Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 18:06, 24 November 2006

"Grade School Confidential" is an episode from the eighth season of The Simpsons. This episode establishes the long-term relationship between Seymour Skinner and Edna Krabappel.

Synopsis

Template:Spoiler Martin Prince invites his classmates to his birthday party, but the gathering – which features a mathemagician as the main entertainment – turns out to be incredibly boring. As a result, party guests Principal Skinner and Edna Krabappel strike up a conversation and discover they have romantic feelings for each other. The party comes to its merciful end when everyone becomes ill with food poisoning, as Martin insisted on serving oysters instead of a birthday cake. Vegetarian Lisa doesn't get sick, but nevertheless fakes illness to leave the party. Bart is the only other one to escape the poisoning, having fed his oysters to Martin's cat; he stays behind and spots Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel kissing inside Martin's playhouse.

Bart plans to reveal what he witnessed, but Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel – wanting their privacy respected – swear him to secrecy. They hire him as their gofer so they can secretly exchange messages. Bart agrees for awhile, especially since the reward for his cooperation is that Milhouse will inherit Bart's poor school record. Eventually, Bart grows frustrated about his home, school and social life continually being interrupted to help them advance their relationship. One afternoon at school, after he is embarrassed in front of his classmates by having to say one of Principal Skinners messages to Mrs. Krabappel out loud, an angry Bart gathers the entire student body in front of a janitor's closet ... where Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel are kissing.

Word quickly spreads throughout Springfield, with the story growing more illicit and exaggerated with each passing turn (e.g., Ralph explains he saw Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel "making babies and I saw one of the babies and the baby looked at me"). An appalled Chief Wiggum, upon hearing his son's version of the events, alerts Superintendent Chalmers. Chalmers gives Principal Skinner an ultimatum – end the relationship or have both of them face dismissal. Principal Skinner decides that love is stronger than his professional goals.

Bart learns that Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel have lost their jobs. Bart encourages Principal Skinner to stand up for himself, and he does just that. He locks down the school, calls the media and – after sitting on the roof – he and Mrs. Krabappel make their demands: They want their jobs back and the townspeople to not interfere in their relationship. However, several residents reply with their accusation about the two having sexual intercourse in the janitor's closet. Principal Skinner insists nothing of the sort happened, and that he, in fact, is still a virgin. Everyone accepts the explanation, and Chalmers agrees to reinstate Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel as though nothing happened. Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel decide to continue their relationship more privately than ever by convincing Bart that they have broken up.

Cultural references

• The episode's title is a play on Jerry Lee Lewis' song "High School Confidential".

Quotes

• Martin: "I want one and all to join me in celebrating the anniversary of my portentous birth." (begins passing out invitations to his birthday party, giving one to Nelson) "Here you are, Nelson."
  Nelson: (annoyed) "A birthday party?" (blows raspberry, shoves invitation to floor)
  Martin: (picks the invitation up, puts it back on the desk) "Here you are, Nelson."
  Nelson: (raspberry, shoves invitation back to the floor)
  Martin: (picks the invitation up, puts it back on the desk once again) "Here you are, Nelson."
  Nelson: (frustrated) "I said ..." (raspberry)
  
• Bart (about to blow Skinner and Edna's relationship): All right crew, set your faces to stunned.
  (opens the door to show Skinner and Edna kissing. After the couple realizes what is going on, there is a beat)
  Skinner: Uh...school dismissed!
• Maude Flanders (In response to Edna's defense of her and Principal Skinner's relationship as love) : "Excuse me, Edna, but we're not talking about "love" here. We are talking about S-E-X, in front of the C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N."
  Krusty : "Sex Cauldron? I thought they closed that place down!"
• Skinner: We're not coming out until you acknowledge and celebrate our love.
  Chalmers: Look, no one would like to celebrate your love more than I. But I'm a public official and am not allowed to use my own judgement in any way.
  Edna: Then let us take our case directly to the townspeople!
  Chalmers: Oh, that'll be real productive. Who do you wanna talk to first? The guy in the bumblebee suit or the one with the bone through his hair?
  Sideshow Mel: My opinions are as valid as the next man's!
• Skinner: (steps outside the school) I...have a bomb! (opens his coat, revealing hot dogs taped around his chest in the style of a bomb pack)
  Chief Wiggum: Wait a minute, those are just hot dogs. Armour hot dogs!
  Chalmers: What kind of man wears Armour hot dogs?!

• The Simpsons episodes, season 8