eighth grader in the dance who would be sitting on the sidelines all alone while everyone else is having the time of their lives. And that would be pretty embarrassing if you’re the person who sits on the sidelines because you don’t have a date. Let alone missing it if you follow how Hollywood portrays high school or any teenage activities. But yeah, Jimmy Jr can’t be Tina’s date because he needs to be there for Zeke.
Tina should at least understand what Jimmy Jr is saying and where Zeke is coming from. You’d think that Tina would know a thing or two about wanting to be around someone who doesn’t want to feel left out in a large social gathering like a house party or a school dance, like how she sacrificed her shot at getting upper butt action from Jimmy Jr just to help Sam not feel left out in “Butt Sweat and Fears”. It’s just… okay, we know how this little gimmick works when it comes to Tina, Jimmy Jr, and Zeke, and I said this in my review of “Yes Without My Zeke” back in 2019, whether or not I should do a second take and revisit since I’ve been rewatching the show as of late, feeling like she’s the third wheel as if she sees Zeke as a barricade from making Jimmy Jr hers. Pretty much irks the fuck out of her despite the few moments where she doesn’t see him as a threat or something because she knows that he’s a sweet guy despite some behavioral problems, but when it comes to the romance aspect of things, when it comes to Jimmy Jr, barri-freaking-cade.
So now, Tina is upset because she was hoping for Jimmy Jr to say yes to be her date to the dance, only to end up declining because he doesn’t want Zeke to be alone at said dance because he doesn’t have a date. This causes Linda to come up with an idea for Tina to take up to solve the Zeke issue ahead of the dance. And that is to pair him with a date with a random girl at school within their grade. Which should be good for Tina to solve the problem so she can have Jimmy Jr all to herself. The only problem with this is that Zeke is... well, Zeke. He can be a handful, and it would take someone to have to get used to what he has in store when being paired up with the dance, now a couple of days away. But plans on running with the idea anyway, going into the next day at school.
However, it looks like Tina ran into problems because a majority of the girls have taken, whether by any guy within their grade or the other girls within their grade, it’s 2025 going into 2026, they can do whatever they want, so finding Zeke a date is going to be harder than it looks. What Tina needs is someone who can get used to what Zeke is capable of because, again, he is a handful to deal with, as long as you don’t hurt his feelings. Luckily for Tina, she did spot someone from a distance in the hallways as she spotted a girl in her grade, named Penelope, voiced by Mary Elizabeth Ellis, who, according to Tina, transferred last year to Wagstaff. Random, but okay, I guess. Any without any given judgment whatsoever, going for the ol’ background check, she plans on walking towards Penelope, just as she was finishing working on her locker, but the school bell rang. And knowing that those two don’t have the same classes, she plans on making her move after class. Pure desperation at its finest, with the dance coming up just days away.
Going into the subplot of the episode at the restaurant, and for the first time since forever... or at least, nearly four years since their last appearance in the movie, we have the return of Ron and Hugo. They’re back, along with a plus one entering the restaurant, an exterminator named Roxy Peppins, voiced by Jana Schmieding, coming over from The Great North to Bob’s Burgers post-cancellation, as Roxy checks around the restaurant, which gets the attention of Ron and Hugo to tag along, and the restaurant happens to be the place to check around. No surprise inspection needed for this one, as the three explain their reason behind their visit, and the one that should have the rest of the Belchers be on their guard. They’re looking for a rat. But not just any rat that has everyone on edge.
A super rat. A dumb name for sure, but to Roxy, Ron, and Hugo, it’s a huge deal and a nightmare for everyone when coming across the giant rodent. Because, unlike regular rats, super rats are longer than regular rats. About 16-20 inches, and it can be a pain in the ass to catch. Unless you’re one of the exterminators in London who apprehended the giant rodent, it is serious business to have one in the vicinity. But why the restaurant as the place to visit when doing the job? Because one, it’s not like the rest of the Belchers are going anywhere in the subplot of the episode. But two, the alleyway at the back of the restaurant is considered a hotspot for rodents like raccoons and rats to come through the area, like it’s a pit stop at the convenience store to grab a quick bite to eat. And that spot alone is where the super rat could make its appearance. And thus, grabbing the attention of Roxy through a forum after people sent videos of the area to her to make the move that also garnered the attention of Ron and Hugo, since they know the place all too well. So, with Roxy’s permission being approved by Bob, as if he doesn’t have a choice in the matter, if it means not wanting his restaurant to get hit by the rodent, it’s all hands on deck to capture the rat. Though again, it can be a pain in the ass because, according to Roxy, they’re clever little bitches. So, setting up the trap and luring the rat would have to be the way to go. Capture the sucker and bam, preventing the comeback of the bubonic plague. Even though, with modern medicine, that shit is pretty much curable. Well, as long as you don’t listen to what Secretary Brain Worm of the DHS has to say in the event this spreads out.
