Homer hits the "snooze" button on his alarm clock one morning, shutting off the buzzer. Unfortunately, he doesn’t awaken until 11am the following day. He rushes to work, at first confident that no one noticed his tardiness. But Mr. Burns confronts Homer and, as punishment, forces him to consume toxic waste.

Hoping to cheer his colleague, Carl invites Homer to go bowling. As the evening wears on, Homer bowls strike after strike. Word of Homer’s performance on the lane is broadcast on television. Soon after, a large crowd gathers at the alley. Homer continues bowling strikes, and comes to within ten pins of a perfect game. Homer tosses the final ball, smashing the pins to smithereens. Spectators cheer and dozens of balloons marked with the number "300" drop from the ceiling..

Homer’s feat gains him instant status as a celebrity: Evergreen Terrace is renamed "Homer Simpson" Boulevard; he appears as a special guest in Mrs. Krabappel’s class; he lands the coveted "center square" on the Springfield Squares game show (where he appears with other celebrities such as Sideshow Mel and Ron Howard); and he does a "walk-on" during a live Penn and Teller performance.

Short time later, an entertainment reporter concludes that Homer has worn out his welcome. Frustrated Homer decides to end his life. He makes his way onto the observation deck of the Springfield Trade Center and steps onto the ledge....where he joins a line of other depressed-looking people. But before Homer makes good on his decision, one of the depressed-looking people shoves him off the ledge.

As Homer plummets towards the ground and certain death, Otto appears beside him, a bungee cord tied around his ankles. Homer grabs hold of Otto and the pair eventually land safely. Now happy to be alive, Homer purchases a ticket to an IMAX film. The movie chronicles the hardships of life in the Antarctic. Homer comes away from the film with a new purpose in life: to be a better father to a penguin.

Marge makes a better suggestion: she encourages him to spend more time with his own family. But when his attempts to bond with Bart and Lisa fail, Homer lavishes attention on Maggie. Unfortunately, Maggie views her father as a lumbering monster. Homer attempts to win the baby over by bringing her to a father-child swimming class. But Maggie recoils in fear when her father calls to her.

On the drive home, Homer decides on another approach. He stops the car near the seashore, certain his daughter will feel more relaxed about swimming now that they are not surrounded by other people. Unfortunately, a rip tide carries Homer out to sea.

As Homer’s body upends and sinks, a la the Titanic, Maggie enters the water. Imbued with amazing strength, Maggie swims to her father and drags him back to shore. Later, Dr. Hibbert explains that a child can summon superhuman strength when a parent is in jeopardy. Homer celebrates by bringing Maggie to the bowling alley.