When it comes to beloved animated series, Bob's Burgers is one of the best. The series has been toted as being wholesome and fun while also having some adult moments.
Ultimately, Bob's Burgers hits that sweet spot where you can watch it with your kids but also enjoy it if you're childless or just need something comforting to watch. Regardless of which camp you're in, it's likely you've watched at least one or two episodes of the show.
Certain episodes can pull you in while others can make you question why people even bother watching the series. That's why it's so fun to try to look back and rank the series by season as there are some gems in each season and some, not-so-great entries. Before getting into the ranking, this is just one Bob's Burgers fan's opinion so if you have a different ranking, be sure to share it with us.
Of all the Bob's Burgers content published in the past, I've never tackled a full ranking of seasons but rather, focused on certain milestones like premieres or finales. However, as someone who loves the series but can be somewhat critical of it, this is going to be an interesting thing to tackle so let's break it down.
14. Season 11
For the most part, Bob's Burgers does great character work and has fun plots, but season 11 feels very much the opposite. A lot of the season felt like a slog and some of the episodes were just downright unpleasant to watch. One of those is easily "Mommy Boy," which has Gene being obsessed with Linda and it's just so strange. Honestly, if you're looking for an episode to make you dislike Gene, then "Mommy Boy" is the one.
Additionally, the holiday episodes from season 11 aren't that great which is saying something. While there are a few gems in there such as "Vampire Disco Death Dance" and "Romancing the Beef," the season leaves a lot to be desired.
13. Season 12
Moving ahead on the list and ahead a season, we're talking about season 12 of Bob's Burgers. This is another case of the show not focusing much on characters and instead going for gags. The thing is that we all know that the show is better than that so to see them resort to doing that is frustrating. It can sometimes be hard to think of fun and fresh plots 12 seasons in but this just felt a little bit more hollow than most of us are used to.
Even with the season having a two-part finale, things still weren't that great. Thankfully, it only goes up from here but seasons 11 and 12 are really where the show seemed to lose some of its good momentum.
12. Season 10
Coming in at the #12 spot is season 10 of Bob's Burgers. While this season featured the show's first St. Patrick's Day episode, it also felt kind of meh. The season premiere: "The Ring (But Not Scary)" was a solid start but from there, things started to fizzle out. Thoughts on the show's Halloween episode are mixed as it's a surprisingly scary one. Honestly, a lot of the episodes featured some major out-of-character moments including Linda in "Local She-ro," Gene in "All That Gene" and Tina in "A Fish Called Tina."
While the season does have a few highs, it's mostly lows and that's sad to report. Even so, we can only go up from here.
11. Season 9
Moving onto another less-than-stellar season, this was a toss-up between this pick and my next one but ultimately, season 9 ended up at the #11 spot. Aside from season 9 having an amazing premiere episode with "Just One of the Boyz 4 Now for Now," the rest of the season fell flat. The thing that didn't seem to work for me was the strange storylines that permeated this season from Tina falling in love with a goose in "Every Which Way But Goose," to Louise liking marionettes in "If You Love It So Much, Why Don't You Marionette?" On the whole, this season is not the worst but we've seen the writers do better.
10. Season 13
Starting off the top 10 is none other than season 13 of Bob's Burgers. As the first season after the film premiered, there were a lot of expectations. For the most part, this season felt like a good mix of one for long-time fans to enjoy and those who started watching after the movie. While there are some misses, there are a few hits especially the Christmas episode: "The Plight Before Christmas." All in all, this season feels a little too silly at times and too serious at others but it gave us a good idea of what was to come in season 14.
9. Season 2
This is where things start to get really tricky as these next two were neck-and-neck on where I would put them. However, due to season 2 being shorter than average, it's in the #9 spot. When fans look back at seasons 1 and 2, it's clear the show hadn't yet figured out its identity. With that being said, some of the episodes are pretty fun and great to look back on. It honestly feels like looking back at what could have been rather than what Bob's Burgers is now. Due to that, I had to put season 2 in the #9 spot.
8. Season 1
Since we just talked about season 1, it's coming in at the #8 spot. While some might put this season a little lower, I do think season 1 has its merit. While the show would eventually leave its crude humor behind, it's fun to go back and rewatch. Even though some moments are downright weird, there are some great moments as well. While the show would morph into something more wholesome and family-friendly, there is no denying that we wouldn't be here without season 1. Plus going back to rewatch the first episode just makes for a fun rewatch if you haven't done it yet.
