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229 "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?"
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"Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?"
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Episode Information
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"Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?" is the third episode of Season 11, which aired on October 24, 1999. The episode was written by Al Jean and was directed by Nancy Kruse. Ed Asner guest stars as the Lifeways Editor.
With a little help from Lisa, Homer takes on the job of food critic for The Springfield Shopper. But when his reviews begin to spoil reputations, the local restaurant owners devise a plan of action against Homer's sower grapes.
Plot
The kids of Springfield Elementary School take a trip to The Springfield Shopper headquarters. Homer is accompanying Bart and Lisa on the tour, but wanders off on his own when he smells food, and ends up crashing the newspaper food critic's retirement party. Homer eats the food at the party and sings a song about it; the editor is so impressed he hires Homer to be a food critic. Homer starts by writing an example review on the typewriter, but it's terrible. Lisa decides to help - She takes the nonsense Homer dictates to her and translates it into eloquent reviews, typing them up on her computer then giving them to Homer to send in (just like Bart and Lisa did with Grandpa in "The Front").
Homer gives all the restaurants good reviews, resulting in a massive surge in obesity of town residents including the Flanders, Lenny and Mr. Burns (whose shins break under his new weight). He later talks to his fellow critics who say they sometimes have to give bad reviews. Homer being how he is takes this too seriously and gives every restaurant (and Marge) bad reviews. An angry Lisa quits ghost writing for Homer, while his unjust reviews anger every restaurant owner in Springfield, making them want to kill him. Their plan is that a french chef / assassin will bake a poison éclair for Homer, who will eat it once he reaches the man's stand at an upcoming eat-off event. When the day comes Homer sees the éclair, but Lisa, having discovered what's going on, tells him it is going to kill him. Homer declares he would rather die than not eat the pastry, but then Lisa says it is low fat. Homer screams in horror and drops it into Moleman's gruel, then destroys the eat-off, and everyone chases him.