The Principal and the Pauper

General

References/Trivia

Appearances

Gags

Credits

Quotes

	Season 9 Episode
← 179 "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson"	180 "The Principal and the Pauper"	"Lisa's Sax" 181 →

This episode is considered non-canon and the events featured do not relate to the series and therefore may not have actually happened/existed. The reason behind this decision is: Principal Skinner is revealed to be an imposter, but Agnes Skinner has been shown to be pregnant with him. If you dispute this, please bring it up on the episode's talk page.

"The Principal and the Pauper"

Episode Information Episode number: 180 Season number: S9 E2 Production code: 4F23 Original airdate: September 28, 1997 Couch gag: Everyone is dressed as astronaut. They sit on the couch and it blasts into space. Guest star(s): Martin Sheen as the real Seymour Skinner Showrunners: Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein Written by: Ken Keeler Directed by: Steven Dean Moore DVD features

"The Principal and the Pauper" is the second episode of season 9 of The Simpsons and the one-hundred and eightieth episode overall. It originally aired on September 28, 1997. The episode was written by Ken Keeler and directed by Steven Dean Moore. It guest stars Martin Sheen as the real Seymour Skinner.

Synopsis

"During a surprise banquet to honor his twentieth anniversary as principal, Seymour Skinner's true identity is revealed to be Armin Tamzarian. Now established as an impostor, Tamzarian retires and relocates to his old neighborhood in Capitol City. Guest starring Martin Sheen as the real Seymour Skinner."

Plot

Seymour Skinner is about to celebrate his 20th anniversary as school principal, and it goes smoothly until a man who claims he is the real Seymour Skinner comes in, pointing out that Agnes Skinner is his mother. Principal Skinner admits he is not the real Seymour Skinner, and is only an impostor. He tells his story, in a parody of the life of Martin Guerre, and admits that his real name is Armin Tamzarian, but assumed the identity of Sergeant Seymour Skinner. Soon, the sergeant becomes the school's new principal, because he says he had intentions to be the principal of Springfield Elementary School.

Afterwards, Springfield prefers Tamzarian over the real Skinner, even Agnes. Tamzarian, however, had left Springfield and gone to Capital City. The Simpsons devise a plan to get Tamzarian back to Springfield, by coming to Capital City to get him. Back in town, the citizens of Springfield force Sergeant Skinner to leave on a train (actually tied to a chair on a freight train car), and Tamzarian returns to being Principal Skinner through an order by Judge Snyder, saying that no one will mention "Tamzarian" again under penalty of torture (this Reset button technique being a meta-reference to their maintaining of the status quo).

Production

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The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson • The Principal and the Pauper • Lisa's Sax • Treehouse of Horror VIII • The Cartridge Family • Bart Star • The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons • Lisa the Skeptic • Realty Bites • Miracle on Evergreen Terrace • All Singing, All Dancing • Bart Carny • The Joy of Sect • Das Bus • The Last Temptation of Krust • Dumbbell Indemnity • Lisa the Simpson • This Little Wiggy • Simpson Tide • The Trouble with Trillions • Girly Edition • Trash of the Titans • King of the Hill • Lost Our Lisa • Natural Born Kissers