Gayle is one of the best recurring characters in Bob’s Burgers. Voiced by the phenomenal Megan Mullally, Gayle elevates this weird show to a whole new level. As Linda’s sister, Gayle is a bit uptight, a bit delusional, and a lot of fun to watch. She metamorphizes the trope of the off-kilter in-law from a common sitcom addition to a unique staple of the franchise.
Gayle holds the spotlight well amongst the main characters while also complementing the chemistry of the Belcher family. To get the most out of Gayle’s appearances, here is a list of her best episodes.
Season 8 Episode 18, "As I Walk Through the Alley of the Shadow of Ramps"
While Louise struggles with the inevitability of growing up, told through her fear and reluctance to learn to ride a bike, Gayle takes a job as a museum security guard. But Gayle has a history of losing jobs as quickly as she gets them, and soon she is calling Linda telling her how bored she is.
The episode goes off the rails from there as Linda suggests Gayle pretends she is protecting the art from art thieves. It climaxes with Gayle kidnapping a man and tying him up in a museum closet. The episode takes another twist as Gayle gets a date with her kidnapee.
Season 4, Episode 19, "The Kids Run Away"
When Louise finds out she has a cavity, she threatens Doctor Yap and runs away. Her fear of the dentist drives her to Gayle’s house as a hideout. Linda and Bob make a bet with Louise that accentuates Gayle’s wild character: If she can stand Gayle for the weekend, Louise doesn’t have to get the filling.
The episode is filled with hilarious Gayle moments including her poetry where she screams “squat!” over and over, and her underrated game “Gayle Force Winds” which has no rules and lasts hours. A bonus in this episode is some Aunt life advice from Gayle. She tells Louise to face her fears so she doesn’t end up like her.
Season 4 Episode 6, "Purple Rain-Union"
Linda is invited to get her high school band back together, “The Ta Tas,” in order to play at their high school reunion. Gayle is reluctant to rejoin but makes a deal with Linda that she would return if she is allowed to play one of the songs she wrote in high school.
Much to Linda’s annoyance, throughout practice Gayle keeps asking Linda, “is it time for me to play my song?” When she finally gets her moment on stage, the song is overtly sexual. It revolves around her high school crush (who is in the audience), Derek Dematopolis, and the hair on the back of his neck.
Season 1 Episode 8, "Art Crawl"
Gayle’s introduction to the show, the Belcher family allows her to hang her paintings in their restaurant for the town’s Art Crawl. Unfortunately for Bob, the subject of all the paintings is animal anuses.
In lieu of making Gayle feel bad about her artwork, Bob’s Burgers is adorned with multiple animal butts. Hilarious quotes include Gayle describing her art saying, “Oh, I could just fall into this one.”
Season 7 Episode 10, "There’s No Business Like Mr. Business Business"
When Gayle gets an offer by a cat agent to audition Mr. Business to be the new Chef Cat Cat Food Cat, Bob tries to train Mr. Business to perform the trick that will nail Mr. Business the commercial.
Unfortunately, Gayle’s anxiety throws the commercial for Mr. Business as she steals the cat back from Bob. Eventually, they decide not to go for the commercial. Hilarious moments include the reveal of the Belcher family secret of eating cat food. Gayle mentions “you have to warm it up and put it on your oatmeal.”
Season 7 Episode 22, "Into The Mild"
While Bob explores a clearance sale at an outdoors depot, Gayle performs her one-woman show for Linda and the kids. It’s unclear in the episode who is more trapped: Bob who is literally trapped inside the depot after it closes for good or the rest of the Belchers who are forced to watch Gayle’s train wreck of a show.
Highlights of the show include Gayle being born squeezing herself through a trash bag in a pink bodysuit. She throws the trash bag into the audience and Gene says, “Why is this wet?” prompting Linda’s quick reply “Don’t touch that!”
Season 10 Episode 15, "Yurty Rotten Scoundrels"
When Gayle hosts an artist workshop in a yurt, Linda finds out that only one person signed up. She volunteers with Tina to accompany Gayle to make her feel better. However, they find that the other resident is a secret blogger who chastises workshops with witty takedowns.
Gayle performs her best self, teaching "art" to the three residents. Highlights include the potato sack for a smock, painting with blood and spit, and her final challenge to the artists: Painting in the woods while Gayle stalks them wearing a box that says “Creative Block” on it.
Season 2 Episode 6, "Dr. Yap"
Trying to set up Gayle with their dentist, Bob agrees to go up to Dr. Yap’s timeshare with the whole family. Unfortunately, after an incident where Bob mistook Gayle for Linda while hallucinating on pain killers, he makes out with Gayle in the car. His transgression convinces Gayle to pursue Bob instead of Dr. Yap.
With Gayle chasing Bob throughout it, this episode has a bunch of hilarious moments. Highlights include Gayle fondling Bob with her foot under the table and straddling him after he crashes while skiing.
Season 6 Episode 4, "Gayle Makin' Me Bobsled"
After Gayle hurts her foot, Bob needs to pick her up for Thanksgiving dinner. After a blizzard snows in their car, Bob must get Gayle and Mr. Business to the house on foot, leaving Linda to cook the turkey on her own.
This is a classic Gayle episode, where her antics cause Bob to lose it. She “falls” while getting out of the shower only to flash Bob as he helps her up, “relax Bob, it’s just my breasts. And if something happens between us, it happens.” Another hilarious moment includes Mr. Business running away. As Gayle quickly pursues him (surprisingly, no longer injured), Bob says, “how are you running?!” to which Gayle responds sarcastically, “With my legs, Bob!”
Season 9 Episode 11, "Lorenzo’s Oil? No, Linda’s"
By far the best Gayle episode, she is at her finest as the savior in this episode. After discovering Linda is going to an essential oils party, Gayle screams continuously, kidnapping the kids from their house and driving them to the party. Louise, "Yeah, you know I love being screamed at and thrown in a car, but what is going on?"
She tries to stop Linda from buying into this pyramid scheme but falls ill to the “p-p-p-peppermint oil.” Most of the episode finds Gayle in a daze, two tubes of peppermint oil shoved up her nose, completely unable to help the kids save Linda.