| For the titular character, see Torpedo Jones. |
| “ | Oh that's creepy. Your role model is the same age as you? I would never have another nine-year-old as my role model. | ” |
"Torpedo" is the thirteenth episode in Season 1, being the twelfth episode overall. It is the first-season finale.
Plot[]
Bob's hero, a washed-up baseball player named Torpedo Jones, starts pitching for the local minor league team. Torpedo befriends Bob, but the dark underbelly of minor league baseball threatens to corrupt the Belchers.
Plot[]
Bob buys an ad at the baseball park and closes the shop early to take the family to a game. There he discovers that his idol/role model, Torpedo Jones, has joined the local minor league team. During the 7th inning, local mascots, including the Wonder Wharf seal, run a race. The idea excites Gene, who wishes to run the race in the hamburger costume. Torpedo uses his influence to get Gene in the race, and also hires Tina as a ballgirl. She immediately begins hitting on and creeping out the entire team.
Gene wins his first race, but unfortunately forgets the name of the restaurant while being interviewed by Mr. Fischoeder, much to Bob's frustration. Torpedo begins having an amazing pitching run, which he attributes to Bob's Burgers. Bob later discovers the Torpedo is using grease from the burgers to improve his pitch. When Bob takes the news to Mr. Fischoeder, he convinces Bob it's okay to cheat for entertainment purposes. He shows Bob that all the games at Wonder Wharf are rigged and that people are removing wood from the roller coaster to create seating at the park. Bob then tells the kids it's OK to cheat for entertainment purposes. This causes Louise to suggest that Gene consider cheating as a valid option if he wants to win. Gene concedes and the next time he races, he nudges the other top-heavy mascots causing them to stumble and lose. Linda learns about the cheating and becomes angry at Bob for teaching the kids such a bad lesson. Ashamed of his actions, he decides to talk to Torpedo Jones. Torpedo tells Bob he's always been a cheater, and that he cannot be a role model for someone his own age.
Desperate to teach Gene to do the right thing, Bob enters the announcer booth to talk to him. When he nearly reveals his secrets, Mr. Fischoeder begins shooting at him with the gun he uses instead of a starter pistol. Gene decides not to cheat, and is instead knocked over by a pelican mascot. Bob tells Gene it appears karma has caught up with him, which starts an argument about karma with Mr. Fischoder, who claims there to be no such thing. At that moment, the Wonder Wharf roller coaster, stripped of many of its support beams, crashes to the ground. Mr. Fischoeder later tells Bob that he admires him and that he reminds him of his father.
Cast[]
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Starring |
Also Starring
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External links[]
- "Torpedo" on IMDb
- "Torpedo" press release via The Futon Critic
- "Torpedo" script via Springfield! Springfield!
| Season 1 Episode Navigation | v • t • e | |
|---|---|---|
| Human Flesh • Crawl Space • Sacred Cow • Sexy Dance Fighting • Hamburger Dinner Theater • Sheesh! Cab, Bob? • Bed & Breakfast • Art Crawl • Spaghetti Western and Meatballs • Burger War • Weekend at Mort's • Lobsterfest • Torpedo | ||
| ← The Demo | See also: Episode Guide | Season 2 → |