alexanderelwood

"Hope N' Mic Night," written by series creator Loren Bouchard, might be my new favorite episode of the season so far. Fun music, big laughs, and a plethora of characters, it really is a wonderful bit of pick-me-up. Marshmallow's song is a particular highlight, though everyone is given their moment to shine. Fischoeder, Teddy, Mike the Mailman, and of course the Belcher kids. "Hope N' Mic Night" does what Bob's Burgers does best: tell a humorous, touching and delightfully charming story in the way only it can. I think I can safely call this a new classic in the show's impressively consistent run.

"Escape from Planet Klongo" is a strong penultimate chapter for season four. Apart from featuring plenty of laughs as per usual, this episode shines a brighter spotlight on the friendship between Charles and Oliver, motion-capture spandex and all. If I've had one issue with this season, it's that Mabel doesn't seem to have much of her own story. I do hope the finale gives her a bit more to work with or at least set up going forward. Even so, however, it was nice to see Jane Lynch given a slightly bigger role in a string of flashbacks, and the surprise guest star toward the end does not disappoint. On the whole, "Planet Klongo" is another delightful installment that sets up the finale with a truly suspenseful cliffhanger.

Season fifteen is already off to a solid start. "Saving Favorite Drive-In" lives up to last week's premiere episode by crafting a charmingly nostalgic story filled with classic Bob's Burgers-style wit. The flashback portions were definitely the highlight for me, illustrating Bob's connection to the drive-in by showing the important social experience it gave him. Edith had some hilarious moments sprinkled throughout, and Linda's subplot was amusing. Louise, Gene and Tina weren't given much to do, though it thankfully didn't drag the episode down much. On the whole, "Saving Favorite Drive-In" is a very solid entry to the Bob's Burgers canon. Here's hoping the rest of season fifteen lives up to it. P. S. It was neat to hear Pam Grier make a guest appearance.