Episode 5F10
Written by Donick Carey
Directed by Mike B. Anderson
Also starring: Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Maggie Roswell
Special guest voices: Marcia Wallace (as Ms Krabappel), Hank Williams Jnr (as himself), Jay Leno (as himself), Steven Wright (as himself), Janeane Garofalo (as herself), Bruce Baum (as himself), Bobcat Goldthwait (as himself)

Premise: Realising that his comedy days may soon be over, Krusty attempts to reinvent himself as an alternative comedian on the club circuit. But just as he triumphs, he faces his greatest temptation: integrity or selling out in exchange for a new car.

Features: Carl, Lenny, Moe, Barney, barflies, Kent Brockman, Chief Wiggum, Agnes Skinner, Skinner, Ms Krabappel, Miss Hoover, Otto, Superintendent Chalmers, Todd, Rod, Mr van Houten, Dr Hibbert, Sylvia, Hans Moleman, Android's Dungeon Guy, Krusty, Sideshow Mel, Apu, Manjula, Gil, Herman.

Couch: The family run in, bums on fire, and douse themselves on the waterlogged couch.

Trivia:

• The theme for the Canyonero - sung by Hank Williams Jnr - sounds incredibly like that for the sixties TV series Rawhide.
• Krusty is based in Krustylu Studios (a swipe at the Desilu studios set up by Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz Jnr, where the original Star Trek series was filmed).
• Moe calls his comedy club Brew Ha-Ha, there's a coffee shop called Java the Hut, and a pet shop called All Creatures Great and Cheap.
• Krusty's drinking binge takes him to The Gutter Room, Blottos, and The Bloated Liver: all this despite Spencer Tracy once dubbing him 'The Most Promising Newcomer of 1959'.

Notes for Brits: They're all comedians, bar Jay Leno, who's a chat show host as well.

Look out for: The headlines on the Springfield Shopper: Dog Kills Cat, Self. And Krusty with a ponytail and black sweater is soooo cool!

Notes: A good twist on the never-ending Krusty story and, for the most part, you believe he might end up redeemed. Jay Leno turns in a nice cameo but, frankly, the show is stolen by the advert for the Canyonero. Which is, one suspects, rather the point.