View source for Season 21

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{{Season
|name = Season 21
|image = [[File:Season 21 iTunes logo.png|250px]]
|original run = September 27, 2009 - May 23, 2010
|episodes = 23
|previous = [[Season 20|20]]
|next = [[Season 22|22]]
}}

'''Season 21''' of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' aired from September 27, 2009 to May 23, 2010. It was the first season to air entirely in high-definition.

In 2009, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the premiere of ''The Simpsons'', [[Fox]] announced a year-long celebration of the show titled "[[Best. 20 Years. Ever]]". It run from January 14, 2009 to January 14, 2010 and it included the documentary ''[[The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!]]''.

== Reception ==
The season received mainly positive reviews from critics, with the most praised episodes being "[[The Squirt and the Whale]]", "[[To Surveil with Love]]" and "[[The Bob Next Door]]". Some episodes made the series receive many award nominations, winning two: an [[Emmy Award]] for [[Anne Hathaway]] for her voicing of [[Princess Penelope]] in "[[Once Upon a Time in Springfield]]" and an {{W|Annie Award}} for "[[Treehouse of Horror XX]]".

== Episodes ==
{{Table|
{{TH|Picture|width=250px}}
{{TH|#}}
{{TH|Original title}}
{{TH|Original airdate}}
{{TH|Directed by}}
{{TH|Written by}}
{{TH|Prod. code}}

