Principal Charming
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"Principal Charming" is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons' second season, airing on February 14, 1991.
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[edit] Synopsis
Patty and Selma visit a wedding, of a man that could have easily been Selma's husband had Patty got in the way. Selma realises that she needs to find a husband and begs Marge to help her. Marge enlists the help of Homer Simpson to seek one out. However, Homer fails to find anyone suitable.
Meanwhile, Bart pulls a big prank by pouring the fictional chemical sodium tetrasulfate onto the grass. In the principal's office, he is told to call his father, who is currently at Moe's Tavern. After asking for Homer Sexual, Principal Skinner takes the receiver as Moe verbally assaults who he imagines is his long-time tormentor. Moe gives Homer the phone when he realizes it is Principal Skinner on the other end of the line. Homer goes to the school and decides that Skinner is the perfect man for Selma. He invites the Principal to meet her, but he falls for Patty instead.
Skinner starts to go out with a slightly unwilling Patty, much to Selma's increasing chagrin. Meanwhile, Bart takes advantage of the opportunity to take control of the school. Skinner enlists Bart's help to get Patty to marry him, while Homer fixes a date between Selma and Barney.
Skinner takes Patty to the top of the Bell Tower to propose. Following Bart's lead, he has written "Marry Me, Patty" in 40-foot letters using the sodium tetrasulfate that got Bart in trouble. Patty is flattered, but declines. In his grief, Principal Skinner sees what has happened to the school, and takes back control. Patty informs Selma of events, so she breaks up her own date. Things then return to normal.
[edit] Trivia
- The episode marks the first appearance of:
- This is the first episode to address Selma's fear of dying alone.
- It also marks the first appearance of Groundskeeper Willie (whose first line is "Save your strength, lad. There's a whole field for you to resod yet.").
- It marks the first appearance of Hans Moleman, known in this episode as Ralph Melish. This name may have been a reference to the Monty Python sketch entitled "The adventures of Ralph Melish: Hot Dog and Knickers" from The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief, in which a morning in the extremely dull life of Ralph Melish is narrated in an exciting and dramatic voice. Later on, Hans Moleman will be involved in many misfortunes
- Bart has an entire filing cabinet of mis-deeds in school. By the episode, The Wandering Juvie, he has three police filing cabinets.
- This episode features Springfield Elementary School as having a bell tower; as this was merely a reference to Vertigo, it was never featured in any other episodes.
- In later seasons it is revealed Patty is lesbian since her adolescence. Her affair with Skinner is not mentioned, however.
- Selma looks over the photo album of her and Patty, who often take vacations. One of their pages was on a trip to the Soviet Union and it shows Patty and Selma in Lenin's Mausoleum having their picture taken. In actuality, however, photography by Lenin's body is not authorized.
[edit] Cultural references
- The "Tomorrow is another school day" scene is a hybrid of two scenes from Gone with the Wind
- Skinner's climb of the bell tower is a reference to Vertigo.
- Homer's HUD while searching for a potential mate for Selma parodies The Terminator.
- Stanley calls Martha "Martha my dear" and "Martha my love", a possible reference to The Beatles' "Martha My Dear".
- The title is a reference to the fairy tale character Prince Charming.
[edit] External links
