# The Frying Game

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21st episode of the 13th season of The Simpsons

"The Frying Game" The Simpsons episode Episode no. Season 13 Episode 21 Directed by Mike Frank Polcino Written by John Swartzwelder Production code DABF16 Original air date May 19, 2002 (2002-05-19) Guest appearances Carmen Electra as herself Frances Sternhagen as Mrs. Bellamy Episode features Couch gag The Simpsons are dressed as silent movie characters. Commentary Matt Groening Al Jean Matt Selman John Frink Don Payne Tom Gammill Max Pross Mike Frank Polcino Deb Lacusta Episode chronology ← Previous "Little Girl in the Big Ten" Next → "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge" The Simpsons season 13 List of episodes

"**The Frying Game**" is the twenty-first and penultimate episode of the [thirteenth season](/source/The_Simpsons_season_13) of the American animated television series *[The Simpsons](/source/The_Simpsons)*. It first aired on the [Fox network](/source/Fox_Broadcasting_Company) in the United States on May 19, 2002. In the episode, after accidentally injuring an endangered caterpillar, [Homer](/source/Homer_Simpson) is sentenced to two weeks of [community service](/source/Community_service). As part of his sentence, Homer delivers [Meals on Wheels](/source/Meals_on_Wheels) to an old woman called Mrs. Bellamy, who subtly [guilt trips](/source/Guilt_trip) him, and later Marge, into becoming her personal servants. One day, the two find Mrs. Bellamy dead in her house, having been stabbed by a man with [braces](/source/Dental_braces) who quickly escapes the murder scene. Being the only ones present when the police arrive, Homer and Marge are soon suspected for the murder. The episode also features a "Snuh cascade", an homage to a group of *Simpsons* fans on Usenet.

"The Frying Game" was written by [John Swartzwelder](/source/John_Swartzwelder) and directed by Mike Frank Polcino. The screamapillar was conceived by the episode's writer, who pitched it to the other staff writers. It has since been described as a satire on the [Endangered Species Act](/source/Endangered_Species_Act), a [United States environmental law](/source/Environmental_policy_of_the_United_States) passed during the 1970s. The idea that Homer's execution was in fact part of a reality game show was conceived by former staff writer [George Meyer](/source/George_Meyer). The episode features [Frances Sternhagen](/source/Frances_Sternhagen) as Mrs. Bellamy and [Carmen Electra](/source/Carmen_Electra) as herself. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 6.5 million viewers, finishing in 46th place in the ratings the week it aired.

Following its home video release, the episode received mixed reviews from critics.

## Plot

[Homer](/source/Homer_Simpson) gives [Marge](/source/Marge_Simpson) a [koi pond](/source/Koi_pond) for their anniversary, but an endangered "Screamapillar" takes refuge in the pond. Bound by law to care for it, Homer accidentally injures the loud, annoying larva while reading a bedtime story. For trying to bury the larva to cover up the injury, Homer is sentenced to two weeks of [community service](/source/Community_service) for "attempted insecticide and aggravated buggery".

Homer begins delivering [Meals on Wheels](/source/Meals_on_Wheels) to an elderly woman, Mrs. Bellamy, who takes a liking to him. She subtly [guilt trips](/source/Guilt_trip) Homer, and later Marge, into becoming her personal servants. When Bellamy turns up dead, having been stabbed with a pair of scissors, Homer and Marge are the prime suspects in the murder, even though they witnessed a man with [braces](/source/Dental_braces) leaving the murder scene with Bellamy's necklace. The people of Springfield are very suspicious of Homer and Marge, and [Chief Wiggum](/source/Chief_Wiggum) does not believe their story. Finally, during an inspection of the house, [Maggie](/source/Maggie_Simpson) is found with Bellamy's necklace, and Wiggum arrests Homer and Marge. [Bart](/source/Bart_Simpson), [Lisa](/source/Lisa_Simpson) and Maggie are adopted by [Cletus Spuckler](/source/Cletus_Spuckler), who decides to change their names to "Dingus Squatford Jr." and "Pamela E. Lee".

