King-Size Homer (S07, E07-135)

Lisa has it pretty rough in this episode.

Plot Summary
Homer absolutely, doubtlessly hates the nuclear plant's exercise program consisting mostly of light calisthenics, the only one to actually dislike the program.  He learns that another co-worker is unable to participate by getting injured and going on disability.  Quickly, Homer attempts to go on disability himself, and finds something that'll work that won't also cripple him potentially: hyper-obesity.  At 239 pounds and 300 pounds being the "goal", Homer gets to work to achieves what must be a dream for him, with Bart's help and Lisa's protest.  When Marge learns of the plan, she too is put off by the idea, but isn't given a chance to state her protests until its too late.  Soon enough, Homer reaches his goal, and is given a work station in his house from which to operate.

The station is mostly straight forward, with questions having 'yes' or 'no' inputs such as "Vent Radioactive Gas?" and the like.  Lisa starts to get creeped out by all of this, while Marge admits to Homer that she finds him less attractive physically now, but Homer is defiant, proud of his achievement, and taps 'yes', later just 'y', on that computer like nobody before him.

That enthusiasm soon wavers, and as Marge is out running errands, Homer finds himself bored.  He leaves to watch a movie, leaving a drinking bird toy to tap 'y' for him instead.  At the theatre, he learns he can't buy a ticket because his stature is too large to fit the theatre's seats.  After being mocked by others, Homer is defiant again, proclaiming that the overweight are just as hardworking, and that its time to make their voices heard.  While stating that overweight people aren't lazy or irresponsible, he comes home to see the bird topple over, and the nuclear plant reaching meltdown status.

Learning the problem to be the lack of vented radioactive gas, Homer then finds out that the system will have to be shut down manually - at the plant - to prevent catastrophe.  Attempts to call the plant fail because his fingers are too big to dial.  Attempts to drive his car or ride a skateboard both fail as he's too heavy for either one to deal with.  Eventually, Homer grabs a hold of an ice cream truck (by sheer coincidence of course), and drives it to the plant.  At the gas tank, Homer is unable to reach the manual shutdown as the hatch below him blasts open.  Luckily, Homer's large body falls onto the hole containing the now vented tank, plugging it up to prevent the meltdown.  Later, Burns awards him with a medal and Homer, for Marge's sake, asks Burns to make him thin.  Burns agrees, but after a failed attempt at exercise, Burns simply pays for liposuction, which Homer is more than happy with.

Quick Review
King-Size Homer is a very in depth look over the life of the obese, or so this episode has portrayed it to be, with its own sets of challenges and rewards.  In the end, Homer proves that being heavy does not mean being lazy, or unengaged and that when it counted, he was as willing and active as any thin man can be.  The episode itself?  Another strong effort for this season, not quite among the best thus far, but it still has a lot of content that's funny in one way or another.

Final Score: 8.9