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#OnThisDay #OTD September 28, 1997, "The Principal and the Pauper" first aired on the Fox network. Dir: Steven Dean Moore. Wr: Ken Keeler. EP: @thatbilloakley & @Joshstrangehill. Guest-starring Martin Sheen as Sgt. Seymour Skinner. #TheSimpsons
Many fans believe the episode is based on the story of Martin Guerre or the 1993 film Sommersby, which feature similar plots. According to animation director Steve Moore, a working title was "Skinnersby". However, Keeler has said he was inspired by the Tichborne Case.
The producers selected Martin Sheen to voice the character because they admired his performance in Apocalypse Now and felt his voice would be appropriate for a Vietnam veteran.
Keeler borrowed the name Armin Tamzarian from a claims adjuster who had assisted him after a car accident when he moved to L.A. However, the real Tamzarian (now a California Superior Court Judge) was unaware until after the episode aired. https://trellis.law/judge/armen.tamzarian
Keeler said he later received a "curtly phrased" letter from Tamzarian, who wanted to know why his name appeared in the episode. Keeler feared he would face legal troubles, but afterwards, Tamzarian explained that he was simply curious and did not intend to scare anyone.
"The Principal and the Pauper" is one of the most controversial episodes of #TheSimpsons. Many fans and critics reacted extremely negatively to the revelation that Skinner, a recurring character since season one who had undergone much character development, was an impostor.
In an April 2001 interview, Harry Shearer, the voice of Principal Skinner, recalled that after reading the script, he told the writers:
In the introduction to the ninth season DVD boxset, series creator Matt Groening describes "The Principal and the Pauper" as "one of [his] least favorite episodes". He also called the episode "a mistake" in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2017.
![In the introduction to the ninth season DVD boxset, series creator Matt Groening describes "The Principal and the Pauper" as "one of [his] least favorite episodes". He also called the episode "a mistake" in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2017.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EjCy8wMXkAA_0cv.png "In the introduction to the ninth season DVD boxset, series creator Matt Groening describes \"The Principal and the Pauper\" as \"one of [his] least favorite episodes\". He also called the episode \"a mistake\" in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2017.")
Oakley and Weinstein explain that they wanted to push the boundaries of the series while working as show-runners, and advise viewers to treat "The Principal and the Pauper" as an "experiment". Keeler asserts, "I am very, very proud of the job I did on this episode," continuing:
