Come the end of the viewing season, you have to step back and ask yourself: “Where’s the love?”
Where, exactly, has it been throughout the viewing of a show you get a kick out of? Was it in the character elements? The story? The twists and turns? Was it in the warm, fuzzy feeling you get as you wrapped yourself in the blanket of its warmth for a half hour of escape as innocuous blue waves of energy emanated from your television set?
Or could it come down to a satisfying end crafted around a commodity pertaining to the time of year? A commodity, for example, like baseball? I mean, we are in the midst of May, y’know. That would make perfect sense.
And that’s exactly what Bob’s Burgers did. The creators gave us a spiffy little treat with this finale: the wonder of our National Pastime. Where’s the love, you ask? It’s in your seat at the ballpark.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah … baseball. Hot dogs and a Coke. Balls and strikes. The National Anthem. The 7th Inning Stretch. Rooting for the home team. The $10.00 beer. Camaraderie. The thrill of asking someone you’ve never met before if he’ll mind passing money to that vendor over there standing in the aisle because you need a frozen lemonade. The Wave. Video bloopers on the big screen. Nancy Bea Hefley at the organ playing some cheeky tune when the opposing team flubs a play on the field.
Mr. Fischoeder (Kevin Kline) said it best in the episode:
“People come to baseball games
for the same reason they come to the amusement park
– to be entertained!”
That’s what it’s all about, folks. Entertainment, pure and simple. We want to be entertained. We want a little escape from the reality of our day to day. We want to laugh or be amazed or commiserate with others who share our love of a show. Isn’t that why we get comfortable in our living rooms with a bowl of Cheese Doodles by our side? Isn’t there that added comfort our morning coffee gives us when our television sets are enlightening us what we can expect from the weather we’ll ultimately venture out into? Isn’t “the love” evident in sitting next to your special someone, guffawing together at the antics of your favorite characters?
Yes, it is. Yes, they are. Yes, we do. It’s precisely what Bob’s Burgers gave us.
Oh, sure … there was the seamy underbelly of baseball as a theme in the episode. We saw conflict in the form of whether to commit “right” or be tempted by “wrong.” (And as it should be “right” ultimately won.) And, but of course, there were questionable, off-color moments peppered within the 22 minutes. (Hey: This IS Bob’s Burgers, not The Flintstones, after all.)
But I’ll tell you this: When a season finale ends on a tustle over a jock strap, well … that’s a two-out, ninth inning edge-of-your-seater worth every penny of the price of admission.
Nice season ender . Thanks for the love.
(Side Note: Business next to Bob’s at the start of the show? “Chris’s Brisses.” Hot dog.)
Quotes:
“Now taking the mound to pitch, former major league sensation: Torpedo Jones!” — Announcer
“That can’t be the same Torpe … Kids! That’s the Torpedo Jones! I … I can’t believe he’s still playing! God he … he must be my age!” — Bob
“I speak for everyone here when I say I don’t know what a ‘Torpedo Jones’ is.” — Louise
“Let me tell you, nobody …” — Bob
“We don’t care!” — Gene, interrupting
“Gene … let me finish … nobody …” — Bob
“That’s what I was trying to prevent!” — Gene, continuing to interrupt
“Nobody pitched like Torpedo. I … I was there for his greatest moment: The Pitch. It was 15 years ago, but I remember it like it was 10. His pitch was The Split-Finger Squidooch. Torpedo clinched the pennant for us with that pitch.” — Bob
“If he’s so good, why have we never heard of this guy?” — Gene
“Well because he didn’t last long in The Bigs. You know … The Squidooch is just one of those pitches. When it was on, it was really on … but when it wasn’t … it’s like hitting candy out of a baby’s hand … with a bat.” — Bob
“Wait … you mean, it’s hard because a baby’s hands are so small?” — Tina
“No … it’s easy because …” — Bob
“How could you hit a baby?” — Lynda
“Nobody would hit a baby’s hand with a bat in real life …” — Bob
“I don’t understand: Was he fired from The Bigs because he hit a baby with a bat?” — Gene
“I’m not interested in talking to you …” — Bob
“I never realized baseball had so much butt touching …” –Tina
“That’s how they communicate, Tina. It’s like Braille, but with butts.” — Louise
“Read my butt!” – Gene, shoving his backside at Tina and Louise
Clacked by Michael Noble 
on May 23, 2011 @ 09:27 EST5EDT
Oops, my wonderdog is hanging out (rofl)