{{TBT|[[File:Homer the Whopper promo.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|442 - 1}}
{{TB|'''"[[Homer the Whopper]]"'''}}
{{TB|September 27, 2009}}
{{TB|[[Lance Kramer]]}}
{{TB|[[Seth Rogen]]<br>[[Evan Goldberg]]}}
{{TB|LABF13}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Comic Book Guy's comic book hero, Everyman, becomes a big hit in Springfield, and he agrees to a movie version. Comic Book Guy insists that he chooses who plays the lead role, and gives the part to Homer. However, the movie company hire a personal trainer for Homer, called Lyle, so that he can get fit for the part. When Lyle leaves, Homer puts on weight again, and the movie is a disaster. The company offer Comic Book Guy the chance to direct a sequel if he pretends he liked the movie, but he criticizes it.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Seth Rogen]] as [[Lyle McCarthy]], [[Matt Groening]] as {{Ch|Matt Groening|himself}} and [[Kevin Michael Richardson]] as [[Ginormous Pictures security guard]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Bart Gets a "Z".png|250px]]}}
{{TB|443 - 2}}
{{TB|'''"[[Bart Gets a "Z"]]"'''}}
{{TB|October 4, [[2009]]}}
{{TB|[[Mark Kirkland]]}}
{{TB|[[Matt Selman]]}}
{{TB|LABF15}}
{{TCsT|color=white|When Mrs Krabappel confiscates her students' mobile phones, they hatch a plan to get their teacher drunk to get her to "loosen up". When Principal Skinner fires her, she is replaced by a cool new teacher, Zachary Vaughn, who impresses the kids with his love of texting, Facebook and Twitter. Bart has a lingering guilt about getting Edna fired, and tries to help her. With the assistance of a self-help book-slash-DVD, she opens her own muffin store - but she still longs to be a teacher.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Greatwifehopebanner.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|444 - 3}}
{{TB|'''"[[The Great Wife Hope]]"'''}}
{{TB|October 11, [[2009]]}}
{{TB|[[Matthew Faughnan]]}}
{{TB|[[Carolyn Omine]]}}
{{TB|LABF16}}
{{TCsT|color=white|The men and boys in Springfield become obsessed with Ultimate Punch Kick and Choke Championships, a violent sport where fighters inflict severe pain on each other. When Marge and her friends stage a protest against the spot, the show's promoter embraces the controversy and challenges Marge to a match, promising to shut down the competition if she wins. She begins to train with rhythmic gymnastics, but her family step in and get her professional martial arts help to give her a real chance at winning.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Chuck Liddell]] as {{Ch|Chuck Liddell|himself}}.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Treehouse of Horror XX poster.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|445 - 4}}
{{TB|'''"[[Treehouse of Horror XX]]"'''}}
{{TB|October 18, [[2009]]}}
{{TB|[[Mike B. Anderson]]<br>[[Matthew Schofield]]}}
{{TB|[[Daniel Chun]]}}
{{TB|LABF14}}
{{TCsT|color=white|In "Dial 'M' for Murder or Press Main Menu," Lisa is forced into a Hitchcockian murder scheme by Bart, in "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind," Springfield is once again overrun by zombies thanks to Krusty Burger's latest sandwich, and in the Sweeney Toike Moe Biness," Moe the bartender bleeds Homer dry to create the perfect microbrewed beer.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Charity Chicks.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|446 - 5}}
{{TB|'''"[[The Devil Wears Nada]]"'''}}
{{TB|November 15, 2009}}
{{TB|[[Nancy Kruse]]}}
{{TB|[[Tim Long]]}}
{{TB|LABF17}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Marge poses for a calendar for charity, but she is soon the talk of the town after she reveals a little too much during her photo shoot. Meanwhile, Carl receives a promotion at the plant. He then promotes Homer to be his executive assistant and drives him up the wall with requests.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Pranks and Greens promo.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|447 - 6}}
{{TB|'''"[[Pranks and Greens]]"'''}}
{{TB|November 22, 2009}}
{{TB|[[Chuck Sheetz]]}}
{{TB|[[Jeff Westbrook]]}}
{{TB|LABF18}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Groundskeeper Willie tells Bart about [[Andy Hamilton]], a former student who was an even better prankster than Bart is. Bart tracks down Andy, now 19 and still pulling pranks, and the two become quick friends.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Jonah Hill]] as [[Andy Hamilton]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Rednecks and Broomsticks.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|448 - 7}}
{{TB|'''"[[Rednecks and Broomsticks]]"'''}}
{{TB|November 29, 2009}}
{{TB|[[Bob Anderson]]<br>[[Rob Oliver]]}}
{{TB|[[Kevin Curran]]}}
{{TB|LABF19}}
{{TCsT|color=white|After stumbling upon some teenage Wiccans, Lisa accepts an invitation to join their coven. Just before Lisa is inducted Clancy Wiggum arrives and arrests the three teens on charges of witchcraft; Lisa becomes the chief witness in the trial. Meanwhile, Homer starts to hang out with his new pal Cletus after discovering the slack-jawed yokel makes moonshine and becomes the local moonshine taste-tester.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Neve Campbell]] as [[Cassandra]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Oh Brother, Where Bart Thou? promo.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|449 - 8}}
{{TB|'''"[[Oh Brother, Where Bart Thou?]]"'''}}
{{TB|December 13, 2009}}
{{TB|[[Steven Dean Moore]]}}
{{TB|[[Matt Selman]]}}
{{TB|MABF01}}
{{TCsT|color=white|When Lisa tells Bart he'll never have the special bond that she has with Maggie because he doesn't have any brothers, he tries to get Homer and Marge to make him a baby brother, but when that doesn't work, he goes to the orphanage - where a young boy follows him home.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Peyton Manning]] as {{Ch|Peyton Manning|himself}}, [[Eli Manning]] as {{Ch|Eli Manning|himself}}, [[Cooper Manning]] as {{Ch|Cooper Manning|himself}}, [[Smothers Brothers]] as {{Chs|Smothers Brothers|themselves}}, [[Kim Cattrall]] as the [[Dream Simpson sister]], [[Huell Howser]] as {{Ch|Huell Howser|himself}} and [[Jordan Nagai]] as [[Charlie]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Thursday with abie.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|450 - 9}}
