Health Feud

Garfield wakes up one morning expecting breakfast; instead, he finds Jon jogging back and forth in the kitchen. Garfield then goes to the refrigerator to get food, but he finds the refrigerator empty. He finds Jon exercising in the living room while watching a fitness program by Rick Deltoid, and Jon explains that he cleaned out the fridge according to Rick’s health advice. At the end of the program, Rick suggests that people come down to his gym for a real workout.

Jon drags Garfield to the gym, and Rick leads them on a strenuous exercise regimen. At the end, Rick announces that he’s leaving for the television studio so that he can film his show, and Jon states how determined he is to get in shape just like Rick. He then suggests that he and Garfield jog home, but he soon discovers Garfield stuck to Rick’s back window (à la the Garfield Stuck On You toy), stating that Jon shouldn’t miss the show.

After learning where Rick’s cue cards are located, Garfield mixes them up with cue cards from other shows. During the show, Rick follows the cards, which have him honking like a goose and then wearing a black dress, imitating Binky the Clown, and eating pizza. The station manager soon fires him, which Garfield thinks is unfair because he is sure that home audiences wouldn’t do everything Rick said. He then goes home and finds Jon wearing a black dress and honking like a goose. Garfield then asks the viewer if they follow TV's instructions like Jon.

[edit] Notes

The WBOR station manager makes his first appearance in this episode,but WBOR first appeared in Garfield's Halloween.
Odie does not appear in this episode.
The ingredients in the protein smoothie are: wheat germ, yogurt, asparagus, raisins, cod liver oil, organically-grown mud, “green stuff” and refried soy beans.
The cue cards from other television shows actually have “this one’s from a cooking show” and “this one’s from Binky’s Birthday Bash” on them.
The time Garfield said that he would like all 32 flavors is a parody of Baskin Robbins.

[edit] Quotes

Garfield: [The refrigerator’s] empty! And I didn’t empty it!

Jon: It's time you got in shape!
Garfield: I am in shape! Round is a shape!

Garfield: I’d like all thirty-two flavors [of ice cream] on a sugar cone piled up in alphabetical order, please.

Jon: Hey, Garfield, how about exercising along with me?
Garfield: Not for all the lasagna in Italy!