Despite not undergoing [lie detector](/source/Lie_detector) or DNA tests, both are [sentenced to death](/source/Death_sentence) by [electric chair](/source/Electric_chair). In a bid to spare Marge, Homer confesses to the [warden](/source/Prison_warden) that he acted alone, and Marge is released. As Homer is sitting in the electric chair, it is suddenly revealed that he is on a new [Fox](/source/Fox_Network) [reality TV](/source/Reality_TV) show, *Frame Up*. Bellamy's murder was merely part of an elaborate [hidden camera](/source/Hidden_camera) scheme, the man with the braces is the show's host, and Bellamy is guest host [Carmen Electra](/source/Carmen_Electra) in disguise. Chief Wiggum is annoyed that the police department's time and taxpayers' money was wasted on what turned out to not even be a real case, but is excited to learn he will be in the show and has them give [Lou](/source/List_of_recurring_The_Simpsons_characters#Lou) and [Eddie](/source/List_of_recurring_The_Simpsons_characters#Eddie) producer credits. Homer and Marge are reunited with the kids, but Homer is infuriated that he had to suffer just so the show could get higher ratings; as Electra tries to explain, he ends up staring at her breasts.

## Production

[John Swartzwelder](/source/John_Swartzwelder), (above) who wrote the episode, also conceived the screamapillar

"The Frying Game" was written by [John Swartzwelder](/source/John_Swartzwelder) and directed by Mike Frank Polcino. It was first broadcast on the [Fox network](/source/Fox_Broadcasting_Company) in the [United States](/source/United_States) on May 19, 2002. The screamapillar, the larva that the Simpsons find in their garden, was, according to current [showrunner](/source/Showrunner) [Al Jean](/source/Al_Jean), Swartzwelder's "total conception."[1] He [pitched](/source/Pitch_(filmmaking)) the idea to *[The Simpsons](/source/The_Simpsons)* writing staff, and because they found it "hilarious," they decided to include it in the episode. Jean said that when people ask what sense of humor Swartzwelder has, the screamapillar is "one of the best examples".[1] It was voiced by main cast member [Dan Castellaneta](/source/Dan_Castellaneta), who portrays Homer among other characters in the series. Because the screamapillar only communicates by screaming, its lines were recorded last during recording sessions, as the screaming would "burn out" Castellaneta's voice.[2]

In a scene in the episode, [Homer](/source/Homer_Simpson) is on death row and eats his last meal. The meal consists solely of junk food like hamburgers and fried chicken. The scene came from an article that the writers had read, in which it said that death sentenced prisoners often requested junk food as their last meal. On the way to the electric chair, Homer meets a man resembling [Michael Clarke Duncan](/source/Michael_Clarke_Duncan)'s character John Coffey in *[The Green Mile](/source/The_Green_Mile_(film))*. While recording lines for the episode, the staff were told that Duncan was visiting the Fox studios. Having not recorded the lines for the character yet, the staff asked Duncan if he wanted to voice the character, but he declined. The music that plays during the scene is also from *The Green Mile*. The idea that Homer's execution was in fact a reality show on Fox was conceived by former staff writer [George Meyer](/source/George_Meyer).[1] According to fellow writer [Matt Selman](/source/Matt_Selman), the writing staff liked the idea since reality shows were "really big" at the time.[3] The episode features American actress [Frances Sternhagen](/source/Frances_Sternhagen) as Mrs Bellamy, and [glamour model](/source/Glamour_model) [Carmen Electra](/source/Carmen_Electra) as herself. According to Jean, Electra's character is "one of the most voluptuous figures" they have ever had on *The Simpsons*.[1]

