| "Lisa's Substitute" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 19 |
| Directed by | Rich Moore |
| Written by | Jon Vitti |
| Production code | 7F19 |
| Original air date | April 25, 1991 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
| Episode features | |
| Couch gag | The Simpsons run in, only to discover the couch is missing. |
| Commentary | Matt Groening Jon Vitti Al Jean Mike Reiss Rich Moore |
"Lisa's Substitute" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 25, 1991.[1] In the episode, Lisa's teacher Miss Hoover takes medical leave due to what she thinks is Lyme disease. Lisa finds the teaching methods of the substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom, inspiring and discovers an entirely new love for learning. When Miss Hoover returns to class, Lisa is devastated to lose her most positive adult role model. Eventually, she realizes that while Mr. Bergstrom was one of a kind, she can find role models in other people, including her father Homer. Meanwhile, Bart runs for class president against Martin.
The episode was written by Jon Vitti and directed by Rich Moore. It is the first episode of the show to have the opening sequence start at the driveway scene. Dustin Hoffman, using the pseudonym Sam Etic, guest stars as Mr. Bergstrom, who was modeled on the physical appearance of Mike Reiss, a longtime writer and producer on the show. The episode features cultural references to Mike Nichols's film The Graduate, which starred Hoffman, and the novel Charlotte's Web by E. B. White.
Since airing, the episode has received universal acclaim from fans and television critics, and it is one of the most celebrated episodes in the show's history, being regarded by many as the best episode of the series. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 11.1, and was the highest-rated show on Fox the week it aired.