Upon finding out his reception in Quahog is rather mixed through a survey, a self-conscious Mayor Wild West decides to go into the most disliked side to get into their lifestyle to get on their good terms, which happens to be the obese side of Quahog. So Wild adapts to their lifestyle by joining Peter's NAAFP group and becomes an overweight cowboy, which his assistant Zephyr and pet horse Ginger find issue in.
The page for this episode can be found here
and the script for the episode can be read here.
This episode contains examples of:
- Adopted to the House: After Wild disowns Ginger, Zephyr takes her home with them for the night.
- Anger Born of Worry: The mob reveals the real reason for the riots and controversy wasn't from Wild doing it, but out of worry he might harm his lifespan.
- Bittersweet Ending: Wild West is put at peace for his worries about his reception, and heals his relationship with Zephyr and Ginger if the ending implies, however he's still overweight and needs to lose the weight.
- Bookends: Downplayed. The first and second acts begin with Wild waking up and doing a morning routine.
- Break the Haughty: Wild gets this hard when he gets his ruined reputation and has his life threatened for his decisions.
- Chekhov's Gag: In the first act, Zephyr comments on how Wild West put the old audio equipment in the shed outback instead of throwing it away and still has it linked to the speakers throughout town, and the two get into an argument about Wild being lazy to take care of it. Later, it becomes useful for them to use it as a distraction for the angry mob.
- Chekhov's Skill: Throughout the first act, Wild summons his horse Ginger and alerts townsfolk of his presence by whistling, which he can't do when he becomes obese later on. It however becomes important in the third act as him and Zephyr use his whistle to drive the angry mob away.
- Comfort Food: Upon finding Wild West in the shed, Zephyr and Ginger see him eating ice cream.
- Comically Missing the Point: Lou comes to Zephyr
- A Day in the Limelight: Compared to other episodes staring him where he was paired with someone, Wild West takes the solo main role in this episode alongside his assistant Zephyr and horse Ginger.
- Deconstruction: of the Temporary Bulk Change and Fat and Proud.
- For the former, Wild gains weight rather fast, and having such a massive change in his body shows to cause problems for him. He can't ride his horse Ginger anymore as seen with her collapsing due to his weight and needs to use a mobility scooter, his eyesight deteriorates and he needs to start wearing glasses and he gets stuck in door frames and his desk.
- For the latter, Wild gains this ideal from the other NAAFP members. But the rest of Quahog doesn't see Wild West in the same way, partially his assistant and horse, and it leads to him getting into a falling out with his close partners, and landing into hot water with the citizens.
- Delayed Reaction:Peter: Lois, why's there an angry mob at this hour?
Lois: Oh, they're going to Mayor West to attack him for his new look. I'll be joining them and will be gone for the night.
Peter: Alright, good night honey.
[Lois leaves as Peter turns to sleep. Brian glances at his watch for a beat and then Peter shots up like a rocket.]]
Peter: Attack Mayor West?!
Brian: And there's the realization. - Didn't Think This Through: To appeal to the negativity from the fat community he's gotten, Wild West doubles his weight to become an overweight cowboy to please them not accounting for the risks or rather how the rest of Quahog would react to it.
- Epic Fail: When Wild West unveils his new bulky look as a permanent change, not only does it not improve his reputation as his envisioned, but actually worsened it!
- Fell Asleep Crying: After seeing his weight gain going to nothing, Wild West weeps himself to sleep when Peter leaves
- Fat and Proud: Despite all the new hardships he faces, Wild West seems rather calm and proud about his newly gained weight. Though this is Justified as he did this to win over the obese community and anything he faces he'd shrug off as new inconveniences that don't matter to him.
- Faux Horrific: Wild West's first nightmare has Wild be the most scared not from the town revolting on him, not from them tying him up, but them planning to cut his mustache off.
- Hard Truth Aesop: Sometimes, you can't please everyone. Some people will find issues in you for one reason or another and it's better to acknowledge it and move on rather than try to please everyone. As eventually, you might please nobody.
- Intentional Weight Gain: Wild West intentionally gains weight to gain more good press and reception for mayor.
- Laser-Guided Karma: For acting like a total ass to his assistant Zephyr and pet horse Ginger and firing them for looking after him, Wild not only ruins his reputation get ruined but also has to rely on those same people he fired for help.
- Jerkass Realization: After his reputation in ruined and he has an nightmare, Wild finally sees the error in his plans and tries to apologize to his ex-partners...just as the mob comes.
- Not So Above It All: Wild West, who's noticeably the more nicer and more smarter, sane and down to earth person in Quahog not only pulls a stunt that's more stupid and insane like the Quahog residents through gaining weight, but also temporarily becomes just as awful as them.
- Only Sane Man: Zephyr and Ginger take rains of Wild's sane man senses upon him going off the deep end and becoming obese.
- Real Men Wear Pink: When Wild West becomes obese and can't fit his cowboy clothes anymore, he begins to wear a purple XL shirt.
- Self-Deprecation: Some of the negative reception and the idea for the story is based on real criticism on Wild West in the original show as revealed in author notes.
- Small Role, Big Impact: The survey Wild West gives out is only seen in the first act and rarely touched upon for the rest of the episode,
- Status Quo Is God: Subverted. Wild ends the episode still obese and needing to lose the weight.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Wild West briefly becomes more jerkish and stubborn through advice from the NAAFP members, to even firing his assistant and disowning his horse just for looking after him.
- Tough Love: Zephyr and Ginger try to use this to get Wild West to quit being obese. It doesn't work out.
- True Companions: Despite being fired by him earlier that day and having a falling out, when they hear about Wild West being in trouble, Zephyr and Ginger instantly without second thoughts go to save him.Wild West: You two would [come to save me]? Even after I fired you two on whims?Zephyr: Of course. Sure, you may have acted brash and self-centered for some phony glory, but when push comes to shove, we'll always be by you.
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: Zephyr almost always calls his mayor "Mayor West". However, on the final day where Zephyr and Ginger has an intervention for Wild, this happens:Zephyr: Wild Wild West, we need to have a serious talk your future.Wild West: Uh oh, full name.