Going back to the main plot of the episode, it’s after class and after failing to get her shot to ask Penelope to take Zeke to be her date to the dance, she was given another opportunity to do the job. But, right as Tina was about to walk towards Penelope at her locker, she got stopped by Zeke and Jimmy Jr, with Zeke, obviously, doing a round of roughhousing with Jimmy Jr. Even though Tina should be annoyed by this, Tina did spot an opportunity to ask Zeke a question about Penelope. Asking him if he is willing to take her to be his date for the dance as a double date with her and Jimmy Jr. And without giving him any doubt, any chance for him to give it any thoughts as if there were going to be some second thoughts, Zeke is ecstatic that someone like Penelope, as being paired by Tina, would want to take him to the dance as, what Jimmy Jr said to Tina at the start of the episode, it would suck if Zeke would go to the dance by his lonesome if Jimmy Jr were to agree to be Tina’s date on the night of the dance. And now that Zeke is getting a date for the dance, all thanks to Tina, look at him when watching the episode with this scene; he seems happy. Happy that he won’t be going alone for the big night. And hoping for things to go right that who knows if this might go even further for the long haul. Zeke celebrates it with what Zeke can do, continuing to rassle Jimmy Jr to the ground.
Tina walks up to Penelope just as she is finishing working on her locker before preparing to head over to her next class. Telling her to take Zeke as his date to the dance in a couple of days as a double date, as, of course, Tina plans on taking Jimmy Jr as her date. And much like Zeke, having to jump to conclusions without giving her some time to collect her thoughts on the invitation, she agrees to be Zeke’s date for the dance as we are about to close out the first act of the episode. Tina, of course, is jubilant over Zeke getting a date for the dance because she would have Jimmy Jr all to herself. And if you can see and/or hear in the background with this scene, you have the Zekina shippers popping out heart medication as if they’re on the verge of cardiac arrest. But, hold up, wait a minute, Penelope wants to do a test run with the double date leading up to the dance to see if Zeke is the best fit for her. So, she suggests a double dinner date at the baked potato restaurant called Spud Simple to see where this goes. And Tina can’t say no to that because it does sound like a reasonable proposition to see where this goes regarding Zeke and Penelope, as long as things click ahead of the dance... as long as there aren’t any red flags waving in the background regarding homegirl here as the episode progresses. That’s for sure.
Onto the second act we go for the episode, on the night of the trial run of the double date, with Tina all dolled up and ready to go meet with Jimmy Jr, Zeke, and Penelope at the restaurant. Hoping for things to go right as planned for everyone, especially Zeke, so that she (Penelope) can fully agree to be Zeke’s date to the dance, so he doesn’t feel lonely, and for Tina to have Jimmy Jr all to herself come the big night. Everything is banking on this night for Tina to make sure things go right. At least Tina will be out of the house for the rest of the episode, as the rest of the Belchers are staying put for, of course, the rest of the episode, as they, along with Ron, Hugo, and Roxy, prepare to have a sting operation to catch the giant rat that has been plaguing the town. So, uh, it’s going to be a night for the Belchers as Tina departs for the night.
Tina makes her way to the baked potato restaurant, where she meets up with both Jimmy Jr and Zeke, who are also dolled up. Though not as totally dolled up as Zeke, who seems to be dressed for the occasion. Hair slicked back, the excessive use of showering, and using his dad’s cologne and his stepmom’s vanilla body milk to make him smell good ahead of his date, along with having to carry a flower as a gift, as he hopes to make an impression. At least you’re not Jimmy Jr, who had to gift Tina a rock at the last minute after noticing that Zeke would take a step up by getting a flower ahead of the double date. He has to make a good impression because, up until this moment, no girl would want him. Okay, Tammy at one point in her debut episode, but that was never touched upon since. And the only girl who should at least show some attention is the person who set her up with another girl. But yeah, this double date comes down to how Zeke behaves. He is all dolled up and has to carry the flower for Penelope once they enter the restaurant, hoping for him to make a good impression ahead of the dance; it all just comes down to his behavior.
The three enter the restaurant and meet up with Penelope, who was waiting for the three to make their way to their table. Penelope is being given the flower by Zeke, already the double date is already starting well as everyone does their part for the night to be perfect. Of course, this is where you begin to make differences, huge differences when it comes to Penelope throughout the double date. You already noticed that she brought her back and pulled out a lunch bag, revealing it to be a tub of meat. Cubed meat. And the reason for her to make it a BYOD for herself ahead of the double date is simple, yet confusing. It’s because she doesn’t like food that happens to be spherical. Which is odd because most food is spherical, and what Penelope is doing, like bringing out cubed meat as if she’s playing a round of Minecraft. Not to mention, having to pick the baked potato place to be the place to go despite not wanting to order the food there, hence, the waiter who walked up to their table, finding out who Penelope is, because of the temperature in the place.
