Bob’s Burgers Season 16’s Louise Plot Needs This Underrated Character
While Bob’s Burgers season 15 brought back one of the show’s most promising guest stars, it now falls on season 16 to make use of this iconic character. The season 16 renewal of Bob’s Burgersproves there is plenty of life left in Fox’s cult animated comedy series.
While not as edgy as Family Guy or as well-known as The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers has carved out a niche for itself as the most grounded, heartwarming animated family sitcom on television. The future of Bob’s Burgers isn’t entirely safe, but the show has been renewed through season 10 as of April 2025.
As such, it is exciting to see Bob’s Burgers bring back some choice guest stars in season 15. Marshmallow appeared for the first time in years during this season, playing a pivotal role in episode 6, “Hope N’ Mic Night.” Meanwhile, a more recent new arrival proved they were an unforgettable addition to the cast a little later on.
Abbi Jacobson’s 5th Grade Megan Returned In Bob’s Burgers Season 15
The Conspiracy-Minded Student Was Tracking Her Gym Teacher
In episode 11, “Mr. Fischoeder’s Opus,” Bob’s Burgers managed the impressive task of making the Belcher family’s landlord, Mr. Fischoeder, seem sympathetic. This was quite an achievement when one of the best episodes of Bob’s Burgers focused on Fischoeder forcing his tenants to physically fight over a rent increase.
However, the very next outing, episode 12, “Like a Candle in the Gym,” managed to redeem another guest star. Abbi Jacobson’s offbeat, insular character, 5th Grade Megan, is a rare kid who even Louise sometimes finds unnerving, although Louise does have a morbid fascination with 5th Grade Megan’s strange way of seeing the world.
In “Like a Candle in the Gym,” the Belchers encounter Megan spying on Coach Blevins, convinced she is making and selling candles from the sweat of students. This bizarre claim seems baseless until Louise realizes that Megan is parroting a rumor she made up, alongside Tina and Gene, as a joke about Blevins and her obsession with getting students sweating.
Afraid that this rumor will get out of hand and lead to Megan’s suspension, as well as trouble for Blevins, Louise begins tailing 5th Grade Megan as 5th Grade Megan tails Blevins. What follows is an unexpectedly tense game of cat and mouse as the unwitting teacher is almost accosted by her deranged student, only for Louise to intercept Megan on time every time.
5th Grade Megan Is A Perfect Foil For Louise
Jacobson’s Character Is A More Unhinged Version of the Youngest Belcher
Image courtesy of Everett
Louise feels compelled to stop Megan’s rampage since it began with a rumor Louise started. However, she also found herself strangely intrigued by Megan’s bizarre plan, and she was fascinated by her conspiracy theories even though Louise knew that she herself was the source of the misinformation.
This was a perfect way to bring back Megan’s weird, unique personality in a plot that still had real stakes for Louise, as it underlined the comparisons between the pair once again. As Bob’s Burgers’ highest-ranked episode proved, Louise really is the show’s true breakout star. Kristen Schaal’s young heroine perfectly balances naivety and a hilariously tough attitude.
Over the years, Bob’s Burgers has humanized Louise, turning her from a pint-sized terror into a surprisingly sympathetic figure. In this time, she has inevitably lost some of her edge. The Louise who tormented Bob with false rumors in the show’s pilot is very different from season 15’s more measured heroine.
Thus, season 15’s Megan comeback is a perfect way to highlight how Louise has changed and the parts of her character that remain the same. In her first series appearance, season 10, episode 13, “Three Girls and a Little Wharfy,” Megan and Louise clashed since Louise refused to believe in the possibly mythical sea creature Megan was hunting.
In any other episode, Louise would usually be the one trying to convince Tina, Zeke, Jimmy Junior, Gene, Tammy, and Arnold to pursue an absurd boondoggle like this. Megan’s presence manages to make Louise rein it in, which is always a welcome surprise and shows a new side of the familiar character.
Bob’s Burgers Season 16 Must Bring Back 5th Grade Megan
Jacobson’s Character First Appeared In Season 10
Louise in Bob’s Burgers
While Bob’s Burgers season 15 wasted Gene, the outing managed to find plenty of time for Louise’s adventures as well as prioritizing Tina. That said, season 16 must bring back Jacobson’s Megan, and not just because she is a funny character in her own right.
Whether she is searching for monsters or hunting down her own teachers and risking suspension in the process, 5th Grade Megan brings a sense of danger to Louise’s stories. Usually, Louise is the one running proceedings, and the rest of the siblings and their friends are more likely to end up in over their heads.
She may just be a little girl, but Louise is often surprisingly savvy and resourceful in an emergency. However, her misadventures with 5th Grade Megan consistently leave her on the wrong foot, with Louise too intrigued to ignore Megan’s ravings, but acutely aware of the very real trouble they could get her in.
Like the characters of The Simpsons, South Park, or Family Guy, the Belchers don’t age. This means viewers will never get to see an older version of the Belcher children, especially when, as the show’s creators confirmed at SDCC 2025, there are no plans to ever do a Simpsons-style flash-forward episode.
As such, the appearances by 5th Grade Megan are a rare insight into what a slightly older, slightly more unhinged, slightly more rebellious version of Louise would look like. This makes Abbi Jacobson’s character an invaluable addition to the show’s cast and a necessary part of Bob’s Burgers season 16 once the series returns to screens soon.
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