Teddy is one of the most beloved characters inBob’s Burgers, and the episodes with an A-plot or B-plot centered around him are some of the show’s funniest installments. The series primarily revolves around the Belchers: Bob’s endeavors to keep his restaurant afloat, Linda’s endless quest to be a fun mom,Tina’s struggle to find love, Gene’s search for a musical voice, and Louise grappling with the terrors of growing up. But at this point, the Belchers’ best customer, Teddy, is practically an honorary member of the family — he’s there for all their big moments.

Some ofthe bestBob’s Burgersepisodesrevolve around Teddy. He’s gotten his own A-plots, like when he fixed up a boat in a misguided attempt to make his ex-wife jealous or when he babysat the Belcher kids and lost one of them. And in just as many episodes, Teddy has stolen the show in a B-plot, like when he and Bob launched a ridiculous scheme to sell discarded golf balls or when he had to do a shift at the restaurant because Linda was nowhere to be found.

Bob and Teddy steal golf balls in Bob’s Burgers

10Like Gene For Chocolate

Season 7, Episode 12

The A-plot of season 7, episode 12, “Like Gene for Chocolate,” sees Gene trying to convince a candy corporation to bring back his favorite discontinued candy bar. But the B-plot sees Teddy roping Bob into a ridiculous scheme. He needs Bob’s help sneaking onto a golf course after hours and collecting discarded golf balls from the bottom of the pond, so he can sell them for a profit.

This storyline doesn’t offer much insight into Teddy’s character (except his propensity for ludicrous get-rich-quick schemes), but it does have a bunch of hilarious scenes. From Bob and Teddy’s high-speed escape from the golf course to Teddy dumping dozens of filthy golf balls into the restaurant dishwasher, this episode is jam-packed with big laughs. Gene’s A-plot in this episode is great, but Teddy’s B-plot is arguably even funnier.

Bob and Teddy on a road trip in Bob’s Burgers

9Driving Big Dummy

Season 12, Episode 4

Bob gets roped into going on a road trip with Teddy in season 12, episode 4, “Driving Big Dummy.” They embark on a long drive to pick up a new sink for the restaurant and drop off a giant ventriloquist dummy head to a minigolf sculpture collector. Along the way, Teddy makes countless stops to catch up with old friends, and Bob sees that Teddy is just as friendly to everyone else he patronizes in the service industry.

Teddy is usually used as comic relief onBob’s Burgers, but “Driving Big Dummy” showed that there’s a lot more to him. It hammered home that he’s very similar to John Candy’s character fromPlanes, Trains, and Automobiles— he might be kind of annoying, but he’s personable and he’s got a huge heart. As Bob gets to see Teddy in a new light, so does the audience.

Teddy gets tied to the fridge in Bob’s Burgers

8Christmas In The Car

Season 4, Episode 8

While the Belchers are out trying to get a new tree on Christmas Eve in season 4, episode 8, “Christmas in the Car,” they give Teddy one simple task: go into their kitchen and turn off the oven. However, when he gets there, he gets caught in a trap Louise set for Santa. He spends the rest of the episode tied to the Belchers’ fridge, waiting for them to come home and free him.

This B-plot hilariously juxtaposes the intensity of Bob’sDuel-esque cat-and-mouse chase with a relentless truck driver with the mundanity of Teddy lying on the kitchen floor, killing time. It puts the spotlight on Teddy’s inner monologue as he passes the time by expressing all his pointless thoughts and observations. Plus, the animation of Teddy writhing around like a trapped animal is one of the funniest visual gags in the entire series.

Teddy gets jalapeno in his eyes in Bob’s Burgers

7Thelma & Louise Except Thelma Is Linda

Season 7, Episode 19

Linda breaks Louise out of detention and takes her for a day of fun in season 7, episode 19, “Thelma & Louise Except Thelma is Linda.” Unfortunately for Bob, while Linda is out, the restaurant experiences one of its all-time busiest days as a bunch of cyclists stop by for lunch. Since he’s unable to get in touch with Linda and he can’t handle the workload alone, Bob reluctantly recruits Teddy to do a shift at the restaurant.

The A-plot of this episode is really sweet, as Linda and Louise grow closer, but the B-plot is where it gets its biggest laughs. Bob’s kids aren’t particularly good employees, but they’re a hundred times more competent than Teddy. From misremembering which order belongs to which table to getting jalapeño juice in his eyes, Teddy ends up being more trouble than help.

Teddy on a ship with Linda and Louise in Bob’s Burgers

6Frigate Me Knot

Season 12, Episode 13

Teddy is invited to the farewell ceremony for the ship he served on in the Navy in season 12, episode 13, “Frigate Me Knot.” Since he was embarrassed during his service when he accidentally fell off the ship twice in one night, Teddy is reluctant to face his naval cohorts again. But Linda thinks he needs to face his embarrassment in order to overcome it, so she encourages him to go.