I would say that Penelope is a picky person, but would that even qualify as what it takes to label someone picky? The decent bet to describe Penelope would be OCD. And if you think that OCD is pretty much someone who can easily get a breakdown if things aren’t perfect, you’re pretty much mistaken, because there’s more than just wanting things to be perfect and organized. It’s mostly about the behavioral process of things like checking, hoarding, or, in Penelope’s case, as the double date progresses, intrusive thoughts... toward the other person. In the most commanding at the worst way possible.
Onto the subplot of the episode with the rest of the Belchers, alongside Ron, Hugo, and Roxy, watching the computer as the cameras are set up in the alleyway in their attempt to capture the super rat, since finding out that the alleyway in the back of the restaurant is pretty much ground zero for rodent activity. And like most sting operations, all they can do is wait for everyone to be on their guard in the event the super rat falls for the bait. Well, they got their rodents. Too bad that those aren’t the rodents they were looking for. But instead...
It’s Little King Trashmouth and his husband, Gary, making a small cameo for the episode as they come across the camera. While nice to see them, even if it’s for a small cameo, they’re by the bait that was supposed to be for the super rat. They could jeopardize the mission if they were to take the bait for themselves. Luckily for Roxy, she was well prepared for something like this would happen. She presses a button that activates the speakers to scare off the raccoons from the area. Using a soundbite of dogs barking to scare off the raccoons from taking the bait that is meant for the super rat. She was well prepared for something like this would happen. And it’s not just the soundbite of dogs barking, as she also has the sounds of a mountain lion roaring, an owl hooting, and, for you historical buffs out there, the Howard Dean scream. Because if there is one soundbite that should scare off unwanted guests, it’s the infamous scream in political lore that doomed a campaign.
Checking back at Tina and the others at the baked potato restaurant as the double date progresses. Holding on steady for the four if they want Zeke to make sure things go right ahead of the eighth-grade dance... or was holding on steady, pretty much by a thread, if it weren’t for the fact that it may have hit a bump once everyone got their food. You’d think that Zeke would be the one to last mess things up because how the way he chews and such, but no. That attention goes to Penelope, who doesn’t like the way Zeke chews his food, as she claims that she doesn’t like how people chew, more than three crews to be exact. Pretty much a pretty clear indication that Penelope may have some form of OCD. But that’s not the point; the point is that the red flags are starting to show regarding Zeke’s date that was paired by Tina.
This causes Tina to pull Jimmy Jr away to the condiment bar for a private talk. Both agree that Penelope might be bad news. She might be bad news just by giving Zeke some criticism over the way he chews, already labeling her as annoying and awful. And that alone should be a problem, as if they’re starting to see the red flag waving in front of them and her true colors slowly starting to show as the night progresses. And any more criticism from Penelope could spell total disaster for Zeke. And that’s something that both Tina and Jimmy Jr don’t want to have once the night ends. Especially Tina, who was hoping to bank on tonight for the double date to work, so she can have Jimmy Jr, who put way too many chives on his potato, for herself on the night of the dance.
So, it’s pretty much making sure they don’t cause a scene and not ruin this for Zeke, despite noticing that Penelope is a monster, upon returning to the table. At least there’s no issue regarding Zeke while Tina and Jimmy Jr are away, so that’s somewhat of a plus, I guess. But Tina and Jimmy Jr remain on edge because of the fear that Zeke’s feelings could get hurt if things go south with Penelope, as her true colors are slowly starting to show. Oh yeah, she’s THAT type of person when being matched with.
Especially once Jimmy Jr drags Zeke away from the table, leaving Tina alone with Penelope as we prepare to wrap up the subplot of the episode. While she is thankful towards Tina for pairing her up with Zeke... oh boy, can we say bitch to her? Because she is acting like a bitch towards Tina with this private meeting while the boys are away. An apex predator, you might say, because while yes, pairing Zeke up with Penelope was her idea, because, again, she wants Jimmy Jr to herself for the dance, she is throwing Tina under the bus and claiming that she is the one, not Penelope herself, but Tina for what she claims that she is throwing the dynamic out of whack. Saying it as if she doesn’t belong to the group, just by saying to her face that she and Zeke might not be a good fit. To the point where, to close out the first half of the episode, to threaten to replace her (Tina) with her cousin to be Jimmy Jr’s date for the dance. Like, hello, color me what the fuck. What is this bitch’s problem? What is her major malfunction to threaten Tina to hit below the belt? Other than calling her out by saying that Zeke doesn’t deserve someone like her (Penelope). She is quickly becoming Tina’s opp that it’s not even funny. And yes, she is pretty much THAT type of person when being matched with.
