The only animated sitcom that’s come close to as many Halloween specials as The Simpsons is Bob’s Burgers, who up until last year would do one yearly since Season 3. I figured that might warrant ranking them all together in order to look at the shifting quality of the show and its ups and downs.

11.  Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street

This is a rare episode of Bob’s Burgers that left me outright annoyed. The loan text review of this episode on IMDB remarks how it is a rip-off of Code Name Kids Next Door episode Operation Teeth. While I don’t think that’s a fair comparison, this slice-of-life comedy does take a very stupid turn you’d expect from a show like KND. A storyline that involves recurring character Dentist Dr. Yapp dressing up in multiple Halloween costumes and stealing children’s candy and having it incinerated. There is a good storyline about Tina and Gene overcoming their fears to go into a Haunted House attraction but I can’t get over how the show took such a serious recurring character and used him for an incredibly dumb twist.

10. Wolf of Worf Street

Out of all the Halloween specials this one just is pretty forgettable, the town is overcome with fog as there is a wolf on the loose. Also, Bob gets high on painkillers and thinks Teddy is a werewolf. This episode was at least able to keep my attention but I  can not think of a single quotable line from this episode that makes it come up short.

9. The Pumpkinening

This episode comes across as another example of Linda’s sister Gale just creating awkward situations just to get the plot going, as they try and track down who knows about them smashing all the pumpkins in a pumpkin carving contest from when they were in high school. Unfortunately, none of the episodes is funny it’s just awkward as they are nervous around their former classmates. Just as bad as the kid’s freakout watching Bob handout the kid’s favorite candy but I have so much trouble believing the kids wouldn’t just go trick or treating immediately so they can get as much candy as possible it feels dumb even going off of little kid logic.

8. Heartbreak Hotel o Ween

One issue the last 5 Seasons of Bob’s Burgers has had are the Louise episodes, they are almost always the same. she wants to do something slightly unethical and Tina tries to convince Louise to do the right thing. This episode is no exception as Louise is seeking revenge on a house that that refused to give her double candy after running out the previous year. However, the plot involving the old lady trying to conjure the ghost of her dead boyfriend is pretty good with an unexpected twist at the end. However, there is a terrible B plot with Bob donating blood and it is way more uncomfortable than funny.

7. Apple Gore-chord (But Not so Gory)

While it is nice to finally have the return of Jessica (Katherine Hawn) from the slumber party episode I have to admit this one doesn’t really feel like a Halloween episode until the second half. The first half is more of another field trip episode of the show except everyone happens to be in a Halloween costume. It is not all bad, I enjoyed the antics with the fourth grade doing kids stuff to impress each other and Bob finding happiness in the hopes of finding bees. Unfortunately, this episode contains are really dumb character moment where she gets scared by the false idea that she is about to get sacrificed and it is not really believable.

6. Teen-A-Witch

A pretty memorable episode when Tina uses witchcraft to try to win the school’s yearly costume contest. Tina is one of the best characters on the show so her getting a ton of focus usually works out really well as she comes to terms with the fact that her magic is just a coincidence. Only reason why this one isn’t higher is because the subplot of Bob’s pumpkins getting stolen wasn’t that funny and had a slightly obvious payoff.

5. Fort Night

This was the episode that introduced the character of Millie (Mollie Shannon) who is a pretty controversial character with the fandom since in her first episode she almost kills the Belcher children along with Andy, Ollie, and Darryl. I loved seeing how crazy the kid’s fort was as they were trapped while the walls were caving in creating a level of horror and suspense. This episode also has one of my favorite Bob and Linda moments as they go out and trick-or-treat in the costume they made for the kids.

4. Pig Trouble in Little Tina

This is the only one on this list that I consider to be legitimately scary. Tina has nightmares about the fetal pig she was peer pressured into teasing in class and the dreams honestly get pretty graphic I would not recommend this episode to the squeamish especially considering the subplot involve’s Bob’s earwax which also comes to a disgusting conclusion. I really love the dreamworld Tina ends up in the final act as she tries to overcome her own personal guilt about her actions.

3. Tina and the Real Ghost

This episode sounds so dumb on paper as the family does séance with an Ouija board to get rid of the ghost in the basement resulting in it inhabiting a box and Tina falls in love with it. I do appreciate how at the end of the episode Tina admits to Louise she knew she was moving the Oija board and that there was no ghost and learns the importance of self-love. The journey is still pretty funny as everyone at Wagstaff plays along with this dumb situation. It is also hilarious how Bob tries hiring an exterminator and ends with a bunch of wannabe ghostbusters who are clearly not finding anything, it’s a great subplot.

2. The Hauntening

This is a great Louise episode about the family bringing her to a haunted house to scare her and it comes with a terrific twist and reveal in the end which is pretty surprising. One of the best parts is how Louise did get actual growth from this episode rather than learning the ethical thing to do. But what I especially love about the episode was the Halloween-themed Boys 4 Now Music video spoofing the Backstreet Boys Rock Your Body music video, I highly recommend checking it out because it is incredible.

1.Full Bars

Of course, the best Halloween episode was the first one they did as the kids go off on their own trick or treating to a wealthy neighborhood while Linda and Bob attend Teddy’s Halloween party, where they need to solve the crime of Gerbil’s murder. This episode is a perfect example of how good the early seasons were, so many quotable lines like “Queen Latifah give me strength” and the banter between Bob and Teddy is so perfect.

So what “Bob’s Burger” Halloween episode was your favorite?

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