7. Season 14
We're officially at the halfway point and coming in at the #7 spot is season 14. This is the most completed season of Bob's Burgers and it was an utter delight. While some might argue about its placement on the list, season 14 felt like a new chapter for the Belchers. No longer are we just following the family but instead, branching out more with other characters and seeing them as the side characters in other's stories.
Aside from a shortened season, the other downside of season 14 was the lack of holiday episodes excluding Christmas. Since Thanksgiving is Bob's favorite holiday, it was sad to see no Thanksgiving episode in 2023. Either way, ranking this one up as high as I have proves that the show is righting the ship and proving that the Belchers are better than ever.
6. Season 8
This is where things really start to get tricky as we're getting down to so few seasons and so few spots left. Season 8 of Bob's Burgers has some high points including a two-part Christmas episode, the show's 150th episode, and a great Valentine's Day episode. As awesome as those episodes are, a bulk of this season felt like filler. Given that the show has covered so much in its previous seasons, this doesn't come as a surprise. Either way, it's a good season but not as great as the next ones featured on the list.
5. Season 7
Season 7 of Bob's Burgers will always have a special place in my heart. As the first full season I covered, it's one that means a lot to me. Thankfully, it's also full of pretty great episodes including the show's first and only Easter episode: "Eggs for Days," along with a stellar premiere, "Flu-ouise," and a great Mother's Day episode: "Mom, Lies, and Videotapes." Whether you're doing a rewatch or watching for the first time, then you're certain to find an episode or two you forgot about. On the whole, it feels like season 7 of Bob's Burgers doesn't get as much love yet it has some underrated gems.
4. Season 6
At the #4 spot is season 6 of Bob's Burgers. As we get closer and closer to the top, it's hard to narrow down these remaining seasons. Looking at season 6 as a whole, it has so many great solid episodes including "The Hauntening," "Nice-capades," and "The Horse Rider-er" to name a few. While the holiday episodes are about 50-50, the series can't always hit a home run every single time.
Season 6 also gave us the 100th episode of Bob's Burgers which is always something to be excited about. While the episode has gotten somewhat overhyped in recent years, it's still a pretty solid episode. Overall, season 6 is good but not at the very top of our list.
3. Season 5
At the #3 spot on our rankings is season 5 of Bob's Burgers. The top three spots could always be shifted or changed depending on mood or what you're looking for from Bob's. Not only did the show give us an epic start to the season, there were so many great character moments. Coupled with the awesome holiday episodes, it's truly amazing to go back and rewatch these episodes.
Season 5 also introduced us to some beloved side characters including Helen in "Housetrap," Skip Maroosh in "Best Burger," and Big Bob in "Father of the Bob." Overall, season 5 has so many high points that even the filler episodes are worth watching. Plus the two episodes to cap off the season are just delightful so if you haven't rewatched it in a hot minute, then now is the time.
2. Season 4
In the second place spot is season 4 of Bob's Burgers. From the very start, season 4 felt almost as strong as season 3. While an excellent albeit underrated season starter with "A River Runs Through Bob" to great Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas episodes, there isn't much to dislike about the season. Season 4 also gave us the show's first two-part episode, serving as the season finale.
On the whole, season 4 is pretty darn amazing and is one I find myself, going back to again and again but it wasn't as great as the next one on the list.
1. Season 3
If you've been a long-time Bob's Burgers fan, then it's likely you saw this one coming but yes, season 3 is the best. As the show's first full-season order, the cast and crew made sure they got their renewal. With the introduction of the show's holiday episodes to fun guest stars to introducing us to Regular-Sized Rudy, there was nothing this season didn't have.
Looking back at it, there isn't one episode you'd want to skip while doing a rewatch. If anything, this is a season you'll want to watch again and again. There are so many little details that were introduced in season 3 and have carried on throughout the show. The show was starting to become more wholesome but had that big of grit to it that made the show even better. There aren't enough good things to say about season 3 of Bob's Burgers. To put it simply, season 3 is well done.
Seasons 1-14 of Bob's Burgers are currently streaming on Hulu.