Grade School Confidential

Last updated

"Grade School Confidential"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 8
Episode 19
Directed by Susie Dietter
Written by Rachel Pulido
Production code4F09
Original air dateApril 6, 1997 (1997-04-06)
Episode features
Couch gag The Simpsons are clear blue bubbles that float to the couch and pop one by one. [1]
Commentary Matt Groening
Bill Oakley
Josh Weinstein
Rachel Pulido
Susie Dietter
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment"
Next 
"The Canine Mutiny"
The Simpsons season 8
List of episodes

"Grade School Confidential" is the nineteenth episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons . It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 6, 1997. [2] It was written by Rachel Pulido and directed by Susie Dietter. [2] The episode establishes the long-term relationship between Seymour Skinner and Edna Krabappel. [1] Bart witnesses a romantic moment between Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel and acts as a gofer for them. However, they later embarrass him and he exposes their romance to the public.

Contents

Plot

Martin Prince invites his classmates to his birthday party, but it ends badly after most of the partygoers get food poisoning and end up leaving by ambulance due to diseased oysters being served instead of cake. After the party, Bart, who fed his oysters to the Prince family cat, sees Principal Seymour Skinner and Edna Krabappel kissing in Martin's pink playhouse. After failing to provide Bart with a convincing cover story, Edna and Skinner, fearing that they will be fired if anyone discovers their romance, swear him to secrecy in exchange for putting Milhouse's name on his permanent record.

Edna and Skinner use Bart as their gofer. When Edna and Skinner accidentally run into Superintendent Chalmers whilst on a date at the cinema, Skinner fetches Bart, who had been sleeping, so that Edna and Skinner could claim that they were supervising a field trip. Bart is humiliated in front of his classmates after Skinner forces him to say "I love you, Edna Krabappel" aloud as if the message were his own, with Martin making further jibes. Fed up, Bart gathers the entire school in front of a janitor's closet and opens the door to reveal that Skinner and Edna are making out.

Word quickly spreads throughout Springfield, with the story the students tell growing more illicit and exaggerated. After hearing his son Ralph's risqué version involving the two "making babies", Chief Wiggum reports it to Chalmers, who gives Skinner an ultimatum: either he ends his relationship with Edna or they both will be fired. Skinner decides that love trumps his professional goals, so Chalmers fires them and demands they leave the building by day's end.

Feeling guilty for costing Edna and Skinner their jobs, Bart encourages them to stand up for themselves. With Bart's help, Skinner and Edna barricade themselves inside the school, contact the media and make their demands: they want their jobs back and the townspeople to stop interfering with their relationship. When several parents protest that their children saw them having sex in the janitor's closet, Skinner insists that is untrue because he is a 44-year-old virgin. The mob is left speechless at the revelation. Chalmers brusquely concedes that it must be true, because nobody in their right mind would lie about something so embarrassing. Realizing that they have overreacted, the residents leave peacefully.

Chalmers agrees to reinstate Skinner and Edna, but asks them to "keep the lewdness at a minimum" during school hours. They thank Bart for helping them, but tell him they are breaking up, fearing the entire town judging their relationship publicly. When a disappointed Bart leaves, they observe grade-school children will believe anything they are told before entering the janitor's closet for another sexual tryst (also indicating Skinner was exactly the sort of person to lie about being a virgin).

Production

The idea of Skinner and Krabappel becoming a couple had been around since the days when Mike Reiss and Al Jean were show runners. [3] The episode's writer Rachel Pulido took some of the inspiration for this episode from "Bart the Lover", specifically Mrs. Krabappel's line to Bart about refusing to date Principal Skinner because, "his mommy won't let him out to play". [4] The Mathmagician is based on Bill Gates. [5] The cakes in Agnes Skinner's cake book were designed to accurately resemble the real life versions of them. [6] Homer using his megaphone to talk to Marge and Lisa, who were standing next to him, was ad-libbed by Dan Castellaneta. [5] A deleted scene featured an awkward moment at Martin's party, between Bart, Milhouse and Martin, when the latter introduces the two to his parents. [5] This episode marks the only episode in Season 8 that Marge has a minor role in, and one of the four times Lisa has a minor role in a Season 8 episode, the others being "Bart After Dark", "Homer's Enemy", and "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase", although she has major or supporting roles in the season's other episodes.