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| From "Some Like It Bot Part 2: Judge-Bot Day" (12x22) | Air Date: May 22, 2022 |
I mean, Penelope is making Tammy look like a saint with the situation Tina is in currently with the double date. At least Tammy has some moments where she can at least be sympathetic, or at least try to be one towards Tina. Sure, we know that Tina and Tammy are at each other’s throats whether it’s blackmailing her to do anything she (Tammy) does or destroying her self-esteem when having her new shirt that she bought with her own money being ridiculed on television across the school, at least Tammy has some moments in the show where she has some sympathy towards her like not turning Tina in to Yuli when attempting to shatter the touch screen for the Wow or Weird segment as an example. Tammy can be mean and awful towards Tina, but at least she has some moments where she can at least be friendly, even if she doesn’t have to, in comparison to what we are seeing with Penelope. So, Penelope is pretty much out-bitching Tammy in the mean girl tier.
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| From "Don't Stop Be-Cheesin'" (15x05) | Air Date: November 3, 2024 |
Nowhere at the levels of Chelsea. At least Chelsea, while being labeled as the scariest girl in the school, can be mean, but she doesn’t hate Tina. Sure, she did put Tina on edge when accusing her of cheating in “Cheaty Cheaty Bang Bang”, but that was mostly because she was messing with her. She’s no narc. She has standards. And she did invite Tina to her house party in “Butt Sweat and Fears” without Tina having to find a third-party option to get in. Don’t get me started with Regan last season when holding her graphic novel hostage. Similarly, with anyone from Troop 257, primarily Patty and Rena.
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| From "A Chug's Life Adventure" (The Great North 04x10) | Air Date: April 14, 2024 |
Penelope was giving me some vibes of Stacy B. from The Great North. Wishing for her downfall and being a massive bitch. Stacy to Judy is sort of like currently with Penelope to Tina because they are total bitches towards them, because we have to have some teenage drama. Though with Stacy, that was mostly because she had an out-of-nowhere fallout with Judy and stopped being friends with her, turning into Judy’s biggest opp throughout the show’s run. Penelope, we just met her in this episode, and already, she is becoming one of Tina’s biggest opps. Especially once Jimmy Jr and Zeke return to the table from the condiment bar to start the second half of the episode. Especially after slowly sliding Tina’s baked potato to the floor and for the waiter to pick up, not bothering to give Tina a new baked potato, but instead, putting it back on the plate, this pretty much tells you that this girl is a fucking demon. Out there being as if she’s the white teenage girl version of King Von.
Though you think that when it comes to all of this with Penelope revealing her true colors, I was hoping for her to say to Tina, “Oh, why do you care for Zeke? It’s not like you have a thing for him despite being all up in Jimmy Jr’s business.” And the fact that she plans on swapping Tina for her cousin ahead of the dance just because Tina had to call her out on her bullshit, does feel like I’m grasping at straws here, as if she may have studied her, even though everyone knows Jimmy Jr’s love for dancing and Tina’s life mission to have Jimmy Jr to herself, but if that’s the case as if she knows Tina’s every movement, then she might as well be considered as an Avengers-level threat as the night progresses. Especially after Tina and Jimmy Jr have another private talk in their attempt to abort the double date and pull Zeke out of it. And as much as they don’t want to ruin Zeke’s chances to find a date for the dance, they don’t want to see the poor guy having his feelings hurt. So, it’s going to be a long ass night, as what Tina thought it was going to be a good night ahead of the dance the next night.
Checking back to the subplot as the waiting game continues from the comfort of the apartment kitchen. That’s pretty much the “wonders” of being in a sting operation where everyone is playing the waiting game for the action to take place. Of course, can’t have a sting operation on an empty stomach. And knowing that the restaurant is down below the apartment, burgers would have to be the way to go. Especially when giving two of the burgers to two health inspectors, with one of them being super persistent and taking his job seriously, even if his motivation is because his ex-fiancée called off the wedding to be with a different guy, meaning Bob would have to go downstairs to open the restaurant for a while just to make them a burger. I could say use the kitchen, but with a party of three plus family members, despite that the Belchers had just eaten earlier, right as Tina was leaving for the double date from hell that is currently taking place simultaneously, well, it looks like Bob has no other choice but to do it. Oh yeah, forgot to mention, Teddy is absent in this episode. Absent in the episode despite Larry Murphy’s name and the role as Teddy in the credits. Like with The Great North, I’m not going to stop making the comparisons, especially since Wendy and Lizzie did write this episode, with Mullally’s name on the credits as Alyson, despite also voicing other characters while she was on the show, like Mrs. Tuntley or Vera. Just putting it out there. Oh...
And Bob spotted the suspect at large upon entering the restaurant. He found the super rat coming out of the alleyway. He spotted the rodent, got spooked by it as if it was about to go after him for the kill. But instead, Bob ran back up the stairs to alert everyone that he may have spotted the rat. The rat that entered the restaurant after Bob unlocked the doors. And it looks like we’re going to have ourselves a job for the Rat Queen. And everyone else since starting the operation. As long as nothing bad happens, i.e., hoping no one gets rabies. Speaking of a monster in the vicinity...
