How Not to Get Addicted to Gambling
Wendy Stokes
| "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 10 (91st overall) |
| Directed by | Wes Archer[1] |
| Written by | Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein[1] |
| Production code | 1F08 |
| Original air date | December 16, 1993 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
Gerry Cooney as himself | |
| Episode features | |
| Chalkboard gag | "I will not say 'Springfield' just to get applause"[1] |
| Couch gag | The family runs to the couch, but when they get there, they break and shatter like glass. Santa's Little Helper enters the room confused. |
| Commentary | Matt Groening David Mirkin Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein Wes Archer |
"$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)", also known as "$pringfield", is the tenth episode of The Simpsons' fifth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 16, 1993. In the episode, Springfield legalizes gambling to revitalize its economy. Mr. Burns opens a casino where Homer is hired as a blackjack dealer. Marge develops a gambling addiction, Bart opens a casino in his treehouse, and Burns' appearance and mental state deteriorate in a parody of Howard Hughes.
The episode was written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, and directed by Wes Archer. Gerry Cooney and Robert Goulet guest starred as themselves. The episode features cultural references to the films Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, The Wizard of Oz, Rain Man, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 11.7, and was the highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.