{{TB|'''"[[Thursdays with Abie]]"'''}}
{{TB|January 3, [[2010]]}}
{{TB|[[Michael Polcino]]}}
{{TB|[[Mitchell H. Glazer]]<br>[[Don Payne]]}}
{{TB|MABF02}}
{{TCsT|color=white|A Springfield Shopper reporter takes an interest in Grampa's stories, making him front-page news, which makes Homer jealous. But when he discovers what the reporter has in store for the final column, Homer must race to find Grampa before it is published and his life is changed forever. Meanwhile, Lisa loses the classroom stuffed lamb she was watching for Bart - down a sewer drain.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Mitch Albom]] as {{Ch|Mitch Albom|himself}}.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Once Upon a Time in Springfield promo.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|451 - 10}}
{{TB|'''"[[Once Upon a Time in Springfield]]"'''}}
{{TB|January 10, [[2010]]}}
{{TB|[[Matthew Nastuk]]}}
{{TB|[[Stephanie Gillis]]}}
{{TB|LABF20}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Krusty is forced to add a female character named Princess Penelope to his show in order to attract more female viewers. She immediately overshadows Krusty as the ratings improve. Bart and Milhouse want to get the show back to the way it was, but the situation gets more complicated when Krusty and Penelope fall in love and decide to get married. Meanwhile, Homer, Lenny, and Carl consider working at a competing nuclear plant when Mr. Burns cuts off their daily doughnut service.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Jackie Mason]] as [[Hyman Krustofsky]], [[Anne Hathaway]] as [[Princess Penelope]], [[Eartha Kitt]] as {{Ch|Eartha Kitt|herself}}, [[Gary Larson]] as {{Ch|Gary Larson|himself}}, and [[Maurice LaMarche]] as the [[Power plant guard supervisor]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Million Dollar Maybe promo 1.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|452 - 11}}
{{TB|'''"[[Million Dollar Maybe]]"'''}}
{{TB|January 31, [[2010]]}}
{{TB|[[Chris Clements]]}}
{{TB|[[Bill Odenkirk]]}}
{{TB|MABF03}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Homer skips a date with Marge so he can buy a lottery ticket; when he wins a million dollars, he fears Marge's reaction to having blown off the date for a chance at fortune and he keeps his winnings a secret while showering the family with anonymous gifts. Meanwhile, Lisa helps to keep the senior citizens at the Springfield Retirement Castle stimulated with some video games.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Chris Martin]] as {{Ch|Chris Martin|himself}}.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Boy Meets Curl promo 1.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|453 - 12}}
{{TB|'''"[[Boy Meets Curl]]"'''}}
{{TB|February 14, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Chuck Sheetz]]}}
{{TB|[[Rob LaZebnik]]}}
{{TB|MABF05}}
{{TCsT|color=white|After discovering their love of curling, Marge and Homer try out for the Olympic team and actually make it to the 2010 Vancouver Games. Meanwhile, in Vancouver, Lisa develops an addiction to collecting Olympic pins.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Bob Costas]] as {{Ch|Bob Costas|himself}}.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:The Color Yellow promo 1.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|454 - 13}}
{{TB|'''"[[The Color Yellow]]"'''}}
{{TB|February 21, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Raymond S. Persi]]}}
{{TB|[[Billy Kimball]]<br>[[Ian Maxtone-Graham]]}}
{{TB|MABF06}}
{{TCsT|color=white|When researching her family tree for someone who isn't a total boob or criminal, Lisa finds the 1860 diary of Eliza Simpson, a young girl who was in the Underground Railroad and tried to help a slave escape to Canada, but a diary by one of Milhouse's ancestors casts doubt on just what Eliza accomplished.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Wren T. Brown]] as [[Virgil Simpson]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Postcards from the Wedge.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|455 - 14}}
{{TB|'''"[[Postcards from the Wedge]]"'''}}
{{TB|March 14, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Mark Kirkland]]}}
{{TB|[[Brian Kelley]]}}
{{TB|MABF04}}
{{TCsT|color=white|When Homer receives a letter from [[Mrs. Krabappel]] saying that Bart is way behind in his studies, he tries to take a hard line with him, but Marge thinks he has too much work, so Bart finds a way to turn their difference of opinion into a full-blown fight, only for it to end up with the two of them deciding that they need to worry about themselves more than Bart - at least until Bart discovers that running trains on the old Springfield Subway is causing the school's structure to crumble.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Stealing First Base promo 1.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|456 - 15}}
{{TB|'''"[[Stealing First Base]]"'''}}
{{TB|March 21, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Steven Dean Moore]]}}
{{TB|[[John Frink]]}}
{{TB|MABF07}}
{{TCsT|color=white|When Springfield Elementary's two fourth grade classes have to share desks rather than pay for a substitute teacher, Bart falls for his new deskmate, but after he kisses her, she starts sending him mixed signals. Meanwhile, Lisa's classmates ostracize her for being an overachiever, and First Lady Michelle Obama, a self-professed nerd, comes to Lisa's defense.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Sarah Silverman]] as [[Nikki McKenna]] and [[Angela Bassett]] as [[Michelle Obama]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed promo.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|457 - 16}}
{{TB|'''"[[The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed]]"'''}}
