The Fat and the Furriest

Plot

Homer buys Marge a Kitchen Carnival for Mother's Day at Sprawl-Mart, a machine with a cotton candy maker, a vat of liquid caramel, and a deep fryer. He uses it to create a giant ball of deep-fried, caramel-covered cotton candy. When it becomes too dirty and inedible, Marge orders him to take it to the dump. There, a large grizzly bear confronts him, and Homer cowers tearfully; the bear wanders off, annoyed.

A nearby hunter captures the incident on camera, and the tape airs on the news, leading to widespread mockery. Homer becomes a nervous wreck, hallucinating bears such as Winnie-the-Pooh, Paddington Bear, Gummy Bears, Smokey Bear, the Snuggle Bear, Teddy Grahams, the Chicago Bears, and an Intensive Care Bear. He hires the hunter, Grant Connor, to help him confront the animal. Despite Marge's objections and Lisa's pleas, Homer, Bart, Lenny, and Carl embark on a quest.

Homer dons a nearly useless suit of homemade armor. While camping in the woods, Homer removes the armor to bathe in a stream and is attacked again.

The bear drags him to its cave. Deciding to face death with dignity, Homer discovers the bear's aggression stems from a painful electrical prod attached to its ear by Grant. Homer removes the tag, and the bear becomes friendly, licking Homer and giving him a bear hug.

Reception

The episode drew 11.7 million viewers, placing it 25th for the week. Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide dismissed the premise as "pretty dopey" and illogical. On Four Finger Discount, Brendan Dando and Guy Davis called it "uneventful, but it's still entertaining," adding that Homer earned the audience's sympathy.

Tyler Clark of Consequence hailed it as the season's best, calling it "simple, stupid, and satisfying" and a showcase for what a skilled writer can accomplish. Massih Zekavat and Tabea Scheel argued the episode depicts humanity's destructive urge to dominate nature, pointing to the tracking device that makes the bear aggressive and the bear’s later fight with an elephant at a sanctuary. The episode won Television Episodic Comedy at the 14th Environmental Media Awards.

Did You Know?

• The creation of bear-proof armor after surviving a bear attack was inspired by Troy Hurtubise, whose story was told in the documentary Project Grizzly.
• Sprawl-Mart is a parody of Wal-Mart.
• The Bible cartoon shown at Sprawl-Mart is a parody of the Christian animated series VeggieTales.