The family's Labor Day lake trip takes a turn when the Belchers find themselves trapped in their cabin, hiding from what lurks outside.
The Reeky Lake Tropes:
- Berserk Button: The mere idea that the Belchers didn't inform Teddy about leaving for vacation so suddenly is enough for him to completely break his friendship with them...until he sees the note for him left on the floor inside the restaurant.
- Big Damn Heroes: As Linda gets swarmed by bugs and resigns herself to having to swim through the giardia-infested lake to escape, Bob and the kids arrive with a canoe to save her.
- Closed Circle: The Belchers are unable to escape the cabin due to an infestation of "Nippin' Nevins". Also, when Linda rows to the platform in the middle of the lake, the canoe sinks and she can't get back when the Nevins appear.
- Crazy-Prepared: The Belchers have gotten so used to Teddy's need for attention and a daily burger that they figured he'd flip if he thought they went away without telling him. Thus, they put a general note on the door saying they're away meant for everyone, sent a text to Teddy, left a note because he didn't reply to the text, and prepared a burger and put it in their fridge knowing he has a key to the apartment (which he was supposed to give back), all of which they explained on the note, which they then left on the floor because the knew Teddy would be banging away on the door and trying to see if there's anyone around after reading the note on the door and notice the note, which he could then read through the glass door. The only thing they didn't account for was Teddy deciding to give the key back at that moment by sliding it under the door, but before he noticed the note they left on the floor for him, leaving him stuck outside before he could get the burger.
- From Bad to Worse: The Belchers' vacation just gets worse and worse.
- First, when reviewing the information on the cabin Linda rented, they discover that it has no TV, electricity or potable running water.
- When they arrive at the cabin, they look at how beautiful the lake is... then they see a sign warning of giardia in the water, meaning that swimming and canoeing are out of the question.
- Once they're inside the cabin, it smells musty, it's cramped, and worst of all, the bathroom toilet really smells.
- The kids at least smuggled in the portable TV. Unfortunately, the batteries Tina put in were from a bag where Linda put the dead batteries for disposal (which she never figured out how to do).
- The topper, of course, is the swarm of bugs surrounding the cabin, locking them inside.
- Then the giardia start to come out of the sink, forcing Linda to completely tape it shut, making it impossible to use water from the sink.
- Gave Up Too Soon: Thanks to his emotional fragility, Teddy loses it when the Belchers go out of town and pushes the key they gave to him to their house (that he never returned) under their door. Only then does he notice the note they left him about leaving him a burger in the fridge.
- Holiday Episode: While not the first episode set on Labor Day weekend (that would be the series premiere), it's the first to actually place some (admittedly minor) focus on the holiday.
- Horrible Camping Trip: The Belchers rent a cabin for Labor Day weekend. It has no power or water, the lake is contaminated with giardia, and worst of all, they are trapped inside by a huge swarm of biting insects. By the time they've escape, it's clear the family is going to leave a review explaining what a hell-hole the place is.
- The Key Is Behind the Lock: Teddy arrives at Bob's Burgers to find it closed, and is so upset he takes out the spare key to their apartment and slips it under the door. Then he notices a note on the floor saying that the Belchers left a burger inside their apartment, which is now inaccessible because he just slipped the key inside.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!":
- Bob and especially the kids lose faith in the cabin Linda rented when they begin to realize the cabin has no power or water.
- The Belchers all freak out when they see the swarm of insects outside.
- Not So Above It All: Bob is actually on board when he finds the kids smuggled in the portable TV, even telling them that the batteries in the camping lantern can make it work. His only concern is that the kids don’t use it too much to prevent Linda from catching on.
- Only One Finds It Fun: Linda is the only one with any enthusiasm for the trip, especially once they actually get there and even more once the swarm arrives. While Bob and the kids are practically begging to leave, Linda insists they stay and enjoy themselves. It takes a good bit before Bob and the kids get her to admit she's not having the best time either.
- Poor Communication Kills: Actually an Averted case. Teddy arrives at the restaurant to find a note saying they're off on vacation and becomes so upset that they didn't seemingly tell him about it that he shoves his spare key to the Belcher's apartment under the restaurant door... only to see another note addressed to him saying they tried to text him and he didn't respond. Teddy checks his phone and sees they did indeed text him about it.
- Shout-Out:
- The Store Next Door is "Dancing With My Shelf".
- The Exterminator Van is "Smash Moth".
- The Burger of the Day is the "You Burrata Know Burger".
- When the Belchers find a sign warning of giardia in the water, Gene asks if it's the cousin of Narnia.
- The Nippin' Nevin in Linda's dream does the MC Hammer dance.
- Skewed Priorities:Louise: You can go without water, but if you don't have TV, you could die!
- The Swarm: The Belchers are trapped in the cabin by a huge swarm of "Nippin' Nevins", small biting insects that, according to one local, can get into one's windpipe.
- Vacation Episode: Linda suggests the family to go out to a natural retreat with no technology in it to hang out better with each other. As expected, things go down to hell pretty fast.