{{TB|March 28, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Michael Polcino]]}}
{{TB|[[Kevin Curran]]}}
{{TB|MABF10}}
{{TCsT|color=white|When Homer is playing noisily in the yard, it disrupts Flanders' bible-study group. Coaxed by the reverend, a frustrated Flanders takes it upon himself to redeem Homer by inviting the Simpson family on his church retreat to Jerusalem in an attempt to save his soul, but unappreciative of the history and culture, the latter would rather hang out at the hotel's breakfast buffet rather than tour the city. And when an eccentric tour guide takes the group to famous monuments, including the Dome of the Rock and the Wailing Wall, Homer finally proves he is not beyond salvation.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Sacha Baron Cohen]] as [[Jakob]] and [[Yael Naim]] as [[Dorit]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:American History X-cellent.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|458 - 17}}
{{TB|'''"[[American History X-cellent]]"'''}}
{{TB|April 11, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Bob Anderson]]}}
{{TB|[[Michael Price]]}}
{{TB|MABF08}}
{{TCsT|color=white|When the police are called to diffuse a rowdy crowd at Mr. Burns' estate, one of the officers recognizes priceless stolen paintings on the walls, and the maniacal billionaire is taken downtown for questioning. With Mr. Burns gone, Smithers takes charge of the power plant. But when employees take advantage of his good nature, he exacts revenge by forcing the employees to work night and day. These unfair working conditions prompt Homer and his crew to devise a plan to bust out Mr. Burns. Meanwhile, Bart and Lisa bond over one ant that survives an accident involving Lisa's ant farm.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Kevin Michael Richardson]] as [[Michael Clarke Duncan-type|Burns' Cellmate]] and [[Joe Mantegna]] as [[Fat Tony]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Chief of Hearts.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|459 - 18}}
{{TB|'''"[[Chief of Hearts]]"'''}}
{{TB|April 18, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Chris Clements]]}}
{{TB|[[Carolyn Omine]]<br>[[William Wright]]}}
{{TB|MABF09}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Homer and Chief Wiggum become close friends during Homer's community service stint, but when Homer leaves Wiggum's side during his recuperation to go to Moe's, the Chief takes offense. Meanwhile, Bart becomes addicted to Battle Ball, a Japanese game made up of plastic balls and magnetic cards, and his family and teachers try to help him kick the habit.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Jane Kaczmarek]] as [[Judge Constance Harm]], [[Maurice LaMarche]] as [[cop 1]] and [[Joe Mantegna]] as [[Fat Tony]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:TheSquirtAndTheWhale.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|460 - 19}}
{{TB|'''"[[The Squirt and the Whale]]"'''}}
{{TB|April 25, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Mark Kirkland]]}}
{{TB|[[Matt Warburton]]}}
{{TB|MABF14}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Fed up with high electric bills, Homer puts up a windmill generator in the backyard. When he sees that the excess energy goes back to the power company, he takes the house off the power grid, making it entirely dependent on the windmill. Then a violent windstorm hits Springfield, and among the victims are the windmill and a whale which ends up beached, prompting Lisa, Homer, and many other townspeople to attempt to save it.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:To Surveil With Love screenshot.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|461 - 20}}
{{TB|'''"[[To Surveil with Love]]"'''}}
{{TB|May 2, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Lance Kramer]]}}
{{TB|[[Michael Nobori]]}}
{{TB|MABF12}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Thanks to Homer leaving a gym bag with radioactive waste (planted there by Smithers) unattended in a train station, Springfield has surveillance cameras installed throughout the town, but when citizen video monitor scanner Ned abuses his ability to speak through the cameras' speakers, Homer uses the camera blind spot Bart discovers to the town's advantage. Meanwhile, Lisa becomes fed up with being blonde, so she dyes her hair a dark color.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Eddie Izzard]] as [[Queen Elizabeth II]], [[Nigel Bakerbutcher]] and [[Prince Charles]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Moeletterblues.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|462 - 21}}
{{TB|'''"[[Moe Letter Blues]]"'''}}
{{TB|May 9, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Matthew Nastuk]]}}
{{TB|[[Stephanie Gillis]]}}
{{TB|MABF13}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Homer, Apu, and Reverend Lovejoy take a day trip with their kids on Mother's Day so their wives can have a day to themselves, but the three of them receive a message from Moe saying that he's leaving Springfield...with one of their wives. While the trio tries to determine whose wife Moe is referring to, Homer, Lovejoy and Apu flashback to the intimate moments they initially ignored between Moe and Marge, Manjula and Helen Lovejoy. But when the boys return from their trip, they're in for the surprise of their lives.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Don Pardo]] as {{Ch|Don Pardo|himself}}.|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:The Bob Next Door promo.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|463 - 22}}
{{TB|'''"[[The Bob Next Door]]"'''}}
{{TB|May 16, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Nancy Kruse]]}}
{{TB|[[John Frink]]}}
{{TB|MABF11}}
{{TCsT|color=white|Bart becomes convinced that his new neighbor, Walt, is his archenemy, Sideshow Bob, disguised and back for revenge. But when Marge tries to convince Bart otherwise by taking him to the state penitentiary, a disturbing truth is revealed, leading to danger for the spiky-haired boy.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Kelsey Grammer]] as [[Sideshow Bob]].|7}}

