Recap / Bob's Burgers S2E3 "Synchronized Swimming"

The kids get themselves out of P.E. by convincing Mr. Frond to create an independent studies class of Synchronized Swimming, pretending that Linda will be their coach, but when she finds out, she forces them to actually take the class. Meanwhile, Bob gets a soft serve machine to the restaurant, but doesn't know how to make it work properly.

---

Synchronized Troping:

• Alliterative Title
• Big Eater: Teddy, who Bob is even capable of making eat a sponge.
  Teddy: Don't feed a guy a sponge, Bobby!
• Both Sides Have a Point: Linda has a point when she called out Bob for saying to help the kids when earlier he said Linda should stop. However, Bob pointed out that the kids can't go to summer school because they need them in the restaurant and they can't do the work by themselves. While Bob is being a bit of a hypocrite, the restaurant is clearly in need of the kids' help and can't afford losing them.
• Call-Back: Linda's interest in Tom Selleck has been mentioned before in "Burger Wars".
• Chekhov's Gun: Linda ends up improvising a synchronized swimming routine based on the pre-natal exercise video she was using at the start of the episode.
• Conscience Makes You Go Back: After quitting her job as coach upon realizing the kids were taking advantage of her, Linda returns at the last second with an improvised synchronized swimming routine to save them.
• Determinator: No amount of setbacks or delays will stop Mr. Frond from starting the synchronized swimming show. When Louise's antics result in the pool being drained, Frond just insists they do their routine without water.
• Didn't Think This Through: To get out of P.E. and slack off from school, the kids trick Mr. Frond into giving them independent studies under the guise of synchronized swimming and sign Linda's name on the permission slip to do so. They don't take into account the idea of Linda actually finding out; when she inevitably does, she forces them to actually learn how to swim.
• Does This Remind You of Anything?: Bob teaching Linda to work the soft serve machine is played out with a lot of sexual undertones, complete with Linda having a fantasy of a shirtless Bob (and Tom Selleck).
  Bob: Oh, hey, Tom Selleck.
• Early-Bird Cameo: The interior of an arcade that heavily resembles Family Funtime is shown in a Good-Times Montage, just one episode before Family Funtime properly debuts in "Burgerboss".
• Early-Installment Weirdness: The gym teacher in this episode is an old woman named Ms. Schroeder (who is never shown or mentioned again) instead of Coach Blevins.
• Entitled Bastard: The kids have no shame whatsoever in running to Linda and Bob and begging them for help, even after walking all over the former and caring very little when she calls them out on it.
• Extreme Doormat: Linda is one to the kids, which Bob spends the episode calling out.
• Extreme Omnivore: Teddy eats a piece of a sponge, and doesn't even realize it until Bob holds up the rest of the sponge. He didn't even think to ask what it was until after throwing it in his mouth.
• Fire Alarm Distraction: The Belcher children make up a fake synchronized swimming class to get out of regular gym class. When Mr. Frond demands an actual performance, Louise tries several methods to get the performance cancelled. She tries pulling the fire alarm, but Mr. Frond claims that the swimming pool is the safest place to be during a fire, so no one evacuates before the alarm is found out to be fake.
• Freak Out: Bob quickly loses his cool when he has to deal with the soft serve by himself.
• Given Name Reveal: Mr. Frond's first name is revealed to be Phillip.
  • A very interesting case is also provided. While the Belchers' family name was used in supplementary material (specifically the official FOX page for the show) prior to this point, and the episode title of "The Belchies" (which aired two episodes before this one) also hints at the surname (likely under the assumption that people already knew what it was from the aforementioned supplementary material), this is the first time "Belcher" is explicitly said in the series (the kids have to sign Linda's full name to get away with their independent study).
• Gone Horribly Right: Bob installing a soft-serve machine brings a massive boost in business... at about the same time the kids begin their independent study scheme, forcing him to work both the grill and machine alone and quickly overwhelming him.
• Hell Is That Noise: During the end credits, there some really deep breathing that can be heard throughout. It's not until a few moments before Linda comes into view wearing an ornamental mask, revealing it's her causing the noise because of it.
• Hidden Depths: Linda and Mr. Frond both like Synchronized Swimming. Mr. Frond is also a fan of knitting.
• Hypocrite:
  • Bob is the one to tell Linda to not help the kids, but he changes his mind at the threat of the kids going to summer school. Linda even lampshades it.
  • Ms. Schroeder tells Louise not to wear a hat in class despite wearing one herself. Unlike the above example, nobody calls this out.
  • Gene calls Linda out for talking about the kids with Bob behind the kids' back mere seconds after it's established the kids were badmouthing Linda behind hers.