Cultural references

Mrs. Krabappel has a candle that resembles Charlie Brown, a character from Peanuts . [2] At the Aztec theater, a movie with actor Tom Berenger was played. It is implied by Superintendent Chalmers' comment "You think they actually filmed this in Atlanta?" and from the commentary that the movie is The Big Chill . [3] In trying to force Edna and Seymour out of the school, the Springfield police attempts to flood the area with music. This is similar to a tactic that the US troops used during Operation Just Cause in an attempt to force Manuel Noriega out of the Vatican embassy in Panama City. [5] However, in this case, romance-themed music was played, which was "Embraceable You" by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. [3] Edna and Seymour's dance poses were taken from Orlando Baeza, who was the assistant director for this episode. [6]

Reception

In its original broadcast, "Grade School Confidential" finished 57th in ratings for the week of March 31 - April 6, 1997, with a Nielsen rating of 7.7, equivalent to approximately 7.5 million viewing households. It was the fifth highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following The X-Files , Party of Five , Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place . [7]

The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called it "A delightful episode that finally brings to fruition one of the series' longest running gags: Edna and Seymour's mutual attraction. What is doubly refreshing is that it remains a constant in the subsequent episodes." [1] The scene in which Agnes Skinner shows Bart her cake book is one of Matt Groening's all-time favorite scenes. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart Simpson</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons

Bartholomew Jojo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional character from the American animated television series The Simpsons who is part of the Simpson family. Bart made his television debut in the short "Good Night" on The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening created and designed Bart while waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks's office. Initially called to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic strip Life in Hell, Groening instead developed a new set of characters. Unlike the other Simpson family members, who were named after Groening's relatives, Bart's name is an anagram of brat. After two years on The Tracey Ullman Show, the Simpson family received their own series, which premiered on Fox on December 17, 1989. Bart has appeared in every episode of The Simpsons except "Four Great Women and a Manicure".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edna Krabappel</span> Character from The Simpsons

Edna Krabappel-Flanders is a fictional character from the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, voiced by Marcia Wallace. A 4th-grade teacher, she teaches Bart Simpson's class at Springfield Elementary School. In the twenty-third season, she marries Ned Flanders.

"Bart the Genius" is the second episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 14, 1990. It was the first episode written by Jon Vitti. It is the show's first normal episode as well as the first to use the signature title sequence, though this version is much different from the one subsequently used, from the second season to the twentieth season. In the episode, Bart cheats on an intelligence test and is declared a genius, so he is sent to a school for gifted children. Though he initially enjoys being treated as a genius, he begins to see the downside of his new life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ned Flanders</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Nedward "Ned" Flanders Jr., commonly referred to by his surname, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer and first appearing in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." He is the good-natured, cheery next-door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally loathed by Homer Simpson, though there are numerous instances where the two are portrayed as good friends. A scrupulous and devout Evangelical Christian, he is among the friendliest and most compassionate of Springfield's residents and is generally considered a pillar of the Springfield community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa on Ice</span> 8th episode of the 6th season of The Simpsons

"Lisa on Ice" is the eighth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was the first broadcast on Fox in the United States on November 13, 1994. In the episode, Lisa discovers that she possesses a skill for ice hockey. A rivalry between her and Bart ensues, as the siblings play for opposing teams.

"Bart the Lover" is the fifteenth episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on February 13, 1992. In the episode, Bart, playing a prank on his teacher Edna Krabappel, responds to her personal ad as a man named Woodrow, which goes off the rails. In the subplot, Ned Flanders asks Homer to curtail his swearing, so Homer starts using a swear jar.

Special Edna is the seventh episode of the fourteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 5, 2003. In the episode, Edna Krabappel begins to lose faith in her relationship with Principal Skinner and becomes depressed. Bart, wanting to raise her spirits, decides to nominate her for the Teacher of the Year Award. Edna and the Simpsons are flown to Orlando, Florida, for the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa's Date with Density</span> 7th episode of the 8th season of The Simpsons

"Lisa's Date with Density" is the seventh episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 15, 1996. It was written by Mike Scully and directed by Susie Dietter. The episode sees Lisa develop a crush on Nelson Muntz. When they start dating and Lisa is unable to reform him, she ends their relationship. In the subplot, Homer uses an autodialer in a telemarketing scheme that annoys all of Springfield's residents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Principal Skinner</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Principal Seymour Skinner is a recurring fictional character in the animated sitcom The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the principal of Springfield Elementary School, which he struggles to control, and is constantly engaged in a battle against its inadequate resources, apathetic and bitter teachers, and often rowdy and unenthusiastic students, Bart Simpson being a standout example.

