Recap / Bob's Burgers S10E20 "Poops!... I Didn't Do It Again"

Bob must help Louise face her fear of public pooping in time for an overnight school trip to the aquarium. Meanwhile, Linda tries to film a pickle-themed music video for her parents' fiftieth anniversary.

Tropes!... I Didn't Do It Again:

• Apathetic Teacher: Ms. LaBonz finds it annoying that she can't go home because of the overnight trip as she makes it clear to her students in the opening.
  LaBonz: As You Know, this Friday is the overnight class lock-in at the Bog Harbor Aquarium, which is great, because there's nothing teachers love more than not going home.
• Bait-and-Switch: Louise realizes that she can't hold it in anymore, and decides she only has one option. It seems like she's about to face her fears on her own... cut to Bob getting a phone call.
• Big "NO!": Rudy when Ms. LaBonz makes him take Louise's place feeding the sharks.
• Birds of a Feather: Bob and Louise bond over, of all things, their Shy Bladders.
• Both Sides Have a Point: When Bob and Linda argue over Louise inheriting her Shy Bladder from Bob, Linda raises a valid point in that while part of the problem may have been inherited from the start, Bob may have unintentionally raised Louise to subconsciously avoid public bathrooms. Bob, however, also raises a valid point in that Linda is a bit too comfortable with using the bathroom anywhere, which has led to incidents like her using a bucket during a wedding.
• Brilliant, but Lazy: If Louise put half as much effort into studying like she did for the shark test, she'd probably have good grades.
• Brutal Honesty: Bob doesn't even bother to sugarcoat the fact that the laxatives he's about to give Louise taste absolutely horrible.
• Call-Back: The story Bob tells Louise is the second middle school dance he's missed, after the one in "Two For Tina". In the story he tells here he's the one who ended up cancelling his date, whereas in the aforementioned episode he was dumped.
• Centipede's Dilemma: Louise wasn't worried about having to poop during the overnight field trip until Bob brought up how it's something they both struggle with.
• Compressed Vice: Louise's Shy Bladder tendencies were never present before this episode, as "Synchronized Swimming" depicted her pooping in the pool with no problems.
• Continuity Nod:
  • Linda uses the pickle costumes from "Paraders of the Lost Float" on her video. Additionally, Gene didn't use a pickle costume in that episode (he used the Beefsquatch costume), so Linda has to make a fifth pickle costume from scratch (which ends up being purple because she's out of green fabric).
  • In her dream, Louise brings Kuchi Kopi with her when she tries to poop. In "Flu-oise,", she told Linda that Kuchi Kopi is her "doodie buddy". From that same episode, Melted Kuchi Kopi can be seen sitting on her shelf.
• Daddy's Girl: While not showcased at length, it's suggested midway through the episode that Louise learned to share Bob's distaste for public bathrooms rather than simply inheriting it. It's implied that Louise looking up to Bob is why his actions left such a lasting impression on her, especially when Bob is able to get her to use a public bathroom by doing so himself.
  • Additionally, the middle portion of the episode shows the two bonding over Bob's help. Louise at one point hugs him and thanks him for his help, something she'd never be caught dead doing in front of or to anyone else.
• Don't Explain the Joke: When Ms. LaBonz welcomes her students to the overnight lock-in, Rudy interrupts and say they'll get to sleep with the fishes, then explains the joke. LaBonz is pissed, because she was going to use that joke.
• Dramatically Delayed Drug: Louise is struggling with constipation, which causes her much distress because her class is going on an overnight trip to the aquarium, and she hates using public bathrooms. She takes some laxatives so that she won't have to go until after the trip, but the laxatives don't kick in until after the trip begins, thus triggering a Potty Emergency. She calls Bob on the phone to take her home, but she realizes she's missing out on all the fun just because she's unwilling to use a public restroom, so she decides to just suck it up and face her fear.
• Dream Within a Dream: Louise has a nightmare about pooping in the middle of the aquarium. She bolts awake, reassuring herself it was a dream, and the shot widens to show Regular-Sized Rudy standing by her bed. He yells, "OR WAS IT?!" And Louise wakes up again.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: Although Louise had to suffer through holding in laxative-powered poop for an entire day, Louise and Bob make up, they conquer their fear of public bathrooms, and Louise gets to feed the sharks.
