Bob’s Burgers recap and review: The Place Beyond the Pinecones

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As a cinephile, there’s one aspect of “Bob’s Burgers” that resonates with me – the clever way it pays tribute to various elements without explicitly mentioning them. A prime example is the fictional girl group, The Thundergirls, which feels like a nod to an iconic ’80s girl band, yet it’s not directly named.

In the show “Bob’s Burgers”, they’ve taken the concept of Girl Scouts and given it a unique spin – introducing the Thundergirls. But unlike regular Girl Scout troops, these girls are significantly more ruthless, as depicted in the series. That’s just the kind of quirky twists you find in “Bob’s Burgers”.

As someone who appreciates the timeless charm of Tina, it’s obvious we’ll be enjoying more Thundergirls for the next four seasons, given that Fox renewed Bob’s Burgers, alongside series like The Simpsons and Family Guy. This decision didn’t come as a shock to fans, considering how Bob’s Burgers has stepped up to fill the gap in adult animation that many of us have been eagerly waiting for.

Let’s not jump to conclusions since we have yet to experience the rest of season 15. If you haven’t caught up with the latest “Bob’s Burgers” episode, titled “The Place Beyond the Pinecones,” there are spoilers ahead.

Here’s what happened in “The Place Beyond the Pinecones.”

The story opens with Tina preparing for her Thundergirls excursion, only to find herself delayed by the unruly Troop 257 boarding a bus first. Caught up in their trail, she witnesses them dishonestly acting, which she intends to report. Their destination is the Needlepoint Campground, where they must search for 8 stones to access a golden pinecone. Eager to expose their misconduct, Tina strays from her group and is instructed by Troop 257 to blow the whistle loudly as a sign of betrayal.

In the course of snooping around, Tina discovers the golden pinecone and is subsequently accused of cheating by Troop 257. The troop eventually uncovers her scheme, discards her whistle, but they all become disoriented and wander off together. Eventually, they stumble upon a house during their wandering, only to find it’s an etiquette camp for well-behaved girls, overseen by a rather unsettling woman.

1. In the end, they discover themselves stranded without a phone, and Eve wishes for them to remain there as she would be distressed if they ventured into the forest. As a result, they wind up in a punishment room where each is bound to a chair, allowing Tina to persuade Troop 257 to confess their thoughts of cheating but not their actions. Later, it’s revealed that Tina had the golden pinecone all along, and she flees, only to return due to remorse.

2. Eventually, they find themselves in a predicament without a phone, and Eve prefers them to stay put since she wouldn’t feel right if they left for the woods. Consequently, they wind up confined to a punishment room where they are all tied to chairs, enabling Tina to coerce Troop 257 into admitting their contemplation of cheating rather than their actions. It is later disclosed that Tina had kept the golden pinecone the entire time, and she slips away, but her guilt compels her to return.

3. In due course, they discover themselves in a predicament without a phone, and Eve prefers them to remain stationary as she wouldn’t feel good if they wandered off into the woods. Ultimately, they wind up in detention where each is tethered to a chair, allowing Tina to extract a confession from Troop 257 regarding their thoughts of cheating rather than their actions. Later on, it becomes clear that Tina had been in possession of the golden pinecone the entire time, and she escapes, but her conscience drives her back.

4. Over time, they find themselves stranded without a phone, and Eve would prefer them to stay put since she wouldn’t feel right if they ventured into the forest. Eventually, they end up in detention where each is bound to a chair, making it possible for Tina to convince Troop 257 to admit their musings about cheating but not their actions. It turns out that Tina had the golden pinecone all along, and she flees, only to be tormented by guilt and return.

5. Gradually, they uncover themselves in a predicament without a phone, and Eve wishes for them to stay put since she wouldn’t feel right if they left for the woods. In the end, they wind up in a punishment room where each is tied to a chair, enabling Tina to induce Troop 257 to confess their thoughts of cheating but not their actions. It is later discovered that Tina had the golden pinecone the entire time, and she slips away, but her remorse compels her to return.

In the end, Tina manages to set alight a golden pinecone as a diversion for Lacey, which gives her the chance to liberate the other two. They all make their way back to camp, where they divulge their harrowing experience to the rest of the Thundergirls. The episode concludes with Tina’s family rescuing her and her choosing not to disclose any information about what transpired during their ordeal.

“The Place Beyond the Pinecones” is a summery Bob’s Burgers tale.

Season 15 has offered a variety of episodes, but none quite capture the essence of summer like “The Place Beyond the Pinecones.” Although it occasionally dabbled in the eerie, this episode had a fun, Summerween-like vibe. Not only did Tina step into the role of the hero, but she displayed incredible bravery and took center stage – something that doesn’t happen too often for her character.

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I must say it was refreshing to witness Troop 257’s redemption storyline. Typically, they’re portrayed as the ‘bad apples’ among the Thundergirls troop. But in this particular episode of Bob’s Burgers, they were given a chance to shine differently. Moreover, it was heartwarming to see Tina putting her own interests aside for the greater good – a selfless act that added depth to her character.

As a movie enthusiast, I found this episode incredibly enjoyable and it had an enchanting blend of summer vibes and spooky elements that made it perfect for a Summerween celebration. To be fair, the concept of Summerween was initially popularized by Gravity Falls, and let’s not forget that none other than Kristen Schaal, or Louise in the series, is part of this wonderful production. It would be unjust to not give her a shout-out, as she plays such an integral role in both shows.

Bob’s Burgers returns with a new episode on Fox on June 19th at 8/7c.

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2025-06-13 04:44