• Insane Troll Logic: Mr. Frond thinks the pool is in no danger of fire (even though there's a fire alarm) solely because it's full of water.
• In Touch with His Feminine Side: Because Linda wants them to remain synchronized, Gene wears a women's swimsuit. He loves it, not even taking it off when he leaves the pool. Later, when Bob has to come up with a routine and Gene tells him to get his swimsuit, Bob tells him that swim trunks are what men wear to the pool. Gene thinks that Bob looks ridiculous.
• It's All About Me: Mr. Frond does everything to make a name for himself with the school board through his idea of making synchronized swimming "the new math."
• Jerkass Realization: The kids had this in the end when they realize they went overboard of taking advantage of Linda and she refuses to help them anymore when they really needed help.
• Laser-Guided Karma: The kid's efforts to manipulate Frond and Linda into getting out of P.E. end up with them in danger of getting sent to summer school if their "independent study" quota isn't met. Even when they technically pass, their excuse is abolished and they're once again forced to go to P.E.
• Manipulative Bitch: Louise, though all kids count to a lesser degree. She is able to play Linda and Mr. Frond in order to not have to go to P.E. nor do anything during their independent studies.
• Not So Above It All: Bob tricks Teddy into eating a piece of sponge with the same mischievous joy usually seen on people like Louise.
• Oh, Crap!: Bob is happy about Linda sticking up for herself, up until he learns that the kids might have to go to summer school if they don't pass.
• Only Sane Man: Bob is the only one willing to point out that Louise literally crapped in the pool, which he lampshades.
• Pooping Where You Shouldn't: Louise craps in the pool on purpose so that she and the kids won't have to perform for the school board. However, Bob mistakenly thinks she threw a chocolate bar in the water à la Caddyshack.
• Putting the Pee in Pool: Louise actually drops a deuce in the pool in an attempt to cancel the swimming demonstration.
• Rule of Three: Tina complains about getting hit in the head with balls during P.E. Three flashbacks show her getting nailed with a dodgeball, a soccer ball, and a tether ball which wraps around the pole and hits her twice.
• Running Gag: Linda keeps fantasizing about Tom Selleck.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Linda leaves the synchronized swimming when she realizes the kids have no respect for her or interest in the class.
• "Shaggy Dog" Story: The plot starts off by the kids trying to get out of gym and convincing Mr. Frond to let them do an independent study synchronized swimming course. Even though they technically pass the final, Frond informs them they're all going back to their regular gym class, rendering the entire episode moot.
• Shaped Like Itself: Bob delivers this when a woman asks for a sample of the chocolate ice cream.
  Bob: "It's chocolate, it tastes like chocolate tastes."
• Shout-Out:
  • One of Mr. Frond's posters reads "If you don't study, you shall not pass".
  • Mr. Frond mentions having a VHS recording of an epic synchronized swimming, dubbed the Miracle on Melted Ice. Linda has Dynasty on VHS.
  • Linda mentions her love of Flashdance when Tina mentions that Jennifer Beals' character is also a visual learner.
  • Bob thinks Louise "pulled a Caddyshack" by dropping a chocolate bar in the pool... except Louise never saw the movie and it wasn't a chocolate bar.
  • When Bob is showing Linda how to use the ice cream machine, she fantasizes about it like the pottery scene in Ghost (1990).
• Small Name, Big Ego: Frond thinks independent study will be the next math. As if people already didn't take him seriously...
• Summer School Sucks: The Belcher kids make up a fake synchronized swimming class to blow off gym class, but are told by Mr. Frond that if they don't hold a demonstration to prove they're taking the class, they'll be sent to summer school. Gene does a Skyward Scream... because he doesn't know what he'll wear to it. Later, the kids complain about the prospect of taking summer school.
  Louise: What's next? Summer church? Summer dentist?
  Gene: Summer trip to grandma?
  Tina: Summer camp? Wait, I'd go there.
• Take the Third Option: When Andy and Ollie ask Louise which of them ate cat food, she can tell from their bad breath that it was both of them.
• Tempting Fate:
  • Gene claims that he doesn't need P.E., before struggling to open a door that Tina opens easily. For added emphasis, he puts his entire weight into it while Tina just uses one hand.
    Gene: Huh. I need to exercise.
  • After the Belcher kids successfully get out of P.E., Tina says goodbye to constantly getting hit with balls. A soccer ball immediately flies over the fence and hits her in the face. Then Louise accidentally hits Tina again trying to throw it back over the fence.
• Unconventional Food Usage: Defied. Bob thinks Louise put a chocolate bar on the pool to simulate poop like on Caddyshack. Only Louise never saw the movie and actually pooped in the pool.
• Ungrateful Bastard: The kids are shown to have no consideration for Linda even after she does basically all their work for them.

---