Going back to the main plot of the episode where Tina is trapped at her table, Penelope attempts to make Jimmy Jr an offer she knows he can’t refuse. Which is, of course, swapping Tina with her cousin. And Tina can’t stand what Penelope is doing. Her making the calls. Calling Tina an unwanted stain that she claims she’s throwing the dynamic of the group off as if she’s a part of the team. Pretty much an apex predator showing off at the table. Someone who happened to be a... well, a bitch. A major threat to her core being. Like, again, bitch... you ain’t part of the fucking team. But Penelope thinks that she is whether is being controlling towards Zeke, telling Tina to go fuck off, and now attempting to sway Jimmy Jr to dump Tina as his date for the dance for her cousin. Like, no, the bitch has got to go... as in ditching her. Tina knows it because she saw Penelope’s true colors first-hand. And the same goes for Jimmy Jr, mainly because he notices that Penelope is controlling and could potentially hurt Zeke’s feelings once the night is over.
Tina decides to pull both Jimmy Jr and Zeke from their table to have a private talk once again. Away from the table and to the gift shop booth to have a private talk about, of course, Penelope. Tina and Jimmy Jr know that Penelope is a terrible human being, and Zeke should nowhere be around her because of the fear that she could hurt his feelings once the double date ends. Shades of what we saw in “So You Stink You Can Dance” from Season 13 in a similar situation, only it’s Tina and Zeke being concerned for Jimmy Jr in that episode when attending the dance seminar, whereas this time around, it’s Tina and Jimmy Jr concerned or Zeke’s wellbeing after finding out, in their own eyes, that Penelope is a terrible person and doesn’t want his feelings hurt. Well, Jimmy Jr doesn’t want Zeke’s feelings to be hurt. Tina, the same way, but mostly because she still wants Jimmy Jr to be her date for the dance.
But much like Jimmy Jr from that episode a few seasons ago, Zeke refuses to take up Tina and Jimmy Jr’s help. Refusing to take up their call to ditch Penelope before the attempted heartbreak. He says to Tina and Jimmy Jr that he never had this experience before tonight, where a girl walked up to him, or got paired up, to be his date due to him being his usual Zeke himself. People often see him as rowdy and obnoxious, with no self-control when it comes to his behavior. I mean, can you blame the guy for having to keep switching schools one year after another, like he’s a journeyman athlete having to play a team for a one-year rental on their contract? Not only that, but you also have the sensitive side coming out during this moment by telling the two that, of course, never had this experience in his life. Referring to himself as a hopeless romantic because he hoped something like tonight would be like... well, a rom-com. Straight out of a rom-com. Hoping for once a girl likes him and accepts who he is, hoping to see a different side of him aside from the rowdy and obnoxious side. Mind you, the closest that a girl would show some affection towards Zeke was freaking Tammy. And that was a one-time thing that was never touched upon since. And we’ll get to Tina in a bit, going into the fourth and final act of the episode.
Speaking of, ending the third act and going into the fourth, like Jimmy Jr with the dance seminar a few seasons ago, Zeke doesn’t need Tina and Jimmy Jr’s help as he plans on keeping the double date going, or rather, just a date as he kicks both of them out. Not knowing the potential heartbreak waiting for him. Though Tina... read the freaking room, girl. You just witnessed someone leaving you and your partner hanging after finding out that his date is an apex predator, and a reminder, wants nothing to do with you, with your own freaking eyes. And all of a sudden, you decided to go and say, “Ah, poop, guess we lost him, and is about to have his heart broken. That sucks. So, are we on for tomorrow night or... ?” Like, Tina... now’s not the time. Especially since the night has already turned into a total disaster just by seeing the red flags surrounding Penelope, leading up to her showing her true colors.
So, onto the fourth and final act of the episode: the night has turned into a total disaster, with Tina and Jimmy Jr now outside the restaurant, looking through the window at Zeke and Penelope at their table. Hoping for them to at least convince Zeke to step away from Penelope while the iron is hot. All this while taking in what Zeke said before getting kicked out. And Jimmy Jr knows this because he knows Zeke. Because, like Tina, he is a hopeless romantic who wants someone to notice him. Someone who can be with him for the long run. Someone who sees him for who he is, the actual him as a sensitive, sweet, and caring guy, when overlooking his rowdy and obnoxious side. To sum it all up, he’s looking for the right girl who gets him. Or to sum it up, what Jimmy Jr’s statement is right as the camera zooms into Tina of him saying that Zeke believes in love and romance, and wants to know if there’s someone else out there who has that same notion.