"Little Girl in the Big Ten" is the twentieth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 12, 2002. In the episode, Lisa befriends two college students at a gym and attends college with them. Meanwhile, after being bitten by a mosquito from a Chinese-made toy, Bart is infected with the "panda virus" and is placed in a plastic bubble to prevent others from infection.

"The PTA Disbands" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series, The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 16, 1995. In the episode, Bart Simpson manipulates Edna Krabappel into organizing a strike of Springfield Elementary's teachers union to protest Principal Skinner's miserly school spending, Bart avoiding classes for himself.

"Bart After Dark" is the fifth episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 24, 1996. After accidentally breaking a stone gargoyle at a local house, Bart is forced to work there as punishment. He assumes it will be boring work, but is surprised when he learns that it is actually a burlesque house. Marge is horrified when she learns of the burlesque house, and resolves to have it shut down. The episode was directed by Dominic Polcino and written by Richard Appel.

"Duffless" is the sixteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 18, 1993. Homer gets arrested for drunk driving, and Marge asks him to stop drinking beer for a month. Meanwhile, after Bart ruins Lisa's science fair project, she attempts to get revenge by proving that he is "dumber than a hamster".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song</span> 19th episode of the 5th season of The Simpsons

"Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song" is the nineteenth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 100th episode overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 28, 1994. In the episode, Superintendent Chalmers fires Principal Skinner after a disaster at the school. Bart, feeling partially responsible for Skinner's firing, tries to help his old principal get his job back.

<i>The Simpsons</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons premiered on the Fox network on December 17, 1989, with the Christmas special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", with the rest of the season airing from January 14 to May 13, 1990. The executive producers for the first production season were Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon. It was produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television.

<i>The Simpsons</i> season 6 Season of television series

The sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network between September 4, 1994, and May 21, 1995, and consists of 25 episodes. The Simpsons is an animated series about a working class family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional city of Springfield, and lampoons American culture, society, television and many aspects of the human condition.

<i>The Simpsons</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network between September 30, 1993, and May 19, 1994. The showrunner for the fifth production season was David Mirkin who executive produced 20 episodes, with the season being produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television. Al Jean and Mike Reiss executive produced the remaining two, which were both hold overs that were produced for the previous season. The season contains some of the series' most acclaimed and popular episodes, including "Cape Feare", "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy", "Homer Goes to College", "Deep Space Homer", and "Rosebud". It also includes the 100th episode, "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song". The season was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and won an Annie Award for Best Animated Television Program as well as an Environmental Media Award and a Genesis Award. The DVD box set was released in Region 1 on December 21, 2004, Region 2 on March 21, 2005, and Region 4 on March 23, 2005.

<i>The Simpsons</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network between September 19, 1991, and August 27, 1992. The showrunners for the third production season were Al Jean and Mike Reiss who executive produced 22 episodes for the season, while two other episodes were produced by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, and Sam Simon, with it being produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television. An additional episode, "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?", aired on August 27, 1992, after the official end of the third season and is included on the Season 3 DVD set. Season three won six Primetime Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Voice-Over Performance" and also received a nomination for "Outstanding Animated Program" for the episode "Radio Bart". The complete season was released on DVD in Region 1 on August 26, 2003, Region 2 on October 6, 2003, and in Region 4 on October 22, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milhouse Van Houten</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a recurring character in the Fox animated television series The Simpsons voiced by Pamela Hayden and created by Matt Groening. Milhouse is Bart Simpson's childhood best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School. He is insecure, gullible, and is often led into trouble by Bart, who takes advantage of his friend's naivety. Milhouse is a regular target for school bully Nelson Muntz and his friends Jimbo Jones, Dolph Starbeam and Kearney Zzyzwicz. He has a crush on Bart's sister, Lisa, which is a common plot element.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Grade School Confidential". BBC. Retrieved May 2, 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 Groening, Matt (1997). Richmond, Ray; Coffman, Antonia (eds.). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1st ed.). New York: HarperPerennial. p.  232. ISBN   978-0-06-095252-5. LCCN   98141857. OCLC   37796735. OL   433519M..
  3. 1 2 3 Oakley, Bill (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Grade School Confidential" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  4. Pulido, Rachel (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Grade School Confidential" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Weinstein, Josh (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Grade School Confidential" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  6. 1 2 Dietter, Susie (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Grade School Confidential" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  7. "CBS scores with NCAA basketball". Sun-Sentinel. Associated Press. April 11, 1997. p. 4E.
  8. Groening, Matt (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Grade School Confidential" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.