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Lisa's Substitute

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
Season 2 Episode
031 "Brush with Greatness"
032
"Lisa's Substitute"
"The War of the Simpsons" 033
"I'm Mr. Bergstrom. Feel free to make fun of my name if you want. Two suggestions are Mr. Nerdstrom and Mr. Boogerstrom."
Mr. Bergstrom
"Lisa's Substitute"
L Substitute.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 32
Season number: S2 E19
Production code: 7F19
Original airdate: April 25, 1991
Guest star(s): Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Bergstrom
Showrunner(s): James L. Brooks
Matt Groening
Sam Simon
Written by: Jon Vitti
Directed by: Rich Moore
DVD features


"Lisa's Substitute" is the nineteenth episode of season 2 of The Simpsons. It originally aired on April 25, 1991. The episode was written by Jon Vitti and directed by Rich Moore. It guest stars Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Bergstrom.

Synopsis[edit]

Couch Gag.
"When Lisa's teacher Miss Hoover gets Lyme Disease, Mr. Bergstrom takes over the class. Lisa finds Mr. Bergstrom's teaching methods incredibly inspiring and discovers an entirely new love for learning, but when Mr. Bergstrom leaves, Lisa doubts that anyone else in her life (including her own father) can be the man that Mr. Bergstrom was. Meanwhile, Bart runs against Martin Prince for class president."


Plot[edit]

Promo image for the episode

Lisa's teacher, Miss Hoover, thinks she has come down with Lyme disease and is replaced by substitute teacher Mr. Bergstrom. Because of his unorthodox teaching methods, Lisa takes a friendly, even romantic, liking to him. Bart's class, meanwhile, prepares to elect a class president. Mrs. Krabappel nominates Martin, while Sherri and Terri nominate Bart. During a debate with Martin, Bart tells jokes that win the class over.

Lisa runs into Mr. Bergstrom at a museum and is embarrassed when Homer displays his ignorance. Sensing that Lisa is missing something in her relationship with her father, Mr. Bergstrom takes Homer aside to suggest he be a more positive role model. After venting to her mother about Homer ruining her 'one chance' to get to know Bergstrom outside of the classroom, Lisa is given permission to invite him to family dinner, only to be shattered when she finds Miss Hoover back and Mr. Bergstrom gone. She rushes to his apartment and finds him having left for another job. She rushes to the train station to catch him, and confesses to that she will be lost without him. To comfort her, he writes her a note and tells her that if she ever feels alone and like she can't rely on anybody, its contents are all she needs to know. He then boards the train and departs. It reads, "You are Lisa Simpson." Meanwhile, certain of Bart's inevitable victory thanks to his popular campaigning, none of the children in his class–including himself–actually voted, giving Martin the victory with just two votes; one from himself, and the other from Wendell Borton.

Devastated by Mr. Bergstrom's departure, Lisa blames Homer for Mr. Bergstrom's departure, calling him a baboon. Marge tells Homer to console Lisa, explaining how her daughter is very hurt emotionally and is in need of her father. Homer enters Lisa's room and finds her crying over her desk. He is uncertain of how to deal with Lisa's sadness, and is uncomfortable seeing his daughter crying. Homer explains to Lisa how he cannot really understand how it feels to lose someone important: everyone he has ever loved and cared about lives with him still. He then alludes to Lisa calling him a baboon, and in a loving manner mimics a monkey, cheering her up. Lisa apologizes to Homer for calling him a baboon, and he accepts the apology. Finding Bart still seething over the election result, Homer cheers him up by reminding him that all the job of class president would have really meant was a lot of extra work with little reward, making Bart feel happy that he lost the election. Finally going by Maggie's room, he places her pacifier in her mouth. Proud that he helped all three of his children, Homer goes to bed with Marge happily, stating he is "on the biggest roll" of his life.

Production[edit]

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
Germany.png Deutsch "Der Aushilfslehrer" The substitute teacher
Italy Flag.png Italiano "Il supplente di Lisa" Lisa's substitute
Brasil Flag.png Português "O Professor Substituto" The Substitute Teacher
Hungary flag.png Magyar "A helyettes tanár" The substitute
Flag of Japan.png 日本語 "リサのときめき" Lisa's Crush


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Lisa's Substitute".
Season 2 Episodes
Bart Gets an "F" Simpson and Delilah Treehouse of Horror Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish Dancin' Homer Dead Putting Society Bart vs. Thanksgiving Bart the Daredevil Itchy & Scratchy & Marge Bart Gets Hit by a Car One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish The Way We Was Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment Principal Charming Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? Bart's Dog Gets an "F" Old Money Brush with Greatness Lisa's Substitute The War of the Simpsons Three Men and a Comic Book Blood Feud