The saddest episodes about Teddy focus on his debilitating insecurities, and “Frigate Me Knot” is a prime example of that. Those insecurities take the spotlight as Teddy reluctantly attends the ship’s farewell ceremony and tries to avoid interacting with any of his former shipmates while Linda holds his hand every step of the way. It showcases Linda’s compassion just as much as it showcases Teddy’s neuroses.

Teddy gets trapped in Bob’s Burgers

5Mission Impossi-Bob

Season 14, Episode 11

Teddy gets a job working on a survivalist’s underground bunker in season 14, episode 11, “Mission Impossi-Bob.” When he accidentally traps himself inside the bunker, he calls Bob to come and save him. Unfortunately, since Teddy’s client is very paranoid, he never gave him an address and drove him there with a blindfold on, so Teddy has no idea where he is. So, Bob has to find Teddy based on the very limited clues he can give him.

This episode is a genuinely intriguing mystery that gets more and more exciting as Bob gets closer and closer to the bunker. It shows Bob to be a lot more intuitive and resourceful than he thought he was, and highlights his friendship with Teddy. Together, they can achieve anything — even find a paranoid survivalist’s bunker based on the length of a song.

The Belchers take a ride on Teddy’s boat in Bob’s Burgers

4Sea Me Now

Season 7, Episode 2

Teddy is revealed to have been fixing up a boat in season 7, episode 2, “Sea Me Now.” When it’s finally ready, he takes the Belchers out for a trip along the coast, and they quickly realize why he bought a boat. As he sails past his ex-wife’s workplace, loudly talking about what a great time he’s having on his boat, it becomes apparent that he bought and restored a boat in the hope of making his ex-wife regret leaving him.

Although Teddy is a hilarious character who always makes the audience laugh,there’s an underlying sadness to Teddythat’s on full display in this episode. His marriage ended a long time ago, but unlike his ex-wife, he still hasn’t moved on. “Sea Me Now” uses hilarious slapstick comedy to demonstrate how destructive it is to cling to the past.

Bob and Teddy at a stunt workshop in Bob’s Burgers

3Friends With Burger-fits

Season 5, Episode 3

When Teddy gets some alarming medical news in season 5, episode 3, “Friends with Burger-fits,” Bob starts to feel guilty that his greasy, fatty burgers are killing his best customer. So, Bob resolves to help Teddy improve his health, which leads them to a boot camp for Hollywood stunt performers. As the episode goes on, it becomes less about Teddy’s health and more about his friendship with Bob.

At first, Bob refuses to accept that Teddy is his friend, despite his wife and kids recognizing that he’s his best friend. Throughout the episode, Bob resists a genuine friendship with Teddy before finally embracing it. Bob and Teddy’s relationship has always been one of the most heartwarming aspects of the show, and this episode puts that relationship under the microscope and it comes out stronger than ever.

Bob teaches Teddy how to cook in Bob’s Burgers

2Thanks-Hoarding

Season 8, Episode 5

Teddy asks Bob for help as he gets ready to host his first Thanksgiving dinner in season 8, episode 5, “Thanks-Hoarding.” Bob finds that it’ll be a much more difficult task than it seems, since Teddy doesn’t even know how to peel a carrot and he’s planning to cook an entire Thanksgiving meal. Matters get even more complicated when Linda and the kids make the shocking discovery that Teddy is a secret hoarder.

This is one ofBob’s Burgers’ most emotional episodes. Bob trying to teach Teddy how to cook gets plenty of laughs, but the revelation that Teddy is a hoarder who never throws anything away gives a deeper look at what makes him tick. Teddy’s speech about how he just wants to fix things is the show’s rawest depiction of who Teddy is at his core.

Teddy looks under Tina’s bed in Bob’s Burgers

1Uncle Teddy

Season 4, Episode 14

When Bob and Linda go away to attend a burger convention, they bring in Teddy to babysit the kids in season 4, episode 14, “Uncle Teddy.” He wants to be considered the kids’ cool uncle, but his idea of fun — watchingThe Mentalistand fixing the plumbing — isn’t exactly the same as theirs. When Tina sneaks out to hang out with a boy, Teddy questions whether he’s fit to be an uncle.

This is easily the best Teddy-centric episode ofBob’s Burgers. It gets a ton of laughs from this juicy premise, but it also highlights how desperate Teddy is to be a part of this family. It’s heartwarming to see how protective he is of Tina when he finds her crush taking advantage of her (and hilarious to see the consequences of his paternal rage).

Bob’s Burgers

Cast

Bob’s Burgers: Premiering in 2011, Bob’s Burgers follows Bob Belcher, a third-generation restaurateur, as he manages his burger restaurant alongside his wife and three children. Despite operational challenges including poor location, they remain committed to their business’s success.