• Everyone Has Standards:
  • Gene might be closer to Linda than his sisters, but he's right there with Louise and Bob as they tell Linda "No" three times when she mentions Gloria wants something. Just because he's a Momma's Boy doesn't mean Gene is fond of his (admittedly awful) maternal grandmother.
  • Linda herself overlooks a lot when it comes to her mother and tends to drop everything to make Gloria happy, but the process of making a music video proves to be so difficult and time consuming Linda decides to just send a card.
• Exposition Already Covered: When Ms. LaBonz welcomes her students to the overnight lock-in, Rudy interrupts her and tells his class they'll all gonna sleep with the fishes, which annoys LaBonz because that was going to be her opening joke.
• Face Your Fears: Not wanting to miss the chance to feed the sharks, Louise decides get over her fear of pooping in public restrooms by pooping in the aquarium's restroom with Bob going as well to support her.
• Failure Gambit: Rudy hates sharks, and was so terrified of getting the highest grade on the shark test that he flunked on purpose.
• Fix It in Post: While shooting the video, Linda keeps saying that she'll edit it all together later. At several points, however, she outright reveals she doesn't know how to edit.
• Fridge Logic: In-universe while first filming the video for Gloria, it's asked as to why the family would be having pickles for breakfast.
• Friendly Tickle Torture: To go with the "Tickled as Pickles" theme, Linda wants Gene to chase Bob and tickle him. Let's just say Bob doesn't seem to like getting tickled.
• Gilligan Cut: After Louise has a nightmare about pooping in the middle of the aquarium in front of her classmates, Louise reassures herself she can poop before the overnight trip and she has all week to do it. Then we cut to the next three days showing she's unable to go during those time and she gets frustrated as the day progresses.
• Happily Married: Bob reveals that Jess Newton, the girl he asked out to his middle school dance, ended up marrying the guy she actually went with.
• Innocent Innuendo:
  Louise: I just have to go to the bathroom here after school on Friday, get dropped off at the aquarium, feed a tank full of apex predators, sleep, come home, bing bang boom, see you next Tuesday!
  Bob: Don't say "See you next Tuesday."
• It's All About Me: Gloria demands the Belchers make a better video for her and Al to show up the woman at the retirement community. Bob immediately deduced Gloria wanted something as soon Linda merely said she just spoke with her.
  Linda: Okay, that was Grandma on the phone. We got problems.
  Bob: So what problem do you have with your mother that we don't have?
  Linda: No, no, no. We have a problem.
• It's Been Done: It's clear to everyone that Linda's video idea is just a copy of the other family's banana video.
• Know When to Fold 'Em: When it's clear that she doesn't know how to edit a video or make an online video in general and realizes how long and difficult the process will be for her, Linda gives up on making the video and decides to send her parents a card instead.
• Left the Background Music On: There's an intense orchestra swelling during Bob and Louise's argument before she heads into the aquarium... which is revealed to be from the classical music station Bob put on in the car. He changes it to more upbeat music to lighten the mood, but Louise is already gone.
• Let Me Tell You a Story: Bob tells Louise a story about a similar experience Louise is going through, all the way back in middle school. He asked a girl named Jess Newton out to the school dance and she actually said yes, but he couldn't go because he couldn't poop at his school.
• Literal-Minded: When Bob wants to help Louise with her constipation problem, he decides to pull out the big dogs. When Tina asks what are the big dogs and he replies with laxatives, she then asks what type of breed they are until Bob clarifies he means drugs.
• Mood Whiplash: In the bathroom, after Bob gives Louise laxatives, Louise gives Bob a heartfelt hug and thanks him for helping her. Bob returns the hug... and the moment is immediately ruined when this causes Louise to groan in pain from the laxatives she just put into her stomach, with Bob freaking out and hastily apologizing.
• Mundane Made Awesome: "Father, I pooped."
• No Kill like Overkill: Bob employs several laxative bottles in order to help Louise poop. As it turns out, Louise probably needed every last one of them.