This caused Tina to realize that she may have misjudged Zeke on so many levels. Going for that one Shaq quote and owes Zeke an apology, as she is unfamiliar with Zeke’s game going into tonight. Because even though, yes, she often sees Zeke as a nuisance because he stands in the way of her getting to have Jimmy Jr to herself, she knows that Zeke is not a bad guy. Just misunderstood, as he can be sweet and caring. And deserves to be with somebody to be his date to the dance... or rather, somebodies as we see later on going into the two-minute warning. But, and remember folks, context is key here, full context when having to read through the lines with this scene in the episode, but when this episode first came out, and I’m pretty sure I can’t be the only one who thought about it before looking back for contextual reasons... are the tables starting to slowly turn? Is this Tina slowly starting to realize she may have found her match? The person she may have been looking for was staring right there the whole time?
Because that’s what I thought at first when watching it for the first time, when it came out during the live blogs. That is what I thought in my head that for a moment there, when Tina had come to realize that she may have misjudged Zeke on who he is and what he is trying to do, especially when it comes to the role of the hopeless romantic who enjoys love as much as Tina, that maybe there’s some hints, at least a hint or two that maybe, just maybe, the person that Tina is supposed to be chasing after is one who she is staring at all this time. But, again, context is where it all matters as Tina realizes that she is unfamiliar with Zeke’s game with him, like Tina, being the hopeless romantic who hopes one day to find the right person to be with. I mean, take a look at moments where Zeke was being nice to Tina, and the same for the latter.
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| From "Crystal Mess" (12x02) | Air Date: October 3, 2021 |
Season 3’s “Broadcast Wagstaff School News” is one prime example with Zeke, out of the blue, helping Tina, giving her a story after she didn’t make the cut to be the anchor for the school news by becoming the Mad Pooper. Telling his story that it was an accident, then doing it for fun... then accident, fun, fun, another accident, before saying that he did it for her. The same goes for “The Oeder Games” in Season 5, when he and Jimmy Jr were being cornered by Tina, you know what Zeke said to Tina when answering where to take her to a date? Getting tacos and going to the aquarium. Especially the touch tank there, and we saw that two seasons later in “Aquaticism” with Tina at the touch tank at the small ass aquarium. And don’t get us started with “UFO No You Didn’t” when kissing Zeke after kissing Jimmy Jr nonchalantly when she thought she and Susmita had doomed the Earth with their attempt to make contact with aliens for their science fair project. Even Zeke said at the end of the episode, when he said he hopes to do it again the next time there’s an end of the world threat, saying it when Jimmy Jr was standing next to him and having to wrestle him to distract him after saying that line.
Tina, you’re no slouch either when it comes to this. On a platonic level, of course, but spin this if you want, with the prime example being “Midday Run”, where she would have to give up her shot of getting promoted within the ranks of a hall monitor after believing Zeke’s reason for taking the whaler mascot costume for his grandmother. Similarly, in Season 9’s “Yes Without My Zeke”, she had to go save everyone from getting caught by Mr. Frond, despite wanting to get caught because if Zeke gets sent to that special school an hour away from town, then she would have Jimmy Jr to herself. Sacrificing her shot, and yes, still standing on why no one called her out on it. And who wouldn’t forget Season 12 with “Crystal Mess” when being paired to do their presentation for the school’s 75th anniversary, despite Tina’s stage fright taking it to the extreme and having to rely on a crystal that Frond gave her… before Tammy ends up stealing it, and then she and Tina broke it when trying to retrieve it. It’s mainly her wanting to tackle her anxiety when doing a presentation, but it’s also doesn't want to let Zeke down.
You can treat it as a platonic thing or attempt to twist it around as if it’s either one showing hints of attachment. Tina knows that, even though she views him as rowdy and obnoxious, who, in her point of view, stands in the way of Jimmy Jr, he can be a sweet and caring guy, the more you get to know him. Mainly if Jimmy Jr is not there. And you’re seeing it right now with this scene after realizing that Zeke, like Tina, is a hopeless romantic who is hoping to one day find the right person to be with. Especially after finding out that Penelope is a bitch who doesn’t deserve to be with Zeke.
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| From "What A (April) Fool Believe" (13x16) | Air Date: March 19, 2023 |
And look, give Jimmy Jr some credit for trying. Can’t blame the guy for trying. He had some moments too, both in the romantic and platonic levels. Sure, there were some not great ones like “V for Valentine-detta”, which is pretty much every Tina/Jimmy Jr shipper’s 9/11 when it first came out, but there were some moments that aren’t bad. I mean, he was her first kiss, and Tina wanted it for her birthday party in “Sheesh! Cab Bob?” and even Jimmy Jr wanted to go despite being restricted from going because of their dads’ beef with each other. Then, of course, “Two for Tina” in Season 3, when trying to win Tina back, even though that’s likely going to the iffy category because he nearly declined the invitation before finding out another boy asked her to be his date for the dance out of jealousy. And then, of course, him having to save Bruce the Goose from the bleachers if it means spraining his butt after declining Tina’s invitation just to avoid the embarrassment. And who wouldn’t forget him giving Tina a rose after not getting one at the end of “The Gene and Courtney Show”?
