Ep 8. Helga's Boyfriend/Crush on Teacher

In Hey Arnold! season 2 episode 8, titled "Helga's Boyfriend/Crush on Teacher," the show dives into the complicated romantic life of Arnold's classmate Helga. In the first half of the episode, Helga goes to great lengths to make it appear that she has a boyfriend named "Cecil" in order to make Arnold jealous. She enlists her schoolmates to help her create fake love letters and have him call her on the phone. However, things quickly become complicated when it turns out that there actually is a boy named Cecil in their class, causing Helga to panic and try to cover up her lie.

In the second half of the episode, another romantic complication arises when Helga develops a crush on her teacher, Mr. Simmons. She becomes obsessed with him, writing his name on her notebook and daydreaming about him during class. She even goes so far as to sneak into the school at night to leave a love poem in his desk, but ends up getting caught by Mr. Simmons himself.

Throughout the episode, Helga's actions are driven by her fear of vulnerability and her desire to protect herself from getting hurt. She uses lies and fantasies as a way to shield herself from her own emotions and the harsh realities of relationships. However, as the episode progresses, she starts to realize the limits of this approach and begins to confront her feelings head-on, leading to some surprising and heartwarming moments.

Overall, "Helga's Boyfriend/Crush on Teacher" is a charming and relatable episode that explores the ups and downs of adolescent romance with humor and sensitivity.