It’s Thanksgiving and Bob has to bring Gayle to the apartment during a snowstorm. As Bob puts up with Gayle at her absolute worst, the rest of the Belchers attempt to make dinner—both with disastrous results.
Gayle Tropin' Bob Sled:
- Attention Whore: Gayle, to the degree she regularly fakes injuries to get attention for incredibly selfish and petty reasons. She does it so much Linda is barely fazed by her behavior at this point.
- Cargo Ship: In-Universe. As Bob talks lovingly to the foods he's cooking for Thanksgiving, Louise suggests this is the case for him with the whole holiday. Bob doesn't deny it.Louise: Would you say, Dad and Thanksgiving, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G?
Bob: I would kiss Thanksgiving, Louise. Its kiss would be salty and delicious. - Cassandra Truth: Gayle thought that Mr. Frond was breaking up with her because he said he was spending Thanksgiving with his aunt in Florida, and "Who spends Thanksgiving with their aunt?" until Tina points out that she's their aunt currently spending Thanksgiving with them.
- Cat Up a Tree: When Bob finally finds Mr. Business, he has to get him down from a tree.
- Continuity Nod: Gayle still has a crush on Bob, and Bob is just as horrified as the first time he found out.
- Cordon Bleugh Chef: Louise and Gene decide that the perfect Thanksgiving side-dishes need candy, leaving them basically inedible.
- Damned by Faint Praise: Bob does this when trying to cheer Gayle up after she believes Mr. Frond dumped her.Bob: Listen Gayle, you're... you.Gayle: (hopeful) I am?
- Epic Fail: Linda and the kids have to finish preparing Thanksgiving dinner because Bob got held up with Gayle's fake injury, even though Bob and Linda both make it clear neither of them wants this to happen. The following occurs:
- Linda and Tina completely overthink preparing the turkey. When Linda tries to move the turkey due to the temperature readings, instead of simply taking out the pan and turning it around she tries to hoist it up by the drumsticks and rips them off. Linda then tries sewing them back on.
- Louise and Gene are left to prepare the side dishes, and do so by smothering them in chocolate, whipped cream and candy to the point they're totally inedible to anyone but them.
- First-Name Basis: Discussed; Bob believes that Gayle calls Mr. Frond by his first name of Phillip. She actually also calls him Mr. Frond.
- Given Name Reveal: Gayle states that Mr. Business's full name is Jim Business.
- I Will Only Slow You Down: When Bob informs Gayle that they have to walk home, Gayle tells Bob to leave her at her apartment. Bob actually agrees and is on his way out the door before Gayle hurriedly changes her mind.
- Jerkass Realization: Gayle feels guilty about Bob getting hurt trying to rescue Mr. Business from a tree, all because she had to feign a sprained ankle. She tries to make it up by dragging Bob the rest of the way back to the restaurant.
- The Millstone: This episode has Gayle at what might be her absolute worst and highlights how much she tends to drag her sister's family down. She fakes a leg injury, pretends to have fallen in her bathroom and makes Bob help her up before making him help her through her entire routine, then she makes Bob drag her and one of her cats around in an inflatable kiddie pool during a snowstorm. Not only does she treat Bob like a slave, Gayle's actions totally derailed his Thanksgiving preparations and ended with the family having a mutilated turkey and side dishes smothered in candy. It says something that Gayle has done this sort of thing so much, Linda's pretty much resigned herself to Gayle's antics and is more insulted by Bob's exhausted declaration of hatred.
- Must Make Amends: Gayle pulls Bob the rest of the way home after he hurts himself because of her actions.
- No Sympathy: Linda barely cares at how distressed Bob is after everything Gayle put him through because she was faking, and gets more upset when Bob admits he hates Gayle.
- On the Rebound: Gayle believes that Mr. Frond dumped her, and attempts to flirt with Bob, dropping her towel in front of him and saying "whatever happens happens". Bob is understandably mortified.
- Parental Favoritism: Well, "parental", but Gayle clearly favors Mr. Business over her other two cats, to the point that when claiming Mr. Business is all she has left her other two cats are basically an afterthought.
- Playing Sick: After pulling her in an inflatable kiddie pool for miles, Bob is furious when he discovers Gayle's ankle wasn't even really hurt, and she did it for sympathy. Even worse, when Bob tells Linda on the phone, Linda barely reacts because Gayle does this all the time.
- Psychological Projection: During her Thanksgiving toast, Gayle has the gall to say that Bob drives her nuts. Bob decides it's not worth the effort to argue.
- Rage Breaking Point: Bob snaps when he learns Gayle was faking her injury, outright telling Linda he hates Gayle.
- Screaming at Squick: Bob is horrified when Gayle's towel drops in front of him.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Gayle suggests that Bob should just go home and leave her at her apartment. Bob agrees and is about to leave when Gayle changes her mind and begs Bob not to leave.
- Shipper on Deck: Tina can only think of setting Gayle up with Mr. Frond, which causes problems when it appears that Frond has dumped her.
- Shout-Out: After falling in the snow and finding himself injured, Bob tells Gayle to cut him open and sleep in his body.
- Skewed Priorities: Linda's fine with her sister faking an injury and forcing Bob to drag her around in an inflatable pool, but will not accept Bob declaring he hates Gayle.
- Sneeze of Doom: Just as it looks like Bob is going to get Gayle's cat down safely, Bob's allergies act up, causing Mr. Business to freak out and leading Bob to fall out of the tree.
- Stating the Simple Solution: When Linda forgets all of Bob's instructions for preparing the turkey, Tina suggests that Linda just call Bob back so she can write it down or look up instructions on the Internet. Although Linda says they can do it on their own, Tina actually does look up instructions, though it doesn't help much.
- Tempting Fate: Bob is relieved that the car isn't snowed in. Cue a snowplow coming by and burying the car.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Linda, who didn't bother to mention to Bob it was likely Gayle was faking her injury to get attention despite later admitting how Gayle does it all the time. While Bob states he has to pick Gayle up because Linda is a bad driver in the snow, she still should've warned him that it was possible Gayle wasn't really injured given how much Gayle pulls this stunt whenever she wants attention.
- Wham Shot: Gayle suddenly getting up and sprinting down the street after Mr. Business, after she'd spent the entire episode making Bob drag her because she claimed she couldn't walk.
