"King-Size Homer" | |
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The Simpsons episode | |
The now obese Homer operates his computer from the couch with a broom
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Episode no. | 135 |
Directed by | Jim Reardon |
Written by | Dan Greaney |
Showrunner(s) |
Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein |
Production code | 3F05 |
Original air date | November 5, 1995 |
Chalkboard gag | "Indian burns are not our cultural heritage". |
Couch gag | The Simpsons are five malfunctioning wind-up dolls who waddle their way to the couch. |
Commentary |
Matt Groening Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein Dan Greaney Jim Reardon David Silverman |
Guest appearance(s) | |
Joan Kenley as the telephone lady |
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Season 7 episodes
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Seasons | |
Joan Kenley as the telephone lady
"King-Size Homer" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons' seventh season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 5, 1995. In the episode, Homer despises the nuclear plant's new exercise program, and decides to gain 61 pounds (28 kg) in order to claim a disability and work at home.
The episode was written by Dan Greaney and directed by Jim Reardon. Joan Kenley makes her second of three guest appearances on The Simpsons in the episode as the voice of the telephone lady. It features cultural references to the world's heaviest twins, the 1993 film What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and the soft drink Tab. Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from fans and television critics, and Empire named it the best episode of the series. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 10.0, and was the third highest rated show on the Fox network that week.
Mr. Burns organizes a morning calisthenics program at the nuclear power plant, much to the dismay of Homer. After learning that someone who is disabled can work from home, Homer tries to find a way to achieve this goal. Homer soon discovers that any employee that weighs 300 pounds (136 kg) or more qualifies as disabled, and so he decides to gain the 61 pounds needed to reach 300. He begins eating excessively, despite Marge and Lisa's repeated warnings that he could seriously endanger his health. With Bart's help, Homer soon reaches his goal, and Mr. Burns installs a stay-at-home work terminal in the Simpson house.