At the supermarket, Bob carefully deliberates over which turkey to buy for
Thanksgiving dinner, eventually choosing one and naming it "Lance." Thanksgiving is Bob's favorite holiday, and over the years he has even formed certain rituals with his family—breaking a
wishbone with Tina, practicing football tackles with Gene, playing "turkey
CSI: Miami" with Louise, and finally giving a toast with the entire family. On the eve of the holiday, the Belchers' landlord Mr. Fischoeder approaches Bob and requests to borrow his family to pose as his own. Fischoeder wants to impress a former flame named Shelby, a professional sharpshooter and infamous
homewrecker, who is visiting for Thanksgiving dinner. Bob is initially reluctant, but ultimately agrees when Fischoeder offers five months of free rent should the plan succeed. On Thanksgiving, the family assume their roles as Fischoeder's family at his mansion. Fischoeder devises a system where he will give Tina, Gene, or Louise a ticket for each convincing performance as his child, with the child with the most by the end of the day winning a prize of his or her choice. Bob, who has been hired to pose as his cook, plans a schedule for each family member to visit him in the kitchen so as not to miss their respective Thanksgiving traditions. Shelby arrives and is convinced that the Belchers are Fischoeder's family, and the plan goes along well. Alone in the kitchen, Bob drinks
absinthe to pass the time and in a hallucinatory state talks to the turkey as if it were his friend. Determined to get the most tickets, Tina and Gene only briefly visit Bob, and Louise skips him altogether. When nobody visits Bob for his toast, he decides to give it himself at the dinner table, only for Fischoeder to block out his speech and his family to ignore him. The children give Fischoeder an embrace and Linda kisses him on the lips, causing Bob to finally snap. He lashes out at his family and runs away with the turkey, while Shelby pursues him with a shotgun in hand. She shoots at Bob, but "Lance" ends up taking the bullet and "dies" in a distraught Bob's arms. Linda, Tina, Gene, and Louise embrace Bob and apologize for ruining his Thanksgiving, revealing their ruse to Shelby, who appreciates Fischoeder's gesture but ultimately rejects him. The next day, the Belchers hold a make-up Thanksgiving celebration at home, and Louise wins a family portrait from Fischoeder. ==Production==