Throughout their 33 year run, The Simpsons have given audiences some of the best episodes of television in sitcom history. Every fan that has seen The Simpsons has a different view on which episode is the best, or their favorite. Though, as the longest running animated sitcom in history, there have been some bumps along the road. This episode in particular will go down as one of the worst episodes of The Simpsons in their storied history.
#thesimpsons #bartsimpson #nerdstalgic
Written by Adam Smith
Edited by Paul Ritchey
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Because the Simpsons became so completely awful after season 10, many can look at seasons 1-10 as being the true runtime of the Simpsons, anything post season 10 being a bastardised fan fiction. So in that sense, amongst the aforementioned "true" runtime, this is one of the worst among them. Just didn't seem that way when I saw it as a kid at first, like it was for many of us haha
After going back and watching the previous episode where they go to New York, a personal favourite episode of mine, then watching this one after, the quality difference in regards to writing is quite noticeable haha
Anyone who thinks Principal and the Pauper was the worst episode hasn't seen how bad simpsons episodes can get.
I don't see Skinner leaving the town and the children as him suddenly abandoning his responsibilities. He's built his life on being Seymour Skinner and now he can't be that any more, so he's trying to work out who or what Armin Tamzarian is now. And he fails because he can never commit to it, his natural Skinner-ish nature always comes out. I love this episode because it actually reinforces the fact that Skinner is who he is, regardless of the circumstances that put him there, and he loves it.
This was one of the best episodes
I disagree that Skinner ever turned his life around. He just did as Mother said. Once she wasn’t there to tell him what to do he was lost.
But everyone remembers it. There's a lot of bad Simpsons episodes that are easily forgotten. Hell, its easy to forget about some of the good ones. But we all remembers Armon tanzarian, and we all remember Frank grimes.
No mention of Martin Guerre? You do know the whole episode is a parody of the Martin Guerre legend, right?
Correction. Worst episode up to that point. It's gotten plenty worse since then.
It's definitely not the worst. I was surprised to find out how much hate it got. I thought it was pretty funny when i first saw it and i still think its not bad. It's nowhere near the best but it's definitely not the worst.
Much Ado about nothing. This was a great episode.Very deconstructionist and very 90's. I used "Armand Tanzarian" for my ID badge at Comic-Con one year.
I've always found season 13's "The Frying Game" to be the worst episode. It's just not funny at all, and its plotline is grotesque for no reason. (Maybe there have been worse episodes since I stopped watching around season 20 or so, idk)
Oh my God it’s a cartoon. What the hell are you talking about this isnt a Truman Capote book?
Honestly love this episode. It’s great. “This is Armin’s copy of Swank”. Classic.
Still not as bad as Homer being bamboo'd by a panda
I dont care if people hate it. I think it's a very fun episode with lots of good memorable moments. Maybe its because here in Latin America the dub makes it funnier or something.
It's still belongs to The Simpson's best era so it's a lot better than what we have today.
Bro the Lady Gaga Billie Eilish episodes gotta be the worst
This is far from being the worse episode. Anyone ever watched the last 5 or even 10 seasons? They are mostly trash. This episode is not bad at all, it's very memorable, even tho it's not perfectly written, has plot holes, and does not hold all the time a mirror to western society, it's very much "simpsons" like. Maybe it's the German and/or French dubbing, but I really like it.
Saying this is the worst episode of the Simpsons has become some kind of a cliche… This premise is the basis for the whole Mad Men series
this would have been better as a Bart+Skinner only story with the other characters having a side story/stories. Bart could have been snooping in Skinner's office or maybe at his house and discovered the truth or a lead to it(could have also involved Lisa here too perhaps in this regard) and Skinner chases after the boy to try and stop him and cover his tracks while also showing all the delinquent skills he posses along the way towards the climax; finding the real skinner. Both characters could then agree not to tell anyone because the real Skinner has gone coo-coo-bananas or something. Sure it still leaves a bit of "well none of this mattered" but it would have been a lot better IMO.
I thought it was funny when I came out as a kid and I still find it funny now.
If you want the 'worst' episode just look at Amy of the episodes from the past 10 years.
I really wish they would have lwt my favorite show just die with dignity.
I see Skinner, my mind immediately goes to Steamed Hams.
They took off appoo 🖕
This episode is fine, completely enjoyable, and infinitely better than the modern Toon Boom / Disney stuff. Compare this episode to "The Good, The Bart, And The Loki " and tell me how bad it really is.
