Lisa's Substitute

Last updated

"Lisa's Substitute"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 19
Directed by Rich Moore
Written by Jon Vitti
Production code7F19
Original air dateApril 25, 1991 (1991-04-25)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Couch gag The Simpsons run in, only to discover the couch is missing.
Commentary Matt Groening
Jon Vitti
Al Jean
Mike Reiss
Rich Moore
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Brush with Greatness"		Next →
"The War of the Simpsons"
The Simpsons season 2
List of episodes

"Lisa's Substitute" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons . It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 25, 1991. [1] In the episode, Lisa's teacher Miss Hoover takes medical leave due to what she thinks is Lyme disease. Lisa finds the teaching methods of the substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom, inspiring and discovers an entirely new love for learning. When Miss Hoover returns to class, Lisa is devastated to lose her most positive adult role model. Eventually, she realizes that while Mr. Bergstrom was one of a kind, she can find role models in other people, including her father Homer. Meanwhile, Bart runs for class president against Martin.

Contents

The episode was written by Jon Vitti and directed by Rich Moore. It is the first episode of the show to have the opening sequence start at the driveway scene. Dustin Hoffman, using the pseudonym Sam Etic, guest stars as Mr. Bergstrom, who was modeled on the physical appearance of Mike Reiss, a longtime writer and producer on the show. The episode features cultural references to Mike Nichols's film The Graduate , which starred Hoffman, and the novel Charlotte's Web by E. B. White.

Since airing, the episode has received universal acclaim from fans and television critics, and it is one of the most celebrated episodes in the show's history, being regarded by many as the best episode of the series. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 11.1, and was the highest-rated show on Fox the week it aired.

Plot

Lisa's teacher, Miss Hoover, announces to her class that she has Lyme disease, and is taking a leave of absence for the rest of the year. She is soon replaced by a substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom. When Mr. Bergstrom shows up for his first day teaching Lisa's class, he is dressed as a cowboy and pretends he is in Texas in 1830, and asks the students to name three historical inaccuracies on his costume. Lisa is able to name four historical inaccuracies, and Mr. Bergstrom is impressed by Lisa's knowledge of his deliberate anachronisms; he rewards her with his cowboy hat. Due to Mr. Bergstrom's unorthodox teaching methods and friendly nature, Lisa begins to look up to him. When Lisa and Homer are visiting a museum, they run into Mr. Bergstrom, and Lisa becomes embarrassed when Homer displays his ignorance. Sensing a void in Lisa and Homer's relationship, Mr. Bergstrom takes Homer aside to suggest he be a more positive role model.

At Marge's suggestion, Lisa goes to invite Mr. Bergstrom to dinner at their home, but is devastated to find Miss Hoover back (it turns out her Lyme disease was psychosomatic) and Mr. Bergstrom gone. Lisa rushes to Mr. Bergstrom's apartment and learns he has accepted a new job in Capital City. She rushes to the train station when Mr. Bergstrom is about to board, and tearfully tells him she will be lost without him. Mr. Bergstrom replies that the life of a substitute teacher is transient, and he has to help students who need him most. He writes her a note and tells her any time she feels alone, its contents are all she needs to know. He boards the train and departs as Lisa reads the written note, "You are Lisa Simpson".

Meanwhile, Bart's class prepares to elect a class president. Mrs. Krabappel nominates Martin, while Sherri and Terri nominate Bart. During a debate with Martin, Bart tells jokes and wins the class over. Certain of his own victory, Bart holds a premature victory party during recess, but he finds out that the majority of students in his class – including himself – did not vote at all, giving Martin the victory with just two votes.

That night at the Simpsons' dinner table, Lisa is visibly devastated by Mr. Bergstrom's departure. When Homer tells Lisa he does not care about her problems, Lisa lashes out and calls Homer a "baboon". Homer is initially confused and offended until Marge calls Homer out on his insensitivity. Homer makes up with Lisa by claiming he has never lost anyone special, and then cheers her up by mimicking a monkey. Lisa apologizes and they share a hug. Finding Bart seething over the election result, Homer comforts him by pointing out that being class president would have involved extra work with little reward. Homer then sees Maggie is crying because she dropped her pacifier, and returns it to her. When Homer goes back downstairs, Marge begins to ask if he made up with Lisa, but Homer interrupts her and says, "Don't say anything, Marge. Let's just go to bed. I'm on the biggest roll of my life."

Production

Mr. Bergstrom was modeled on the physical appearance of Mike Reiss. Mikereiss.jpg
Mr. Bergstrom was modeled on the physical appearance of Mike Reiss.

