With her awkward demeanor and quirky personality, Tina Belcher from Bob's Burgers is the perfect representation of everyone's teenage years. Constantly on the quest for love, and with a penchant for all things equestrian, Tina is one of the most fleshed-out characters on the show.
Whether she is learning to drive or crashing someone's bat mitzvah, Tina Belcher never fails to spice up any episode that focuses on her. Though most episodes involve her in some way, the episodes that specifically revolve around Tina are some of the best of the entire series.
Presto Tina-o (S4 E10)
Tina isn't immune to flights of fancy, and in "Presto Tina-o" she fancied herself a magician. When the local arts center is hosting a magic contest, Tina teams up with Jimmy Jr. as his assistant. However, when she is fired for changing the act, she decides to enter the contest herself.
Tina has a strong independent streak, and though she may seem like a pushover, she is actually very capable of standing up for herself. Though her foray into magic was extremely brief, it showed that Tina wasn't afraid to do things for herself, even when it meant going against her middle school crush, Jimmy Jr.
Every Which Way But Goose (S9 E14)
As far as love sick characters go, Tina Belcher is the queen of taking grade school dating too seriously. The episode "Every Which Way But Goose" finds Tina distraught after not being asked to the prom by Jimmy Jr. In order to cope, the eldest Belcher child forms a strange relationship with a goose at the local park.
Outside of its hilarious title pun, the episode teaches Tina an important lesson about becoming too attached too quickly. Like a typical teen, Tina always assumes the worst, and takes things way too personally when things don't go her way. Her friendship with the goose shows that social interactions have to be two-sided, and one person can't be expected to carry the entire burden of a relationship.
Teen-A-Witch (S7 E3)
Coming as one of the best holiday themed episodes of Bob's Burgers, "Teen-A-Witch" finds Tina attempting to dabble in the dark arts. When Tina learns that Tammy stole her essay idea for the annual Halloween writing contest, she attempts to try witchcraft in order to get revenge on her classmate.
Like silly echos of films like The Craft, the episode shows a darker side of Tina. While she never intends to harm anyone, her interest in witchcraft shows that she does possess some sort of mean streak. Though it ultimately doesn't work out, Tina gets a chance to feel powerful and ascend her usual place in the grade school hierarchy.
The Horse Rider-er (S6 E17)
Tina is an incredibly bright kid, and her active imagination is often what gets her in the most trouble throughout the series. "The Horse Rider-er" sees one of Tina's dreams come true, she finally convinces her parents to send her to a horse themed summer camp. Unfortunately for Tina though, she believes she must end her relationship with her imaginary horse, Jericho.
Fleshing out the elaborate fantasy life that Tina lives, the episode is both hilarious and a fascinating glimpse into her inner world. Using Jericho as an outlet for her creativity, the character is fully realized in her mind, and the pair have funny interactions in the episode. She does learn a lesson in the process though, and is able to find a sense of balance between what is real, and what is imaginary.
Two For Tina (S3 E17)
Tina is often the victim of spurned love, but the episode "Two For Tina" allowed her to flip the script. While Tina waits for Jimmy Jr. to get back to her about the Wagstaff school dance, she begins to fall for a dancer who has invited her to his school's dance.
Seeing Tina being fought over by two boys is an interesting change of pace, and really puts her in a unique position of power. In the process though, she does learn that some things are too good to be true, and she ends up back at square one in the end.
Bad Tina (S2 E8)
Perhaps the most well-behaved of the Belcher children, Tina doesn't act out often, but when she does she really breaks bad. the episode "Bad Tina" introduced a new student in the form of the rebellious Tammy. Tina is smitten with her new friend and allows herself to be blackmailed into breaking her own moral code.
The hilarity of the episode comes from seeing the usually reserved Tina attempt to act out, and it is one of her all-time funniest moments. While she isn't suited for a life of crime, her noble attempt is as commendable as it is humorous. Also, seeing her younger siblings come to her defense is one of the best moments between them.
The Equestranauts (S4 E17)
Tina often gets heavy doses of reality, and the episode "The Equestranauts" was one of her harshest lessons. When Tina attends a local convention for her favorite horse themed cartoon show, she is shocked to find that all of the attendees are middle aged men. A super-fan of the show tricks Tina out of her expensive pony toy, and Bob is determined to get it back.
Bob's Burgers is usually pretty innocuous with its humor, but "The Equestranauts" is a rare, and hilarious, barb at a particular fandom. What makes the episode so strong is that it balances its character subplots really well. While the kids often let Bob down, and vice versa, he shows in the episode that he is willing to do anything for his children. As for Tina, she is so funny because she is naive compared to the jaded horse fans she meets.
Mazel-Tina (S4 E13)
Tina doesn't crave attention, but sometimes her own awkwardness lands her in the cat-bird seat, much to her dismay. In "Mazel-Tina" she is shocked to find that she wasn't invited to Tammy's Bat Mitzvah celebration. However, when Bob is called on to cater the event, Tina accidentally becomes the center of attention.
Most of the time, the audience is made to feel bad for Tina and her many relatable foibles, but "Mazel-Tina" is a unique case where she gets a bit of revenge. The spotlight sometimes finds the most awkward member of the Belcher family, and in the episode she proves that she was ready for her time to shine.
Tina-Rannosaurus Wrecks (S3 E7)
To say that Tina folds under pressure would be an understatement, and in "Tina-Rannosaurus Wrecks" she lived up to her reputation. Tina feels guilty after she accidentally wrecked Bob's car while he was teaching her to drive. She is made to feel more guilty when Bob asks her to lie to a shady insurance adjuster who is handling their case.
The episode is comedy gold, and the scene where Tina slowly crashes the car is one of the funniest moments of the entire series. Like most episodes of the show, one thing leads to another and the relatively minor problem balloons very quickly. The episode soars because of Bob and Tina's relationship, and it is side-splitting to watch him try to coach her through things.
Broadcast Wagstaff School News (S3 E12)
Tina is one of the show's funniest characters, but she is also one of the most compelling when she is the focus of an episode. "Broadcast Wagstaff School News" sees Tina get passed over for the lead anchor job at the school news. Suspecting something fishy is up, Tina turns investigative journalist and attempts to get to the bottom of things.
Like the film that inspired it, "Broadcast Wagstaff School News" shows the cutthroat world of journalism. Tina is hilarious in the episode as she uses her smarts to suss out who is behind the conspiracy. The episode is so strong because it shows Tina as both a funny, and capable character at the same time.