Mrs. Gorf (episode)

*Everyone take out your spelling books, it's time for arithmetic.*
This article contains disputed canon, like the *Sideways Arithmetic* books or the cartoon. While officially produced and part of the *Wayside School* series, facts displayed here may not correspond with the main book series.

## Mrs. Gorf

* Title card
* Screenshot
* Video

## General

### Airdate

May 19, 2007 (CAN)
July 12, 2007 (US)

## Chronology

### Next

"Todd Falls in Love"

"**Mrs. Gorf**" is the second half of the tenth episode of the first season of *Wayside*.

## Synopsis

Dana tells Todd about the meanest substitute they ever had, and how Maurecia became the way she is now.

## Plot

The 30th floor class is on a camping trip on the 6th floor. Maurecia promises Todd she won't punch him in the arm if he sits with her. Todd doesn't believe her and says she will always try to punch him. Dana explains to Todd that she was never rough do to her kind nature back when Mrs. Gorf was their teacher. From there Dana explains who Mrs. Gorf was and how different their class was before Todd came when Mrs. Jewls was sick.

## Characters

* Geography teacher
* Eric Fry
* Eric Ovens
* Eric Bacon
* Maurecia
* Todd
* Stephen
* Joe
* Elizabeth
* Myron
* Unnamed students
* Yodana
* Fluffy
* Mrs. Gorf (cartoon debut)
* John
* Leslie
* Jenny
* Bebe
* Rondi
* Shari
* Louis
* Cows
* Mr. Kidswatter
* Roger
* Unnamed teachers
* Kindergarten teacher
* Kindergarteners
* Gym teacher
* Miss Mush

## Trivia

* This is the only episode that is a direct adaptation of a chapter from the books, specifically, "Mrs. Gorf." Other episodes like "Meet the Pets" have elements from the books but are largely their own story. Despite this, many differences are present in the episode:
	+ The story of Mrs. Gorf is told as a flashback, rather than in present time.
		- As such, Todd is not a member of the class in the flashback, while he the third student (after Joe and John) transformed into an apple in the books.
	+ Mrs. Gorf is a substitute, rather than the original teacher of the class. This is likely because of the flashback in "Age of Aquarium."
	+ The dialogue in scenes taken from the books is often slightly different, such as Mrs. Gorf's opening narration and the scene with Louis.
	+ At the start of the episode, most of the students laugh off Mrs. Gorf, and are turned into apples, as contrasted to the books, where they feared her.
	+ Leslie is the first student transformed into an apple in the cartoon, whereas it is Joe in the books.
	+ As Todd is absent from the flashback, Eric Bacon is the first student that tells Mrs. Gorf it's not nice to turn students into apples.
	+ The Three Erics are turned into apples for telling Mrs. Gorf she isn't nice, rather than laughing after she trips over chalk.
	+ In the episode, it is never revealed why Joe, John, and Stephen are turned into apples, while this is shown in the book chapter. Conversely, why Myron and Dana are turned into apples is shown, while those students were never named in the original chapter.
	+ Louis only checks in on Mrs. Gorf's class once in this episode, while in the books he checks in twice.
	+ In the episode, Myron is turned into a potato, Fluffy is turned into a pineapple, and a cow is turned into a pumpkin. In the books, Mrs. Gorf is never seen turning others into anything but apples.
	+ When Maurecia runs out the door in the book chapter, she doesn't take the students transformed into apples with her. Here, she takes all of them to protect them.
	+ Maurecia is never turned into an apple.
	+ A plotline with Maurecia rescuing all the students transformed into apples that wasn't in the original chapter is introduced.
	+ Maurecia claims being turned into an apple is part of growing up, a line said by Deedee much later in the original book, in the chapter "Louis." Except Maurecia said "maybe" while Deedee said it like it was a well-known fact.
	+ In the episode, Maurecia throws the transformed students at Mrs. Gorf, while in the books, they are led by Todd andjump off the desk onto her.
	+ In the episode, Maurecia tells Mrs. Gorf to turn the kids back into apples, while in the books, this line is said by Todd.
	+ Towards the end of the original chapter, when Maurecia says they should get Louis because he'll know what to do, Mrs. Gorf tries turning her into an apple again. She does this without precedent in the episode.
	+ Maurecia holds out a mirror to turn Mrs. Gorf into an apple, rather than Jenny.
	+ In the episode, Mrs. Gorf's fate is left ambiguous, while in the books, it is stated that Louis ate her.
	+ The episode takes place over the course of a day, while the original chapter took place over the course of a week.
* This is the only appearance of Mrs. Gorf in the cartoon.