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When it comes to Halloween, nobody on Bob's Burgers does it quite like Gene Belcher. While Tina and Louise have had their fair share of great costumes (and lest we forget about Bob and Linda), Gene takes things to a whole other level. His pop culture references, mash-ups, and puns are the highlight of many episodes of the show. Sometimes they've very clever and sometimes they're very stupid. Either way, I love them.
So, here are Gene's Halloween costumes ranked.
10. 1/3 of a Snail (Season 11, Episode 4: "Heartbreak Hotel-Oween")
As part of a plan to conceal a full bowl of candy underneath their group costume, Gene is stuck being the back-end of a snail. This one gets docked because everything else Gene chooses to do is so singularly Gene. I wish I could say they "snailed it" like Louise says, but it's a miss from me.
9. Turner and Pooch (Season 5, Episode 2: "Tina and the Real Ghost")
Good, clean fun. Linda says "more like Turner and cute." He's half dog, half Hanks, all cop. I feel like later Gene wouldn't be caught dead calling himself a cop. I think we get far better costumes from Gene later on, so this has to sit pretty low on the list.
8. Gradiator (Season 12, Episode 3: "The Pumpkening")
This Halloween, Gene is a gladiator who just got his masters. It's good for a chuckle, but the actual costume is less fun than a lot of other stuff we get on the list. At best, I'll give him a passing grade.
7. Queen Latifah from her U.N.I.T.Y. phase (Season 3, Episode 2: "Full Bars")
This is the first Halloween costume we ever see Gene as and boy, what a way to kick things off. Just for the sheer specificity of it, it can't be too low. The specificity of it is perfect.
6. Cat Stevens (Season 11, Episode 4: "Heartbreak Hotel-Oween")
The first of our singer puns. This is good, but I think it actually ranks the lowest of the next batch because it's too good. The further Gene gets away from it being a clean pun, the better costume I think it is.
5. Baby Gaga (Season 11, Episode 4: "Heartbreak Hotel-Oween")
Simple, but effective. A little convoluted but easy enough to get once you see it. It's the second time his character has leaned into some femme energy and he's serving. Well, actually he's being served Halloween candy from a neighbor but you get the idea!
4. Fiona Apple Sauce (Season 10, Episode 4: "Pig Trouble in Little Tina")
The best of the batch here. It's far more of a stretch than Cat Stevens or Baby Gaga, so it's a better Gene Halloween costume than either of them. I'd be Criminal to have it lower than this on the list.
3. Bill Paxton Caught Up in the Stuff from Twister (Season 13, Episode 6: "Apple Gore-Chard! (But Not Gory)")
I was so ready to write this one off and rate it lower than any of the celebrity pun costumes, but it's the "from Twister" part that really gets me. The fact that his explanation made me laugh as hard as it did is why it's this high up.
2. Handsome Grapes (Season 8, Episode 3: "The Wolf of Wharf Street")
Stupid, charming, and amazing. That's probably how I'd describe Gene to somebody who'd never seen the show before, so this costume gets him high marks from me. I'm not sure I get the joke here (closest I've got is Fruit of the Loom) but it literally doesn't matter. Incredible costume.
1. Andre the Giant 3000 (Season 9, Episode 4: "Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street")
Was there ever any doubt? It's the best Halloween costume pun I've ever seen. Each of the two figures he's combined together are recognizable on their own, but Gene is perfection by mashing them up. I'd say this costume is more than just alright, alright, alright, alright, alright.
Come knock on our door tomorrow for even more 31 Days of Heistoween treats.
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