• Nature Versus Nurture: A fairly prominent plot point in regards to Louise's inability to use public bathrooms. While the first half of the episode suggests that Louise has had this problem her entire life and simply shares it with Bob, Linda proposes the theory that Louise subconsciously learned to avoid public bathrooms as a result of Bob doing the same, with the two's close bond meaning Bob's actions had a much bigger impact on the young and impressionable Louise. The rest of the episode doesn't focus on which idea is right (instead focusing on Bob helping Louise overcome their shared problem), but it's heavily implied that Linda hit the nail on the head, given Louise is finally able to shake the habit by following Bob's lead.
• Noodle Incident:
  • Linda once used a bucket to poop during a wedding.
  • Bob and Linda recently saw Inception and still haven't figured out the plot.
• "No. Just… No" Reaction: When Linda tells her family that someone at her parents' town showed a video from their grandchildren to everyone and they loved it, she tries to explain her plan to have the Belchers make their own video. Bob, Louise, and Gene don't even let her finish her explanation before trying to shoot it down.
• No Sympathy:
  • After even laxatives prove ineffective at getting Louise to poop at home, Linda's concern lies solely with getting part of the video filmed before school starts.
  • In general, Bob is the only Belcher to really sympathize with Louise's problem.
  • Louise makes it clear she has absolutely no desire to help Linda make the video.
• Once Done, Never Forgotten: Apparently, Linda pooped in a bucket once.
• Papa Wolf: Bob puts it best when picking up Louise from the aquarium:
  Bob: Just so you know, I'm always available to come pick you up. Even in college. Or on business trips. Or your honeymoon.
• Plagiarism in Fiction: Louise is the first to openly point out that Linda's just ripping off the banana video by replacing "banana" with "pickle."
• Pooping Where You Shouldn't: Bob mentions that Linda once defecated in a bucket when the line for the bathroom at a wedding was too long.
• Running Gag: Multiple times the family gets done with a long scene only for Linda to realize she never pressed record. The Belchers are less than amused at this frequent occurrence.
• Scatterbrained Senior: Linda notes that Gloria doesn't know how many kids are in the family, so they can get away with flat-out excluding Louise from the anniversary video. Though considering this is Gloria, it's most likely less her being scatterbrained and more of her just not giving a shit about her grandkids.
• Series Continuity Error:
  • Louise's Shy Bladder tendencies contradict the events of "Synchronized Swimming", where she had no problems actually pooping in the pool to get out of the synchronized swimming show. Although given Linda theorizes that Bob imprinted his own habits onto her, it's possible that these habits developed quite recently.
  • Linda said that she thought that Bob wouldn't be able poop if they would ever travel in "The Taking Of Funtime One Two Three." He disagrees and thinks he would poop even better than at home. This was only hypothetical because they never travel, but it reveals he doesn't think he has issues pooping outside of his home.
• Shout-Out:
  • The title is one to "Oops!... I Did It Again" by Britney Spears.
  • The Exterminator Van is "Exterminator 2: Bug-Ment Day".
  • The first Burger of the Day is the "Avoca-Don't You Want Me, Baby? Burger
  • The second Burger of the Day is the "Take a Picture, Fig'll Last Longer Burger".
• Shy Bladder: The main conflict of the episode comes from Louise being unable to poop outside of the Belcher family bathroom, a trait she apparently inherited from Bob.
• Suspiciously Specific Denial: When Bob and Louise are going to the pharmacy, Tina asks if they could get her teen boy deodorant—but not for any particular reason and definitely not because she kisses it or anything.
• That Came Out Wrong: Bob tries to tell Louise that she shouldn't have to torture herself if going to a public bathroom is the only option, but to Louise it sounds like he's leaving her to the wolves.
• This Is Gonna Suck: Neither Bob nor Louise are happy about going to the bathroom in the aquarium. But they know that if they don't do it, they might never face their fears.
• Too Much Information: Emily, one of the aquarium employees, casually reveals that she was married and then divorced in her rather long-winded greeting to the fourth-graders.
• The Unapologetic: Linda refuses to acknowledge there being anything wrong with her having once pooped in a bucket, even as we learn it happened during a wedding.
  Linda: There was a line for the bathroom.
  Bob: And you went in a bucket!

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