Oh, Edna Krabappel. Many—if not most—of us remember her from grade school. She was the vastly overqualified teacher, ground down by life and love’s disappointments and forced to debase herself dumbing down curriculum for disinterested students, and lowering standards for unworthy lovers. Her bitter, sarcastic shell was formed over a youthful idealism that, occasionally, still broke through. Voiced to perfection with equal parts weary resignation and poignant vulnerability by the late Marcia Wallace, today we celebrate the retirement of the character she brought to life with 20 of her greatest quotes.
(Season 1, Episode 2: “Bart the Genius”)
(Season 2, Episode 1: “Bart Gets an F”)
(Season 3, Episode 10: “Flaming Moe’s”)
(Season 3, Episode 23: “Bart’s Friend Falls in Love”)
(Season 4, Episode 16: “Duffless”)
(Season 3, Episode 23: “Bart’s Friend Falls in Love”)
(Season 6, Episode 24: “Lemon of Troy”)
(Season 8, Episode 19: Grade School Confidential)
(Season 3, Episode 16: “Bart the Lover”)
(Season 4, Episode 16: “Duffless”)
(Season 8, Episode 19: “Grade School Confidential”)
(Season 8, Episode 19: “Grade School Confidential”)
(Season 21, Episode 2: “Bart Gets a Z”)
(Delivered during her unforgettably disturbing, balloon-popping burlesque at the faculty talent show.)
(Season 10, Episode 15: “Screaming Yellow Honkers”)
(Season 22, Episode 22: “The Ned-Liest Catch”)
(Season 6, Episode 21: “The PTA Disbands”)
(Season 2, Episode 19: “Lisa’s Substitute”)
(Season 6, Episode 21: “The PTA Disbands”)
(Season 16, Episode 3: “Sleeping with the Enemy”)
But, honestly, who other than Homer Simpson has gotten so much dependably hilarious mileage out of only one syllable?