Other generations have enjoyed aspiring to emulate classic couplings such as Ross and Rachel, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, and Romeo and Juliet. Although, those last two are not the best role models.
Bob and Linda from Bob’s Burgers, however, are amazing role models. Theirs is the greatest love story ever told. Real love is not about sweeping gestures, but overcoming issues together — hopefully in the span of a 23-minute episode.
Keeping Things Spicy
The Belchers don’t have it easy. They have a struggling business, a decades-old marriage, and three weird (by weird, of course, I mean awesome) children to raise. It would be simple to let the magic die and fall out of love. But not Bob and Linda — they don’t give up on romance. Keeping things spicy is still a priority.
In “The Belchies,” we learn that Bob and Linda have a standing Sunday, ahem, arrangement. Linda brings sexy dice into the mix. She also sneaks a “penis pill” in Bob’s casserole because “sometimes, you want to ride a roller coaster one more time, and you don’t want to wait in line.”
Scheduled sex might not sound romantic, but our busy lives may not always allow for spontaneity. Besides, knowing ahead of time gives you the opportunity to plan something special, like drugging your husband.
Bob tries to plan a special date night in “Adventures in Chinchilla-Sitting.” The trivia night outing he arranges is a bust, but Linda saves the day by stealing the answers. They throw caution to the wind, or at least, as much caution as possible on a trivia night.
The date ends up being thrilling after all. Seeing them bond over cheating prompted me to realize that making things exciting means finding fun, even when a plan falls apart. That’s a good reminder for those who enjoy structure a little too much.
Relishing Each Other
After years together Bob tends to take Linda for granted. We’ve all been there, right? Is it too much to ask for a little appreciation? Bob learns this lesson the hard way, twice.
In “Lindapendent Woman,” Linda takes time away from Bob’s Burgers to work at Fresh Feed. Although the new job starts out well, Bob immediately notices Linda’s absence, illustrated in the fantastic “This is Working” duet. Bob finally decides to express his feelings by letting Linda know he’ll back up her decision as long as it makes her happy.
Bob isn’t just serving us love in this episode; he’s also serving support, understanding, and selflessness. Cue the girly giggles and feels. Egocentric partners, take note.
Linda’s need for adventure extends beyond her work life. In “Seaplane!” she’s presented with temptation in the form of the flight instructor, Kurt. Linda doesn’t succumb to his wiles — which is good since Kurt’s creepy anyway.
Then, in a dramatic death-defying seaplane scene, Bob and Linda rekindle their romance. The world is full of creepy Kurts, who are ready to swoop in when relationships are rocky. But we need to dig deep and put in the work. That’s the only way to survive like Bob and Linda.
Sticking Together
This one probably seems obvious: you can’t be together if you don’t stick together. So much can come between two people, like circumstances, personalities, or life in general. Bob and Linda manage to overcome external and internal issues by being there for each other.
“Zero Larp Thirty” portrays an unusual situation. Linda has won a weekend for two, role-playing as characters from her favorite TV show. Bob manages to ingratiate himself with the hoity-toity characters, while Linda is left behind. She decides to lead a worker uprising against the “upstairs fartfaces.”
The support Bob provides during the ridiculous rebellion is what we should all strive to do for our partners and their goals. Even if it seems silly, in the battle against the world, we need to take our partner’s side.
Some conflicts arise due to personality contrasts. “Paraders of the Lost Float” showcases how different Bob and Linda really are. She spends the day trying to have fun and find the silver lining, while he obsesses about beating Jimmy Pesto.
Bob eventually realizes he just needs to let go. Realizing and fixing our mistakes is important, as is forgiving others for theirs. Bob’s sweet apology and Linda’s forgiveness is all the proof we need to know they belong together.
Fictional love stories inspire and encourage us to find our own romantic sagas. Examples of why Bob and Linda are #RelationshipGoals span seasons and years. If you already found your Bob, stick with him, and if you found your Linda, relish her, always.