"Lisa's Substitute" was written by Jon Vitti and directed by Rich Moore. According to Vitti, The Simpsons producer James L. Brooks contributed more to this episode than he did to any other in the show's history. Vitti said the episode was "very controversial" when it was being made because it "came at a point when the staff were just beginning to realize the comedy potential of the show, but we were trapped with these love stories, and just as the staff were starting to get frustrated with the love stories, along came 'Lisa's Substitute': the biggest, huggiest, warmest and fuzziest of them all." [2]

Mr. Bergstrom was modeled on the physical appearance of Mike Reiss, a longtime writer and producer on the show. Dustin Hoffman provided the voice of Mr. Bergstrom. Hoffman was not sure if he wanted to be identified with a cartoon show at the time, like many early guest stars on The Simpsons, and therefore used the pseudonym Sam Etic in the closing credits. Sam Etic is a play on the word Semitic, alluding to the fact that both Hoffman and Mr. Bergstrom are Jewish. Brooks suggested the pseudonym, which Hoffman immediately liked. The cast flew to New York to record the episode with Hoffman and were directed by Brooks. [3] Yeardley Smith, who provides the voice of Lisa, said she grew as an actress after working with Hoffman that day. [4] The Simpsons writer Al Jean said he remembered when the audio track came back, Hoffman's voice was too low on the singing parts. The staff were "petrified" that the singing scenes would not show up on air, so they had Hoffman re-record them when he was in Los Angeles. [5] Vitti said the note Lisa receives at the end of the episode should have had an exclamation point at the end. [2] He did not notice it in the animatic, and it still "haunts [him] to this day". [6]

Cultural references

Mrs. Krabappel trying to seduce Mr. Bergstrom is a reference to the predicament of Hoffman's character in the 1967 film The Graduate . [7] Mr. Bergstrom reads a line from the 1952 novel Charlotte's Web to his class. It is implied that this line is the end of the book, but in reality another chapter follows. Vitti said they could not feature more than a line from the book without being sued. The staff contacted a relative of the author E. B. White, but she would not clear the use of the book. [2] When Lisa arrives at Mr. Bergstrom's apartment building, a list of tenants can be seen, including J. Vitti (the episode's writer Jon Vitti) and J. Kamerman (then-animator Jen Kamerman). [2] When Bart unexpectedly loses to Martin in the class president race, a picture of Martin holding a copy of The Daily Fourth Gradian with the headline "Simpson Defeats Prince" is taken, which in turn ends up on the front page of The Daily Fourth Gradian under the headline "Prince Beats Simpson". This is a reference to the famous picture of former President Harry S. Truman holding a copy of a prematurely printed edition of the Chicago Tribune that proclaimed "Dewey Defeats Truman", taken the day after his unexpected victory over Thomas E. Dewey in 1948. [5]

Reception

Dustin Hoffman was praised by critics for his role as Mr. Bergstrom. Dustin Hoffman cropped.jpg
Dustin Hoffman was praised by critics for his role as Mr. Bergstrom.

In its original broadcast, "Lisa's Substitute" finished 43rd in the ratings for the week of April 22–28, 1991, with a Nielsen Rating of 11.1, equivalent to approximately ten million viewing households. It was the highest-rated show on Fox that week. [8]

Since airing, the episode has received universal acclaim from fans and television critics, with many regarding it as the best episode of the series. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, authors of I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, said "Despite a scene-stealing performance from M[r]s. Krabappel, this is Lisa's show. Mr Bergstrom's last message for Lisa is a delightful touch and adds the finishing touch to a wonderful episode." [7] Former TV Squad blogger Adam Finley named "Lisa's Substitute" as one of his top 14 most touching Simpsons episodes, [9] and The Simpsons Archive webmaster Jouni Paakkinen rated the episode as his third favorite. [10]

Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide said that Lisa episodes "tend to be goopy", but "Lisa's Substitute" seemed like "a good show, however". He went on to say, "The show offered many other good moments, and it helped expand the Lisa/Homer relationship neatly. The Bart's election subplot punctured any sappiness that otherwise might have occurred. [...] 'Lisa's Substitute' offered a fairly solid program." [11] Emily VanDerWerff of Slant Magazine picked the episode as the show's second best, praising its emotion and Hoffman's performance. [12]

Hoffman has been praised for his guest appearance as Mr. Bergstrom. Entertainment Weekly named it one of the 16 greatest guest appearances on The Simpsons. [13] In 2007, Simon Crerar of The Times listed his performance as one of the 33 funniest cameos in the history of the show. [14] The episode's reference to The Graduate was named the 20th greatest film reference in the history of the show by Total Film 's Nathan Ditum. [15] Ditum also ranked Hoffman's performance as the 16th best guest appearance in the show's history. [16]

