Tina Belcher has an open heart, a wild imagination, and gets lost in wild fantasies of handsome zombies, boy band members, and Jimmy Pesto’s dance-obsessed son, Jimmy Jr. But Jimmy Jr. often lets her down and hurts her feelings. Thirteen year old boys aren’t known for refined emotional intelligence, but that’s no excuse for how he treats Tina. One of Jimmy Jr.’s worst episodes also happens to be the show’ best Valentine’s Day episode.
Jimmy Jr. casts Tina aside for classmate Becky, even using the Valentine’s Day frame Tina gave him to display a picture of Becky. That sends Tina into a deep funk. To snap her out of it, Louise and Linda take her on a Girl’s Night Out limousine ride. There, they meet their eccentric driver Nat, a great side characters (who deserves way more screen time). Nat lends her services (and stink bombs) to the Belcher girls as they scheme to sabotague Jimmy Jr. and Becky’s date. Tina changes her mind last-minute and apologizes to Becky. Then, at the dinner table, Jimmy Jr. dumps Becky. In a moment of girl-to-girl solidarity, Tina rushes Becky into the limo while Louise and Nat stink-bomb Jimmy Jr.’s insensitive ass.
Meanwhile, Bob and Gene take a trapeze workshop together (originally a couple’s activity). In a moment of fear and trepidation, they become stuck between two moves and hang suspended in the air. Finally, thanks to love, trust, and some not-so-gentle nudging from the class’s instructors, they take a leap of faith and let go together. It’s a beautiful father/son bonding moment, though they both soil their unitards. Most “Bob’s Burgers” Valentine’s Day episodes focus on romantic love, but “V for Valentine-Detta” spotlights other kinds of love we should treasure: family, friendship, and the life-changing magic of a girl power jam.