## Themes

In the [DVD commentaries](/source/Audio_commentary), creator [Matt Groening](/source/Matt_Groening) and the majority of people who work on the show state several times that they are very liberal, but some, such as [John Swartzwelder](/source/John_Swartzwelder) (the writer of this and many other *The Simpsons* episodes), are conservative.[4] In his book *The Really Inconvenient Truths: Seven Environmental Catastrophes Liberals Don't Want You to Know About- Because They Helped Cause Them*, Iain Murray described "The Frying Game" as "subversively conservative", and wrote that it shows "The best popular explanation of the liberal environmentalist model for endangered species."[5] In the episode, Homer buys a koi pond for Marge, only to find a screamapillar has taken residence in their garden. When Homer tries to squash it, an EPA official tells him that allowing an endangered species to die is a federal offense, under the "Reversal of Freedoms Act of 1994."[5] Homer is forced to coddle the screamapillar, and when he accidentally squashes it, Homer is found guilty of "attempted insecticide and aggravated buggery." The "Reversal of Freedoms Act" is a reference to the [Endangered Species Act](/source/Endangered_Species_Act), an environmental law that Murray opined had "indeed become the Reversal of Freedoms Act."[5] He continued, "Landowners who happened to have threatened or endangered species on their lands or who simply have habitat that might be used by endangered species are routinely prevented from using their lands or property. They are stopped from undertaking such activities as harvesting their trees, grazing their cattle, irrigating their fields, clearing brush along fence lines, disking firebreaks around their homes and barns, or building new homes.[5]

## Release

In its original American broadcast on May 19, 2002, "The Frying Game" received a 6.2 rating, according to [Nielsen Media Research](/source/Nielsen_Media_Research), translating to approximately 6.5 million viewers. The episode finished in 46th place in the ratings for the week of May 13–19, 2002.[6] On August 24, 2010, "The Frying Game" was released as part of *The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season* [DVD](/source/DVD) and [Blu-ray](/source/Blu-ray) set. Matt Groening, Al Jean, Matt Selman, John Frink, Don Payne, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Mike Frank Polcino and Deb Lacusta participated in the audio commentary of the episode.[1]

Following its home video release, "The Frying Game" received mixed reviews from critics.

Giving the episode a positive review, Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide described the episode as "pretty good", writing "I like the obnoxious Screamapillar, and the way the Simpsons become seen as murderers also amuses. This allows S13 to move toward a satisfying conclusion."[7]

Nate Boss of Project-Blu praised the episode's ending in particular, writing "the ending to this episode is fucking briliant [*[sic](/source/Sic)*], as it is a wonderful statement about society today, that has almost become prophetic. Can't and won't spoil it, but damn, great idea! (Yes, since there have been about eight more seasons, it's obvious they don't die. That's hardly a spoiler!)"[8]

DVD Verdict's Jennifer Malkowski gave the episode a B+, declaring the episode's "highlight" "one of the reasons the Screamapillar is endangered, that it's 'sexually attracted to fire.'"[9]

On the other hand, giving the episode a negative review, Andre Dellamorte of Collider described it as "terrible."[10]

[DVD Talk](/source/DVD_Talk)'s Ryan Keefer wrote a negative review as well, calling it "definitely forgettable" and criticizing it for "fall[ing] apart quickly."[11] Ron Martin of 411Mania criticized the Screamapillar character, describing it as "just as annoying as Homer's [constant screaming earlier in the season](/source/The_Blunder_Years)."[12]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Jean_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Jean_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Jean_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Jean_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Jean_1-4) Jean, Al. (2010). Commentary for "The Frying Game", in *The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season* [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Lacusta_2-0)** Lacusta, Deb. (2010). Commentary for "The Frying Game", in *The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season* [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Selman_3-0)** Selman, Matt. (2010). Commentary for "The Frying Game", in *The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season* [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETurner2004223_4-0)** [Turner 2004](#CITEREFTurner2004), p. 223.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-inconvenienttruths_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-inconvenienttruths_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-inconvenienttruths_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-inconvenienttruths_5-3) [Murray 2008](#CITEREFMurray2008), pp. 238–239