"Lisa's Substitute" is also highly regarded amongst the show's cast and crew. Bart's voice actress, Nancy Cartwright, said it is one of her top three episodes, along with "Bart Sells His Soul" and "Bart the Mother", [17] while writer Al Jean said the episode was his favorite sentimental episode. [18] Yeardley Smith, the voice actress of Lisa, has mentioned this episode is one of her favorite Simpsons episodes of all time. [19] Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer, named it his favorite episode of the show together with "Simpson and Delilah" and "Homer the Heretic". [20] Executive producer James L. Brooks said he thinks "Lisa's Substitute" stands out because it is The Simpsons' "best show" with a message behind it. [21] Long time director Mark Kirkland named the episode as his favorite during a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" chat. [22] When The Simpsons began streaming on Disney+ in 2019, former Simpsons writer and executive producer Bill Oakley named this one of the best classic Simpsons episodes to watch on the service. [23]

Related Research Articles

"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.

"Moaning Lisa" is the sixth episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 11, 1990. The episode was written by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, and was directed by Wes Archer. Ron Taylor guest stars in the episode as Oscar "Bleeding Gums" Murphy. The episode deals with Lisa's depression and her attempts to sublimate it by playing her saxophone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homer the Heretic</span> 3rd episode of the 4th season of The Simpsons

"Homer the Heretic" is the third episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on October 8, 1992. In the episode, Homer decides to forgo going to church and has an excellent time staying home. His behavior quickly attracts the wrath of God, who visits him in a dream. The chalkboard gag from this episode was a reference to the previous episode "A Streetcar Named Marge", which had made controversial references to New Orleans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Plow</span> 9th episode of the 4th season of The Simpsons

"Mr. Plow" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 19, 1992. In the episode, Homer buys a snowplow and starts a business plowing driveways. It is a huge success and, inspired by this, Barney Gumble starts a rival company and quickly puts Homer out of business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa's First Word</span> 10th episode of the 4th season of The Simpsons

"Lisa's First Word" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was first broadcast on Fox in the United States on December 3, 1992. In the episode, as the Simpson family gathers around Maggie and tries to encourage her to say her first word, Marge reminisces and tells the story of Lisa's first word. Maggie's first word is voiced by Elizabeth Taylor.

"Radio Bart" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 9, 1992. In the episode, Bart receives a microphone that transmits sound to nearby AM radios. To play a prank on the citizens of Springfield, he lowers a radio down a well and uses the microphone to trick the town into thinking a little boy is trapped there. The prank succeeds, but Bart remembers labelling the radio with his name, tries to retrieve it, and becomes trapped himself. Angry at being duped by Bart, the townspeople refuse to rescue him.

"Bart Gets Hit by a Car" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 10, 1991. In the episode, Bart is hit by Mr. Burns' car. Prompted by ambulance-chasing lawyer Lionel Hutz and quack doctor Nick Riviera, the Simpsons sue Burns, seeking extensive damages for Bart's injuries. Hutz and Dr. Nick exaggerate Bart's injuries to earn the jury's sympathy at the trial. Marge wants Homer to accept Burns' proposed settlement instead of asking Bart to lie on the witness stand.

"Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 3, 1992. The plot follows Bart continually getting in trouble, and how Homer is unable to give him any suitable punishment. Marge gets Homer to agree to make a punishment stick, and he forbids Bart to see the new Itchy & Scratchy movie for not watching Maggie.

"Lady Bouvier's Lover" is the twenty-first and penultimate episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 12, 1994. In the episode, Abe Simpson falls in love with Marge's mother, Jacqueline Bouvier, and they start dating. However, on a night out in town, she is charmed by Mr. Burns. Abe is brokenhearted when he learns that Jacqueline is going to marry Mr. Burns.

"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.

"So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" is the eighteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 1, 1993. In the episode, Homer plays a series of practical jokes on Bart, and to get even, Bart shakes up a can of Homer's beer with a paint shaker. Homer opens the can, resulting in a huge explosion that lands him in the hospital, where he goes into a coma. At Homer's bedside, the Simpson family reminisce, mainly about moments relevant to Homer's life.

"Summer of 4 Ft. 2" is the twenty-fifth and final episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series, The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 19, 1996. In the episode, the Simpson family stay in Ned Flanders' beach house. Hanging around with a new set of children, Lisa becomes popular, while Bart is left out. Bart tries to sabotage his sister's newfound acceptance, but fails.

"In Marge We Trust" is the twenty-second 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 27, 1997. It was the first episode of the series written by Donick Cary and was directed by Steven Dean Moore. The episode guest stars Sab Shimono as Mr. Sparkle, Gedde Watanabe as the factory worker, Denice Kumagai and Karen Maruyama as dancers, and Frank Welker as the baboons. In the episode, Marge replaces Reverend Lovejoy as the town's moral adviser, while Homer investigates why his face appears on a Japanese detergent box.

"Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily" is the third episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on October 1, 1995. In the episode, the Simpson children are put in foster care at Ned and Maude Flanders' house. Homer and Marge are forced to attend a parenting class to get their children back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart's Girlfriend</span> 7th episode of the 6th season of The Simpsons

"Bart's Girlfriend" is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 6, 1994. The plot of the episode follows the secret romance of Bart and Reverend Lovejoy's daughter Jessica, who makes her debut in this episode. Bart tries to end the romance when he discovers that, behind her innocent façade as a preacher's kid, she is an even bigger troublemaker than he is. Jessica steals the money from the church collection plate, leaving Bart to take the blame until Lisa exposes the truth.

"Marge Gets a Job" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 5, 1992. In this episode, Marge gets a job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant to pay for foundation repair at the Simpsons house. Mr. Burns develops a crush on Marge after seeing her at work and sexually harasses her. A subplot with Bart parallels the fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".

"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's Dog Gets an 'F'" is the sixteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on March 7, 1991. In the episode, the Simpson family's dog, Santa's Little Helper, infuriates Homer and Marge by destroying a family heirloom and an expensive pair of shoes. When Marge and Homer want to get rid of the dog, Bart enrolls him at an obedience school to curb his bad behavior.

"When Flanders Failed" is the second episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on October 3, 1991. In the episode, Homer makes a wish for Ned Flanders' new left-handed store to go out of business. The wish comes true and soon the Flanders family is in financial trouble. When he discovers that Ned's house is about to be repossessed, Homer feels guilty. He helps the store flourish by telling all of Springfield's left-handed residents to patronize it. Meanwhile, Bart takes karate lessons but quits after it does not turn out to be as interesting as he had hoped.

<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. ↑ Groening, Matt (1997). Richmond, Ray; Coffman, Antonia (eds.). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1st ed.). New York: HarperPerennial. p.  54. ISBN   978-0-06-095252-5. LCCN   98141857. OCLC   37796735. OL   433519M.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Vitti, Jon (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's Substitute" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  3. ↑ Yeardley Smith [@YeardleySmith] (November 29, 2019). "This one, too, will be one of my forever favorites. They flew me to New York to record with Dustin Hoffman for this episode. @canyonjim directed us. It was an extraordinary day" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ↑ Reiss, Mike (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's Substitute" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  5. 1 2 Jean, Al (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's Substitute" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  6. ↑ bird versus pigs [@jon_vitti] (August 22, 2014). "The note is supposed to say "You are Lisa Simpson!" With an exclamation point. I didn't catch it at animatic. It haunts me to this day" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. 1 2 Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Lisa's Substitute". BBC. Retrieved April 2, 2009.
  8. ↑ "What we watch, what we don't...". Austin American-Statesman. May 5, 1991. p. 18.
  9. ↑ Black, Jay (September 10, 2007). "Adam Finley: The 14 most touching Simpsons episodes". HuffPost TV. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  10. ↑ "10 Fan Favorites". USA Today . February 6, 2003. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ Jacobson, Colin. "The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
  12. ↑ VanDerWerff, Emily (August 1, 2007). "5 for the Day: The Simpsons". Slant Magazine . Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  13. ↑ Bruno, Mike (May 11, 2005). "Springfield of Dreams: 16 Great 'Simpsons' Guest Voices". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  14. ↑ Crerar, Simon (July 5, 2007). "The 33 funniest Simpsons cameos ever". The Times . Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  15. ↑ Ditum, Nathan (June 6, 2009). "The 50 Greatest Simpsons Movie References". Total Film . GamesRadar+. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  16. ↑ Ditum, Nathan (March 29, 2009). "The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots". Total Film . GamesRadar+. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
  17. ↑ Oakes, Keily (July 30, 2004). "Voice of Bart Simpson steps into limelight". BBC. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
  18. ↑ "15 Writer Favorites". USA Today . February 6, 2003. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
  19. ↑ Smith, Yeardley [@YeardleySmith] (November 24, 2019). "It's #SimpsonsSunday! Today I attempt to answer the impossible — but ubiquitous—question: "What's your favorite episode?" 😀🤨" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 24, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2021– via Twitter.
  20. ↑ Lawson, Tim; Persons, Alisa (2004). "Dan Castellaneta". The Magic Behind the Voices. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 116. ISBN   978-1-57806-696-4.
  21. ↑ Justin, Neal (May 20, 2007). "'Simpsons' insiders pick their favorite episodes". The Times of Northwest Indiana . Retrieved July 24, 2009.
  22. ↑ "r/IAmA - Comment by u/MarkKirkland on "Hi Reddit! It's Simpsons Director and filmmaker Mark Kirkland - here for my first AMA."". reddit. May 5, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  23. ↑ Katz, Mathew (November 11, 2019). "The best classic Simpsons episodes on Disney+". Digital Trends .

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.