The Principal and The Pauper

Season 9, Episode 2, Aired
EDIT

Episode Summary

The big surprise at the party honoring Seymour Skinner's 20 years as principal is that the real Seymour Skinner shows up. He has just returned to the US after being held as a POW for 26 years. Our Skinner's real name is Armin Tanzarian, who used to be a real hell raiser in his youth. He met Seymour while serving under him in Vietnam. Feeling rejected, Armand resigns as principal and hits the road. The town tries to get used to the real Seymour Skinner, but can they? The real Seymour is a weenie. Edna and Agnes begin to miss their old Skinner; meanwhile, the impostor Skinner is in a nearby town, advertising a for a strip club. Marge, Edna, and Agnes get together and form a plan to bring him back. They travel to meet him and he claims to be a changed man. He has a seedy apartment and a subscription to "Swank." They convince him to return and then the town gets rid of the real Skinner and Judge Snyder orders that they never to discuss him again and everything is back to normal.moreless
7.2
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Good
193 votes
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Cast & Crew

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  • Julie Kavner

    Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier

  •

    Harry Shearer

    Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Waylon Smithers, Kent Brockman, and others

  •

    Dan Castellaneta

    Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and others

Fan Episode Reviews (23)

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  • This is the poorest Simpson's episode to date. The writers' sheer indifferent, apathetic and care-free attitude towards the fact that they ruined one of the greatest characters on the show for no good reason is mind-blowing.moreless

    3.9
    "Bad"
    By starman100, Sep 28, 2010 Report Abuse
    I can't believe that they tossed Skinner "in the trash can" as Harry Shearer stated; and for what? they had run out of ideas. So, that's no reason to totally ruin a genius aspect to this show. It just goes to show, how frivolous the writers can be.

    Another reason for me not to buy S9 on DVD.

    So disappointing.

    DO YOU AGREE?

    3 1

  • Horrible... horrible episode.

    4.0
    "Poor"
    By rowsofhouses, Sep 28, 2010 Report Abuse
    This is probably the first Simpsons episode I ever hated. It really was a bad one.

    I don't mind change, when it's good change. This just completely destroyed Skinner's backstory. It just was unnecessary and unfunny. And if this "revelation" wasn't bad enough, we also got a truly horrible ending. Really, I don't understand what could be good, or even decent about this episode. I guess some people prefer "funny" one-liners over good storytelling and clever jokes (two things the Simpsons used to have).

    Although it's been a long time since this episode first aired, I still think it sucks as much as I thought back then.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    4 1

  • The Simpsons Try To Be A Crappy Soap Opera.

    1.5
    "Abysmal"
    By orvy3, Sep 28, 2010 Report Abuse
    This episode is extremely terrible, even though people here seem to think anything with The Simpsons title credits is automatically funny. Skinner's past is changed to simply fill a horrible writer's whims. On top of that, they don't even make the situation very comical at all. Maybe the writer was trying to get a job at Passions. Changing the background with Skinner just changes the whole situation with his mother of being a sheltered person all his life. It distracts from the comedy of their circumstance. On top of that, they were too dumb to even know when the Vietnam War ended saying Skinner started fighting in the war in 1976. This show is one of the least popular in the series, and it's not necessarily because people don't like change, it's that they don't like a boring show that changes a character for no reason without any comedic value at all. If they wanted to make a change that would have been funny they could have made Lenny an escaped convict or something.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    4 2

  • Welcome to the Mike Scully Era

    0.8
    "None"
    By scorpiongold84, Sep 28, 2010 Report Abuse
    This is when The Simpsons jumped the shark. Mike Scully begins his tenure as the Simpsons showrunners by authorizing the dumbest episode in television history. This is the begining of dark days for die-hard Simpsons fans. Maybe the show should have been canceled during this point because America's favorite family took a huge nose dive during this time.

    DO YOU AGREE?

    4 8

  • Seymour Skinner or Armin Tamzarian

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By jimbo_001, Jul 22, 2010 Report Abuse
    I honestly don't understand why this episode is so unpopular. i found it hilarious, my favourite scene cracking me up:

    Homer: Okay, once more, where are we going?
    Edna: To Capitol City
    Homer: And why are you and the old lady in the car?
    Agnes: We're gonna talk Armin Tamzarian into coming back
    Homer: Well why is Marge here?
    Marge: I came up with the idea
    Homer: Then, why am I here?
    Marge: Because the streets of Capitol City are no place for three unescorted ladies
    Homer: Why are the kids here?
    Marge: Because we couldn't find Grandpa to sit for them
    Homer: Well why is Grandpa here?
    Abe: because someone had to keep jasper company
    Homer: hm, makes sense.

    with scenes like this, the episode is definitely worth the 9 i gave it.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    4 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Agnes's line I have no son was last said by Rabbi Krustofski in 8F05 Like Father Like Clown. Also said by Lunchlady Doris to Pimple Faced Kid in 3F10 Team Homer and by Abe to Homer in 7F17 Old Money. Edit
    • In this episode Judge Snyder is yellow and in another episode he is black. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • In the DVD commentaries for this episode, writer Ken Keeler was extremely bitter that his lack of writing skills and comedic insight caused him to write this episode which is widely considered the worst episode of the Simpsons so far. Edit
    • The reference in "Behind the Laughter" was most likely a response to the general consensus that this episode ranks among the worst ever. Edit
    • Blackboard Joke: None. Couch Gag: The family are dressed in spacesuits and the couch is a rocket. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Agnes: Here, son. This is yours again. Skinner: I've never been happier, or prouder to be Seymour Skinner, but, these last few days as that hot-headed rouge Armin Tanzarian has taught me a thing or two. Now, maybe I've been a little too uptight in the past. Well, from now on, you're gonna see a new Seymour Skinner! Agnes: Oh, no we won't! Skinner: Yes, Mother. Edit
    • Judge Schnider: By authority of the City of Springfield, I hereby confer upon you the name of Seymour Skinner, as well as his past, present, future, and Mother. Principal Skinner: Okay. Judge Schnider: And I further decree that everything will be just like it was before all this happened! And no one will ever mention it again... under penalty of torture. (The townspeople cheer.) Edit
    • Agnes Skinner: Seymour! I didn't bring you up to use language like that! Principal Skinner: Well, you didn't bring me up at all! Agnes Skinner: The hell I didn't! I've been taking care of you for twenty-six years! I'm the only mother you've ever known! Principal Skinner: But you have your real son! Agnes Skinner: You are my real son! You've been my son longer than he has, and he doesn't need me, and I don't need him! Now you march yourself downstairs and get in that car! Principal Skinner: Yes, Mother. Agnes Skinnner: And the rest of you, too! Others: Yes, Mrs. Skinner. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Tichborne Case The plot of the story alludes to the actual Tichborne case that occurred in the 19th century. The affair of the Tichborne claimant was the celebrated 19th-century legal case in the United Kingdom of Arthur Orton (1834–1898), an impostor who claimed to be the missing heir Sir Roger Tichborne (1829–1854). Edit
    • The bridge scene with flashing explosions is similar to a scene in the film Apocalypse Now,/i>, which starred Martin Sheen, who voiced the real Skinner in this episode. Edit
    • The title is a play on The Prince and the Pauper, in which a penniless boy switches places with the heir to the throne. Edit

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