In this episode, Professor Frink devises a test to find who is worthy to accompany Mr. Burns on his doomsday ark.
With Smithers' help, he convenes a meeting of the local chapter of Mensa International to ask their advice on constructing a "Doomsday Ark", intended to save the city's most valuable individuals.
After hearing Marge's touched reaction, a barely awake Homer drinks a bottle of bourbon to help himself fall asleep.
After talking with Welles in a dream, Burns speeds up construction on the Ark and puts Homer, Lenny, and Carl to work on it.
Once the Ark is finished, Burns brings the PVQ test's top scorers on board and tells them that they will be his slaves.
Club gave this episode a B−, stating, "I’ll say one thing for ‘Frink Gets Testy’: It's unsatisfying in a different way than usual for latter-day Simpsons.
There clearly just wasn't enough time to pay off some promising and enjoyable storylines, and, indeed, the rushed conclusion perfunctorily wrapped them up, leaving me—and here's the unusual part—wishing it were longer.
... With the limited space offered by escaping to a hideaway or by retreating to a safe room, the real question being asked might be: "Who is useful to me and, therefore, worth saving?