Fun fact: this episode was one of three Season 8 holdovers, the others being the New York episode and Lisa the Simpson. This was almost in Season 8.
To me the worst episode is the one where Marge gets over PTSD by becoming buff, then gives up her muscles to "be a woman again"
Thi isn't the worst episode by any means, it might be the worst of that era but a lot of what came after is 10x worst.
Isn't the plot of this (the whole soldier taking his mentor's identity) one of the subplots in Mad Men? I mean it could have been done quite well and with less exposition…
Don’t understand the hate of this episode. I think it’s still part of the golden age.
The worst episode is steamed hams. Fuck that shit.
I think it was supposed to be a 2 parter which is why it feels rushed either way it's not the worst episode save that title for one of the many musical ones also there is a episode much father down the line where Lisa renames something new to replace the old and Skinner says isn't that cheating Lisa responds with ''I guess it is principal Tanzarean'' Skinner looking shocked says ''fair enough''
the episode has an interesting premise, but it definitely isn't carried out in a way fitting of the Simpsons
Take your pick of the worst episodes from season 24 onwards.
Who gives a fuck, if it’s funny do what you want
Still no clue why people hate it so much
I just find the entire episode pointless.
The first few seasons of the simpsons were pretty bad. It only really started being good around season 14 or 15 tbh.
"The Principal and the Pauper" was the first time I considered a "post-Simpsons" world.
In my first year of university (1996-97) I bonded with some folks over our shared love of The Simpsons, and over time we fell into the ritual of finding an empty TV room and watching syndicated episodes together every day at 5 pm on CBC and the new episodes on Sunday nights (this would have been season 8). In second year we were all living off campus, but four of them got a house together and I'd go to their place every Sunday night to see the new episodes.
I still remember our genuine "WTF" reaction when that episode first aired. As the credits rolled one of our group, a soft spoken French Canadian guy, said "I…didn't like that episode" with the most bewildered look on his face, as if he couldn't believe it was possible to dislike an episode of The Simpsons. It really summed up our reaction to the episode, and it got us talking about how the show had been running for so long it was inevitable that the show was going to eventually start relying on wackier plot lines and premises, which would eventually lead to the show running out of steam and getting cancelled (we had no idea…).
We kept up the ritual for the remainder of that season, and there were still plenty of good episodes that year, but sadly a key member of the group moved away the following year and the ritual gradually fizzled out during season ten.
During the 9th season the quality of the scripts started to decay, the animation was quite poor and for Spanish viewers, we had a new voice for Homer as Carlos Revilla, the original 'Spanish Homer' passed away. The new voice actor tried his best, but this new voice was so different and with scripts that were getting from bad to worse, it simply was not fun anymore.
Is this what inspired the show "Mad Men"?
it's kinda weird how before this is "The City of New York v. Homer Simpson", one of the most amazing episodes. it's like a HUGE drop in quality of writing.
I agree that this is the worst Simpsons episode. I always found it off-putting to watch. The plot is lazy and uninspired–like something you'd see in an old soap opera, the ending is dumb, even the fact that Armin's name is so strange just makes the entire plot less credible. I'm surprised they actually made the episode and didn't throw out the idea as a bad one.
The episode's also really sad in that Skinner's character turns from a mama's boy into someone who literally gave up his entire identity for his mother.
People are still crying about this episode?
This feels more appropriate for a treehouse of horror segment and not an actual episode
This is great episode. If you want bad episodes, watch anything from the season of Mel Gibson forward… Before that point, The Simpsons were watchable
This isn’t the worst, The Boys Of Summer is.
i like this episode because it is unique. it is definitely memorable
And to think that they could have made us a double gag and perhaps resolved the matter: Seymour Skinner moves to the city and begins to be appreciated by everyone. Seeing this "Armin Tanzarian" admits that she is an imposter and leaves. After a while, however, not everyone likes the new Skinner, even showing clear signs of schizophrenia, if not insanity. At this point the group we see in the episode goes to Capital City asking Armin to come back. However, it turns out that he is really Skinner and that the other is an imposter, also a Vietnam soldier and who had gone insane in the war
I don't know if it's good but in my opinion it would have been a better episode
Worst episode ever!
It's still a masterpiece in comparison to the Lady Gaga's episode. That 90s Show made more mess than Principal and the Pauper.
Also yes, the creators can do whatever they want, but they still do it for the viewers. It's still a busines with offer – demand relationship
Take the Velma in contrast where staff apparently made the show only for them.