And even though I don’t ship these two, mainly because fuck the status quo, you have to at least give Jimmy Jr some credit for what he is doing. He can be a handful at times when it comes to the whole will they/won’t they shtick, mainly coming from Tina thinking that one nice moment from him is her thinking it’s destiny calling her to be together, like the hopeless romantic that she is. Oh yeah, and there’s the platonic thing like her (and Zeke) being concerned for Jimmy Jr’s well-being when attending the weekend dance seminar, which causes Jimmy Jr to stand up to his instructor at the end of that episode. Even though I don’t ship Tina with Jimmy Jr, and already getting tired of the will they/won’t they shtick despite that we have a lot of seasons and not going anywhere for the long run, just hoping for Tina to find someone doesn’t spiral into a civil war within the fandom.
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| From "Don't Stop Be-Cheesin'" (15x05) | Air Date: November 3, 2024 |
You could probably say the same about the other guys that Tina came across in the show’s history. We all remember Josh back when he was a viable candidate in Season 3, since his introduction in “Lindapendent Woman” by the dairy counter and asking her to be his date to the dance at his school the same night as Tina’s before Season 10 at the end of “Tappy Tappy Tappy Tap Tap Tap” when the two deciding to stay as friends despite the chemistry they had for one season. Don’t want to know about the others, like Henry or Jordan, or anyone really. I mean, Darryl, maybe, but that was mostly because Tina was coaching him to be a better boyfriend so that he could win over Rosa... before Tina ended up falling for her just for creating a perfect model of what she likes in a guy. Then, of course, Sam. A portion of the fandom sees him as a possible dark horse candidate to be with Tina because of how similar they are. They shared a dance, having to sacrifice her shot at getting some upper butt action from Jimmy Jr, with her helping him to survive a dance party as a return for him helping her get her skirt out of the dryer. Even congratulated her after besting him (and everyone else) in the Cheese Royale after revealing himself to be the Big Cheese. Even though that’s more of a platonic level, but wouldn’t rule out the possibility of being a love interest. And could treat it as the equivalent of Moon and Quinn because we barely met Sam and do not know a lot about him, the same way with Quinn when being introduced.
But yeah, going back on track, Tina is unfamiliar with Zeke’s game after hearing what Jimmy Jr said about him, and plans to take drastic measures to get Zeke out of the restaurant. Y’all already know where this is going, which, thank God that the episode ended with the three of them together, because otherwise, woof. But, if that seems to be the case, which is not because the show has been pushing for Jimmy Jr to be the person for Tina to be the one, even if we have a lot of this bullshit that is the will they/won’t they shtick, but if that seems to be the case... war may have been declared. War may have been declared... a pairing war to exact. And, oh boy, it’s going to be a doozy for the pairing debate when it comes to Tina. And I’ve been through a few fandoms that had that in the past. So many lives lost... metaphorically.
Going back to the subplot with the rat, nowhere to run across the building. Turning it into a game of hide and seek as they have the rodent cornered since being detected by Bob earlier in the second half of the episode. This causes the kids to question what to do with the rat once it gets captured... what the fuck do you think an exterminator does when it comes to rodents? It’s in the name. So, now, the family feels bad for the rat because even though it’s a nuisance and could potentially spread diseases, as if it would bring the bubonic plague, which is a bad thing, of course, even though with modern medicine, it is treatable. Just hoping that it doesn’t spiral into an epidemic and then blow up into a pandemic. And good God, we don’t want to deal with that ever again. Mostly in the next 100 years.
The Belchers spotted the rat as it came out of the booth, as it was trying to escape and not wanting to meet the big cheese upstairs. And the Belchers, as much as Bob doesn’t want to do this, because of how much trouble one rat can pose to the community, especially to the food industry, he opens the door to let the rat out to escape the Rat Queen’s wrath. He gets scolded by both Roxy and Hugo for the consequences that he and the rest of the Belchers may have imposed on the city. But at least he did the right thing? I guess? Hey, at least it won’t affect them as long as they throw away stuff that has been affected by the rat, then we should be good.
