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Sep 25, 2016 By Ryan E.C. Hamm Web Exclusive

As season seven (!) of the most warm-hearted comedy on TV begins, the writers drift from what makes the show so good (its relationships between the Belcher family and the secondary characters) and toward a more Simpsons-y gag of a literal fever dream. But because the writing team is so good, “Flu-ouise” still sings—and quite literally. It’s done in a musical style, and has a number of songs sung by Louise’s collection of stuffed animals (did I mention it was a literal fever dream?) as she learns she needs to forgive her family. The only one of Bob’s Burgers’ collection of loony secondary characters who shows up is sad-sack and habitual burger eater Teddy, but when that character can somehow make jokes about PVC piping hilarious, what more do you need?

And of course, this being Bob’s Burgers, the show manages to squeeze in an important point about familial forgiveness in a completely unsentimental way. All it takes for families to keep loving one another, the episode suggests, is a truly sorry person, a truly forgiving wronged party and maybe a few songs about fortresses so big they blot out the sun (again: fever dream). Here’s to hoping the rest of the season focuses more on the family dynamics, but give the show props for creating a Louise-centric episode that is simultaneously bonkers and touching. (www.fox.com/bobs-burgers)

Author rating: 7/10