“Midday Run” isn’t as quotable as some of the other episodes this season, but it gets everything else right. More than anything else we’ve seen this season, this one has all the characters at their very best, features a fun plot, and even has some great character development. It’s an all-around entertaining episode that’s easily my favorite of season five so far.
As the title implies, the episode is a parody of Midnight Run (which I haven’t seen, so I probably missed some references to), as well as other fugitive-on-the-run chase films, notably The Fugitive, which is directly referenced. (“I’m innocent.” “I don’t care.”) The main plot follows Tina as hall monitor (for someone so introverted and socially awkward, she sure participates in a lot of activities), hoping to get promoted to the highest rank for hall monitors, hall manatee. After Zeke is caught breaking into the gym teacher’s office, Tina is tasked with transporting him to the principal’s office where he will be suspended. Zeke escapes and, with her promotion on the line, Tina enlists Gene and Louise’s help finding him in exchange for permanent hall passes.
While character motivation may not be too important for an animated adult comedy, it’s largely the reason why “Midday Run” is so successful. Everybody wants something in this episode, and what they want is consistent with their character. Tina, who is constantly driven by status (whether it be related to popularity, relationships, or position), is obsessed with correcting her mistake so she can be promoted, but in the end realizes it’s not as important as helping someone in need. (“People are not halls,” she says.) Zeke, who has been made to be a more sympathetic character since season four’s “Bob and Deliver,” says that his reason for breaking into the office was to get the school mascot costume to cheer up his grandma before her surgery. Regular-Sized Rudy, a fellow hall monitor who idolizes Tina and is disappointed by her mistake, is obsessed with bringing her to justice.
Bob’s usual type of obsessiveness comes out in a b-plot that’s incredibly enjoyable. Linda decides to create a display of their customers’ napkin art, and while Teddy, Mort, and Mike the Mailman all prove to be talented artists, Bob’s pathetic drawings of faces and hamburgers lead to blank stares and pity. He decides to go to Edith and Harold Cranwinkle for drawing lessons and ends up drawing a naked portrait of Edith. While the “gross, naked elderly woman!” gags are a bit beneath the show, this plot is still very good, and it’s always nice to see the Cranwinkles—especially Harold, whose speaking roles have been almost non-existent since the season one masterpiece “Art Crawl.”
The episode’s primary antagonist is, per usual, Mr. Frond, whose cynical outlook, poorly masked by the typical fake enthusiasm of a grade school staff member, comes up against Tina’s optimism when she discovers that Zeke was telling the truth. They bet that, if Zeke is telling the truth, he isn’t suspended and Tina gets her promotion, and if he’s lying, Tina has to hand in her uniform. Tina ends up being right, which is predictable, but it’s still nice that Bob’s Burgers is able to be effectively anti-cynicism while airing right after TV’s most cynical comedy, Family Guy.
Rating: 9/10
Memorable lines and moments:
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“Geez, Tina, what are you? Narky Narc and the Narky Bunch?”
There are lots of Tina moans and even a little fantasy about being knighted hall manatee in “Midday Run.” I’ve missed this kind of Tina episode.
“It exists, but only for kids with serious medical conditions.” “Lucky.”
“If anyone asks, you have irritable bowel syndrome.” “All bowels are irritable.”
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“What do I draw first?” “The gesture, and then the essence, and then the breasts.”
“Hi, Tina. I heard a rumor that you were disgraced.”
“Tina, I hate to tell you this, but that’s not Zeke.”
“Wait, where’s everybody going?” “We’re going on a splash-of-cold-hard-truth-in-Tina’s-face field trip.” “I didn’t get a slip for that.”
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The reveal of Zeke’s grandma was the episode highlight for me. Too perfect.
“I made the wall.” “You made the wall… sexy!”
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