Bob’s Burgers is definitely a major animated mainstay as it’s now in the midst of Season 15 of its run, and its Halloween episodes are some of the best specials you’ll ever get to see. The spooky Halloween season is the time where animation fans like to revisit their favorite specials, but Bob’s Burgers really is a step above its counterparts in that regard. Rather than offering separate stories every year like The Simpsons, or only doing a few Halloween related episodes through its tenure like Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers has been steadily offering Halloween flavored episodes with each season for the last few years.
Including the latest season of the series, there have been 13 Halloween episodes released for Bob’s Burgers thus far and each of them is a banger. No matter which episode you decide to go back and check out for the Halloween holiday, you’re pretty much guaranteed a great time. Each of Bob’s Burgers‘ Halloween episodes offers a different experience as they focus on different aspects of the Belcher family, but here are a few suggestions of the ones to watch first if you’re seeking out some family friendly but spooky fun.
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Fraud of the Dead: Zombie-docu-pocalypse
Season 14’s “Fraud of the Dead: Zombie-doc-pocalypse” is one of the latest examples of how Bob’s Burgers creative team is perfect at finding the balance between its horror elements, comedy, and the emotional ties that make the Belcher family so appealing after all these years. This episode is within the “documentary” lens of Louise Belcher, a nine year old skilled archer during a zombie invasion. It’s clear that the entire family and their friends are involved with making this movie, but it’s played mostly straight to make the movie happen.
There are a few breaks in character here and there, but its focus on Louise really shines when she’s challenged to be that pro archer she’s been saying she is. She’d been saying she was able to pull off a super cool move, but only had edited video footage that made it look like she did. With Louise being challenged to actually pull off her archery trick, it’s yet another great look into the heart of what makes Bob’s Burgers work. It’s an emotional story of Louise overcoming her faults, a fun episode showing how the entire Belcher family supports one another, and a spooky episode full of zombies.
Fort Night
Season 4’s “Fort Night” wasn’t the first Bob’s Burgers Halloween focused episode, but it was certainly the one that made the biggest mark early on and teased what the series would focus on later. “Fort Night” is another perfect example of blending horror and comedy, with the actual tension really being palpable as Millie traps Louise and the rest of the gang within their fort on Halloween night. Their lives are then put in some very real danger as they’re nearly crushed by a truck, and it makes for a memorable outing for the Belcher kids.
During all of this, Bob and Linda also have a great side story. Busy making the kids’ costume, they end up wearing it themselves when the kids don’t come home in time for trick or treating. It leads to a hilarious moment between the two of them as they end up getting quite a bit of candy while out and about, and got more than their kids did that night. Bob and Linda love their kids, but this is also a hilarious showcase of their own personal limits with them too. It’s just a well rounded experience.
Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street
Some of the best Bob’s Burgers Halloween episodes feature the Belcher kids going out trick or treating, and there’s no better example than Season 9’s “Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street.” This episode features some of the best trademarks we’d see in later specials such as the kids’ fun ideas for costumes, and Bob having a great restaurant focused story. This time around the rest of the friend group gets involved as well, and thus the kids’ dynamic with one another is super fun to watch.
This special is lighter on the overall Horror vibe that the others on this list, and thus it makes it an even more intriguing watch if you want the spooky fun without any of the actual danger. This one has the kids dealing with some stealing all of their candy, and ends up just being a fun self-contained adventure. All the while, Bob and Teddy are having a friendly rivalry with a handyman next door. Just a fun watch all around.
The Wolf of Wharf Street
Season 8’s “The Wolf of Wharf Street” is another great combination of the Belcher family sticking together for an adventure, trick or treating, and something fun with Bob on the side. With reports of a dangerous wolf on the loose, Halloween just isn’t the same and mostly everyone decides to stay inside. Wanting to make the day still special for her kids, Linda decides to take them on a hunt for the wolf itself. The foggy setting and overall chills make this a great outing perfect for the spooky season, and then there’s Bob’s story to make it even funnier.
While all of this is happening to Linda and the kids, Bob’s dealing with an injury. Teddy is hanging out with him to take care of him, and Bob starts to suspect Teddy’s a werewolf. Constantly taking paid meds to make himself loopy, he starts to worry that Teddy is actually a monster and it all soon crosses over together into a satisfying finale. It’s just a fun episode for the series overall, with or without the Halloween holiday.
The Hauntening
But if you want a little more horror and heart with your Bob’s Burgers, there’s no better episode to watch than with Season 6’s “The Hauntening.” This episode actually has quite a bit of terror as after Bob and Linda try to scare the kids with a haunted house, it turns out that there’s something much more sinister going on as creepy things start happening. A hooded figure pops up out of the woodwork to threaten them, and the Belcher family try their best to live.
It’s one of the few specials in the show’s history to really hone in on the horror of the holiday, but it also never quite crosses a line as the Belcher family are even more hilarious when scared. But it also ends in such a cute way that reminds fans that the Belcher family is always thinking about one another, and will go the extra mile just to make a member of their family happy. It’s sweet, and a perfect way to cap off the spooky season.