Plot Synopsis

In this half-hour hidden camera prank series, celebrities are transformed by a team of special effects artists to go undercover as substitute teachers to surprise a class of unsuspecting students. During the reveal, a $25,000 donation is made to each school or organization.

THE SUBSTITUTE premiered its first episode on April Fool's Day 2019 (Monday, April 1) at 2pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. The series opener features guest star Jace Norman, as he goes undercover at Luther Burbank Middle School to prank students in a variety of subjects ranging from gym to science. Using full prosthetics and a fool-proof costume, a team of special effects artists transform Norman into a completely unrecognizable substitute teacher who is ready to give his students an unforgettable surprise. This installment of THE SUBSTITUTE coincides with the 40th anniversary of Nickelodeon, which launched on April 1, 1979.

Nearly seven weeks later -- on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 8pm ET/PT -- Nickelodeon debuted a second sneak-peek episode, featuring YouTube star Lilly Singh. Lily goes undercover as a stranger substitute teacher at Woodrow Wilson Middle School, where she pushes students to their limits with her bizarre behavior. Following these two specials, THE SUBSTITUTE was picked up for a full 10-episode order.

THE SUBSTITUTE returned for its official series premiere on Friday, October 4, 2019 at 7pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. In the series opener, John Cena pranks campers at the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills in Monrovia, CA, where he goes under cover as three completely unrecognizable camp counselors: a quirky environmentalist, a fearful fire safety expert, and a CPR instructor with an unusual best friend.
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The sophomore season of THE SUBSTITUTE premiered on Saturday, October 31, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Joining the series as host is Juanpa Zurita, who will help undercover celebrities pull off a day of ridiculous mayhem as the substitutes for unsuspecting kids.

In season opener, actress, recording artist and author Ariel Martin (aka Baby Ariel) goes undercover at a haunted house to pull off ghoulishly wacky pranks on kids visiting with the Q Youth Foundation. Using a full costume and prosthetics to hide her identity, Martin is transformed into three completely unrecognizable characters, pranking students as an apothecary shop owner who is often suspected of being a witch, a field trip volunteer and full-time ghost hunter who is desperate to finally prove their existence and a haunted house employee whose biggest adversary is a scarecrow.