Approaching the two-minute warning of the episode with Zeke is ready to pop the question to ask Penelope to be his date to the dance. Moments away from what might be a possible Chernobyl-style heartbreak. But right as Zeke was about to ask Penelope to be his date to the dance, in comes Tina and Jimmy Jr carrying hordes of plates with the items from the condiment bar, which they have no problems carrying a lot of plates since they work at their fathers’ respective restaurants, as they place the plates and scatter them to send Zeke a message for him to read. A little dance proposal for him that he can’t refuse ahead of the school dance. That being said, ask him to be, not Tina’s, not Jimmy Jr’s, but both of them to be their date. Going for a three-way for the dance so that Zeke doesn’t have to be alone for the big night. This was Tina’s idea after realizing that she may have misjudged Zeke for being a hopeless romantic, pretty much misjudged him for everything, because she sees him for what he is on the outside in comparison to the inside. Especially when it’s just the two of them, whether it’s apprehending him for the mascot costume or being paired for the presentation for the school’s 75th anniversary.
Now, would this be considered a change in their dynamic with his apology ahead of Zeke accepting the invitation to be Tina and Jimmy Jr’s proposal? Maybe, but maybe not. Mostly because of how future episodes will play out, and God forbid if this becomes nothing more than a memory, as if they would retcon the fuck out of this. God forbid if that would end up becoming the case. I guess baby steps would be the right thing to call as of this moment. Yeah, let’s go with that. But other than that, passing the two-minute warning of the episode, Zeke takes up Tina’s apology and also her and Jimmy Jr’s proposal to be their date to the dance, and we have ourselves a three-way date. And bullet fucking dodged because Penelope was planning on declining to be Zeke’s date as if she wasn’t planning on taking Zeke anyway, mostly due to the way he was chewing. Despite the calls of not wanting Tina to be with them. So, uh, karma pretty much deserved.
Going into the final scene of the episode with the three are leaving the restaurant on their way home. Zeke is ecstatic over the fact that he won’t be alone for the dance, especially since it’s with his best friend and the girl who might have possible feelings towards. Talking about how they want to dance and how to dress ahead of the big night, like the hopeless romantic that he is. Pretty much showing off his Tina side when it comes to all of this, and you can see why, going into the credits with the three of them dancing in matching colors. Shades of what we saw in the credits to “Roller, I Hardly Know Her” with Gene, Alex, and Courtney in matching skating outfits, funny enough since that episode was also written by the Molyneuxs nearly to the day. Talk about a coincidence. Oh yeah, and if you take a peek for a bit before cutting over to the credits right as Tina, Jimmy Jr, and Zeke were heading home for the night, you have the escaped super rat making its way to the baked potato restaurant, pretty much making it their problem.
Reaction/Thoughts:
So, all and all, what do I think about this week’s episode of Bob’s Burgers? There was a lot of anticipation with this episode when the script cover came out last year. Going into this past Sunday with the episode’s premiere, this was an alright episode. Some moments were predictable. You knew that Penelope was not the person you thought she was. Then again, when the images came out a few weeks ago, there were a lot of options to choose from with how the double date would play out. But one thing to know is that Penelope is someone who is pretty much what you would label as an apex predator who has some serious issues when it comes to people skills.
At least the night ended with the three of them (Tina, Jimmy Jr, and Zeke) going together as a throuple, but again, context is pretty much key when it comes to that one scene with Tina having the camera zooming in on her as if she has a realization aside from her misjudging him, so take it with a grain of salt. Hopefully, with Tina having to apologize to Zeke for misjudging him that maybe there’s a change in the works with their dynamic in future episodes. Probably not, but baby steps would have to be the way to go.
At least we got Ron and Hugo back after a long ass time with this episode. And while the subplot... did fine, decent at best, at least we have those two back on the show, and alone should be enough to make a fine episode. At least this one isn’t a surprise inspection this time around because of the threat of a super rat plaguing the town that could cause trouble, so that’s something. But, other than that, this was an interesting episode with a lot of anticipation since the release of the script cover last year, whether you’re a Tina/Jimmy Jr or a Tina/Zeke shipper, on how things would play out. At least it’s a three-way date as seen in the credits, so uh... everyone wins...? Maybe? So, I’ll give “Get Her to the Zeke”...
An 8 out of 10. I was planning on giving it a 7 out of 10, but diving into where Zeke is coming from, seeing another side of him in this episode, along with Tina getting the realization, and having to read between the lines when it comes to that scene, so it’s an 8 out of 10 for this episode. But that’s my opinion, and I want to hear yours in the comments below. No new episode on November 16, but we do have one on the week of Thanksgiving, no Thanksgiving episode this time, it’s another normal episode. Four times now with Tina being under the spotlight, with her getting a tube top, much to Linda’s dismay and disapproval, in the seventh episode of Season 16 of Bob’s Burgers in “Tube for Tina”
Follow me on Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, Mastodon, BlueSky, and Threads for updates and behind-the-scenes stuff. There was no match this week because the Semifinals have come and gone. And since we have no new episode on the 16th, we have a third-place match coming up on... the week of November 16 between Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) and Cole Tillerman (Central Park) for the bronze medal. And then, of course, November 30 with the Final Round between Rin Okumura (Blue Exorcist) and Moon Tobin (The Great North). And y’all should know the drill by now...
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