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "FRIENDS LEADS NBC TO VICTORY IN 2001-02 SEASON". *[Sun-Sentinel](/source/Sun-Sentinel)*. [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press). May 23, 2002. p. 4E.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-DVDmg_7-0)** Jacobson, Colin (September 2, 2010). ["The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season \[Blu-Ray\] (2001)"](http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonthirteen.shtml). DVD Movie Guide. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200404202638/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonthirteen.shtml) from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Project-blu_8-0)** Boss, Nate (September 8, 2010). ["The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110622070047/http://project-blu.com/reviews/simpsons13.html). Project-Blu. Archived from [the original](http://project-blu.com/reviews/simpsons13.html) on June 22, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-DVDverdict_9-0)** Malkowski, Jennifer (September 6, 2010). ["The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season (Blu-Ray)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111209001817/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsons13bluray.php). [DVD Verdict](/source/DVD_Verdict). Archived from [the original](http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsons13bluray.php) on December 9, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-collider_10-0)** Dellamorte, Andre (September 17, 2010). ["THE SIMPSONS: Thirteenth Season Blu-ray Review"](https://collider.com/the-simpsons-thirteenth-season-blu-ray-review/). *[Collider](/source/Collider_(website))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110708175654/http://collider.com/the-simpsons-thirteenth-season-blu-ray-review/49587/) from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-dvdtalk_11-0)** Keefer, Ryan (August 31, 2010). ["The Simpsons: The 13th Season (Blu-ray)"](http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/43599/simpsons-the-complete-thirteenth-season-the/). [DVD Talk](/source/DVD_Talk). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110608054447/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/43599/simpsons-the-complete-thirteenth-season-the/) from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-411mania_12-0)** Martin, Ron (September 15, 2010). ["The Simpsons Season 13 DVD Review"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101015004733/http://www.411mania.com/movies/dvd_reviews/153026). 411Mania. Archived from [the original](http://www.411mania.com/movies/dvd_reviews/153026) on October 15, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2020.

**Bibliography**

- Murray, Iain (2008). [*The Really Inconvenient Truths: Seven Environmental Catastrophes Liberals Don't Want You to Know About- Because They Helped Cause Them*](https://archive.org/details/reallyinconvenie00murr_0). [Regnery Publishing](/source/Regnery_Publishing). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-59698-054-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-59698-054-9).

- [Turner, Chris](/source/Chris_Turner_(author)) (2004). *[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation](/source/Planet_Simpson)*. Foreword by [Douglas Coupland](/source/Douglas_Coupland). (1st ed.). Toronto: [Random House Canada](/source/Random_House_Canada). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-679-31318-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-679-31318-2). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [55682258](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/55682258).

## External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[“The Frying Game”](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Simpsons/Season_13#The_Frying_Game)***.

- [The Simpsons portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:The_Simpsons)

- ["The Frying Game"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090708061542/http://thesimpsons.com/recaps/season13/#episode21) at The Simpsons.com

- ["The Frying Game"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701238/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- ["The Frying Game episode capsule"](http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/DABF16.html). *[The Simpsons Archive](/source/The_Simpsons_Archive)*.

v t e The Simpsons episodes Seasons 1–20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Season 21–present 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Season 13 "Treehouse of Horror XII" "The Parent Rap" "Homer the Moe" "A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love" "The Blunder Years" "She of Little Faith" "Brawl in the Family" "Sweets and Sour Marge" "Jaws Wired Shut" "Half-Decent Proposal" "The Bart Wants What It Wants" "The Lastest Gun in the West" "The Old Man and the Key" "Tales from the Public Domain" "Blame It on Lisa" "Weekend at Burnsie's" "Gump Roast" "I Am Furious (Yellow)" "The Sweetest Apu" "Little Girl in the Big Ten" "The Frying Game" "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge" See also Treehouse of Horror list The Simpsons episode guides "The Simpsons Guy" Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Frying Game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frying_Game) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frying_Game?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.