Bob’s Burgers is one of the most optimistic shows on television. Sure, there are the jerky stand-outs like Jimmy Pesto, but for the most part the characters on the show remain kind and friendly, even if they are in a difficult situation. There are few villains. Even Felix Fischoeder, who once tried to kill Bob and his own brother, is treated as a quirky weirdo than evil mastermind.
The writers do the same for Jack Conway, the “villain” of the episode. Conway, a new meat supplier recommended by Jimmy Pesto, has been selling Bob horse meat passed off as quality beef. Bob should have realized that having the Jimmy Pesto seal of approval is a red flag, but it isn’t until his nemesis Hugo (along with his health inspection partner Ron) storms the restaurant and declares Bob in violation with the health code, does he realize he has been played. Bob is in a tough situation. He wasn’t going to keep using Conway as a supplier anyway, because the meat tasted off, but now Hugo is insisting on a sting operation. Bob suggests asking Jimmy Pesto instead, but his idea is dismissed on account of Jimmy Pesto being an idiot.
With Hugo, the writers also don’t commit to a truly evil villain. He’s annoying and he’s forcing Bob to do something he clearly doesn’t want to do, but all his attempts to catch Conway in the act of selling horse as beef are so ineffectual, you feel sorrier for the guy than anything else. That’s also exactly how Bob and Linda feel about Conway. Conway may be selling them horse, but he is just so dang nice about it. He enjoys their awkward banter and invites them all to his birthday party, complete with a generic equivalent of a slip n’ slide.
There, Hugo gives Bob one last chance to catch Conway in the act. Bob broke the pink princess listening device Hugo gave him, so he’s stuck with a tape recorder in his pocket as he tries to get Conway to lie to him about the horse meat again. He gets the confession, but Conway becomes suspicious. He invites Bob into his apartment, plays his ska music extra-loud, and confronts him.
I initially thought the twist would be that Conway wasn’t a horse meat dealer after all and Hugo’s misguided sting would cost Bob a potential friend. Conway does, however, end up being everything Hugo suspected him of being. He and Bob argue about the ethics behind horse meat and Bob manages to make a run for it, using the slip n’ slide as his way out of the birthday party. It doesn’t work. He gets stuck in a bush, tries to throw the tape to Hugo, and ends up accidentally breaking the tape recorder. That’s when the kids ride to the rescue.
The kids don’t need a reason to be involved with the sting. The sting is one of the most exciting things to happen to the restaurant and they naturally would want to be front and center to any shenanigans pulled in the name of justice. Louise and Gene are there to pretend to be cops, say silly things, and take advantage of the free slip n’ slide. Tina, however, has different motivations.
If there is one thing that Tina likes more than Jimmy Jr. (or, at least as much as Jimmy Jr.), it’s horses. She may not like riding actual horses, as we saw in an episode last season, but she likes the idea of horses running majestically over the plains and not ending up in Teddy’s burger. When she hears about the horse meat, she goes into full-on Tina meltdown mode. Full-on Tina meltdown mode doesn’t involve any histrionics, but simply a different type of anxious moan than the one she reserves for being cursed at a costume contest or any other of the many misfortunes that befall her.
Tina is, as Louise and Gene point out, too close to the case to think clearly. She even risks embarrassing herself in front of Jimmy Jr. by slapping away multiple possible horse-meat hotdogs. It makes poetic sense that Tina would be the one to bring the hammer of justice down on Conway by pointing out that smashing a tape recorder doesn’t smash the tape. She gets to take down a horse meat smuggler, Hugo gets to make a big bust, and Bob gets to keep his restaurant open for another day, until the next horrible thing happens.
And, in the tradition of the optimistic show, even Conway ends up ok. He shows up in the last act to tell the Belchers that he doesn’t bear them any ill will and has been inspired to write his life's story. Bob got to do the right thing and make a new friend, even if it’s one that won’t shut up about his memoirs.
What did you think of tonight's episode? What was your favorite joke? Let me know in the comments!
