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Once Upon a Time in Springfield
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<p>"Once Upon a Time in Springfield" is the tenth episode of the <a href="/facts/The_Simpsons_season_21/VgKnxCtP">twenty-first season</a> of the American animated television series <i><a href="/facts/The_Simpsons/2nvy6mx6">The Simpsons</a></i>. It originally aired on the <a href="/facts/Fox_Broadcasting_Company/yeFeCgGk">Fox network</a> in the United States on January 10, 2010. It was promoted as the 450th episode of the series, but is actually the 451st, and aired alongside <i><a href="/facts/The_Simpsons_20th_Anniversary_Special_%25E2%2580%2593_In_3-D!_On_Ice!/sjJpED9V">The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!</a></i>. The episode is dedicated to posthumous guest star <a href="/facts/Eartha_Kitt/wTfktxvB">Eartha Kitt</a>, who died December 25, 2008, over one year before the episode first aired. </p><p>In the episode, <i>The Krusty the Clown Show</i> is once again reconstructed. This time, in a bid to get girls to watch the show, a female character named Princess Penelope is hired as <a href="/facts/Krusty_the_Clown/0tAc0Czp">Krusty</a>'s latest sidekick. Meanwhile, a corporate recruiter persuades <a href="/facts/Homer_Simpson/8pdpz4yo">Homer</a>, <a href="/facts/Lenny_and_Carl/2KnFo0nq">Lenny</a>, and <a href="/facts/Lenny_and_Carl/2KnFo0nq">Carl</a> to work for a nuclear plant in Capital City, after <a href="/facts/Mr._Burns/nuJgnfnv">Mr. Burns</a> announces a moratorium on free doughnuts. The episode was written by <a href="/facts/Stephanie_Gillis/DGXMDDVR">Stephanie Gillis</a> and directed by <a href="/facts/Matthew_Nastuk/s3MBP0z1">Matthew Nastuk</a>. </p><p>The episode has received positive reviews from critics, and in 2014, showrunner <a href="/facts/Al_Jean/HxT9MQuz">Al Jean</a> selected it as one of five essential episodes in the show's history. </p><p>It received a <a href="/facts/Nielsen_rating/PJ1HH4H8">Nielsen rating</a> of 6.9/17 in the 18–49 demographic and in 2010 was nominated for two awards at the <a href="/facts/Primetime_Emmy_Award/4eAaPW0F">Primetime Emmy Awards</a>, winning one for <a href="/facts/Anne_Hathaway/bK0UgfIR">Anne Hathaway</a>'s voice-over performance. </p>