{{TBT|[[File:Judge Me Tender promo 3.png|250px]]}}
{{TB|464 - 23}}
{{TB|'''"[[Judge Me Tender]]"'''}}
{{TB|May 23, 2010}}
{{TB|[[Steven Dean Moore]]}}
{{TB|[[Dan Greaney]]<br>[[Allen Glazier]]}}
{{TB|MABF15}}
{{TCsT|color=white|American Idol host Ryan Seacrest and judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, and Ellen DeGeneres welcome a new judge to the show - Moe, who displays an exceptional talent in judging things. While Moe is away, Homer has more time to spend at home with Marge, and ends up driving her crazy when he begins hanging around the house.

'''Guest starring:''' [[Ryan Seacrest]] as {{Ch|Ryan Seacrest|himself}}, [[Randy Jackson]] as {{Ch|Randy Jackson|himself}}, [[Ellen DeGeneres]] as {{Ch|Ellen DeGeneres|herself}}, [[Kara DioGuardi]] as {{Ch|Kara DioGuardi|herself}}, [[Simon Cowell]] as {{Ch|Simon Cowell|himself}} and [[Rupert Murdoch]] as {{Ch|Rupert Murdoch|himself}}.|7}}
}}

== Season 21 episodes script covers ==
{{Scroll|
<gallery>
File:LABF14 Script.jpg
File:LABF19 Script.jpg
File:MABF03 Script.jpg
File:MABF05 Script.jpg
</gallery>
}}

{{Season 21}}
{{Seasons}}

[[Category:Season 21| ]]
[[Category:Seasons|21]]
[[Category:2009]]
[[Category:2010]]