Recess (TV series)
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Recess was an American animated television series, created by Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere (both part of the Rugrats creative team), and produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. It centered around six elementary school best friends, who have various adventures during recess at their school.
The show premiered on ABC's 'One Saturday Morning' programming block on September 13 1997; its final first-run episode aired on November 4 2001. Along with Pepper Ann and Doug, Recess was one of One Saturday Morning's founding members. 'Recess' was a popular and successful show, and spun-off three direct-to-video films (one in 2001, two more in 2003) and an animated feature, '', in 2001. Reruns of the original show continue to air on Toon Disney in the U.S., as well as The Family Channel in Canada and in Australia. The show is very popular in the UK and Ireland.
With its barbed-wire enclosed schoolyard and military theme music, Recess is arguably a spoof of Hogan's Heroes. The "Old Folks Home" episode even featured T.J. visiting an aging "Rogan". The prissy "Ashleys", in turn, are arguably a play on the late-80s teen movie Heathers.
While some episodes involved realistic scenarios (such as the government canceling recess to get better test scores), some involved far-out situations (in one episode, Principal Prickly installed a Sal 3000 computer system, a spoof of and another episode where foul-language resulted in a Sharply dressed Government Clean-up man resembling Harvey Keitel's Mr Woolfe from Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction visiting the school to eradicate the recent 'potty mouthing').
The show will air as part of a new UK children's channel; CITV, which launched in March 2006.
Contents
Setting
The children attend Third Street Elementary School(Named after a wealthy man Thadius Third,the third), a school which is generally poorly funded and ill-managed. Its location is never given; instead it is supposed to represent a sort of "anywhere, USA" with the characters and settings being an amalgamation of traditional stereotypes and cliches associated with American youth and childhood.Most of the show's action takes place outside during the recess period, though other settings such as the classroom or the cafeteria are occasionally used.
Location
Different episodes give conflicting hints about where the school is, a literary technique similar to how the location of Springfield is handled on The Simpsons. For example, in the episode 'Spinelli's Masterpiece', the pale kids zoom down on an area of the U.S around Arkansas/South Dakota, and in another episode Ms. Finster mentions the Arkansas standard achievement test. Alternatively, other episodes mention Alabama, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.The town where Recess is set apparently has a large German-American community. There is a "Little Bavaria" neighborhood, characters sometimes speak German (Jawohl mein Kommandent) and many of the characters have German names, i.e. Gus Griswald, T.J. Dettweiler, Gretchen Grundler, M.P. Finster, Mikey Blumberg. This could be another clue to the location of the school, or another reference to Hogan's Heroes.
Time
The show depicts the 1997-1998 school year; 'The Lost Ball' episodes shows the pupils' high school graduation with the banner reading 'Class of 2006' (confirming the eight year gap between fourth grade and twelfth grade). In addition, Gus says in 'First Name Ashley' "Hey, this is the 90s". The show also began airing in 1997.On the other hand, the cartoon's artistic style evokes an earlier era through the character's fashions and appearances. The characters never seem to wear trendy clothes, and most of the girls wear long dresses, though that may be explained as part of the series' use of exaggerated cliches and stereotypes.
Recess Timing
The actual time and duration of the "Recess" period(s) is never clearly set out. The big clock often points to different times when kids are let out for recess. TJ at one point remarks "We only get 40 precious minutes of Recess a day." 10:00 is a time used in multiple instances, although there are also mentions of afternoon recess. Another discrepency is the time at which school ends, with the clock at dismisall often showing different times between 2 and 4 pm.The Playground
The playground has an organized system of government, a pastiche of the social hierarchy at elementary school. The students are ruled by a sixth-grader king, who is appointed by the previous monarch on the last day of school. The laws and the "Kids' Unwritten Code of Honor" are generally what kids think of in this age group (some laws are concerned about jinxing and tattle-tales). See also Children's street culture and Childhood secret club.Characters
Kids
Main characters
- Theodore Jasper "T.J." Detweiler, Jr. - The ringleader of his five best friends. He normally wears a red baseball cap backwards. T.J. usually spends time planning pranks against the teachers. He was voiced by Ross Malinger from 1997-1998, and Andrew Lawrence afterward.
- Vincent Pierre "Vince" LaSalle - A very talented athlete, Vince has been referred to as "cool" several times. He is one of the few African American students. He was voiced by Rickey D'Shon Collins.
- Ashley Funnicelo Spinelli - A feisty tomboy who enjoys pro wrestling. Almost always called by her surname, and was outraged when the other kids found out her first name. Her father looks Hispanic, while her mother looks white, which means Spinelli seems to be multiracial. Her middle name is stated in the episode "More Like Gretchen". Spinelli is an Italian name. Spinelli and T.J. may have crushes on each other. She was voiced by Pamela Segall.
- Gretchen P. Grundler - Academically talented and very intelligent. Known as "Smart Girl" to the older kids, such as King Bob. She was voiced by Ashley Johnson.
- Michael "Mikey" Blumberg - Large, likes to eat, and very philosophical: writes poetry, performs classical dance, and believes in notions of peace often dismissed by the others. He also loves to sing. He was voiced by Jason Davis; his singing voice was provided by Robert Goulet.
- Gustav Patton "Gus" Griswald - The newest kid in the grade (although it was revealed in a Recess TV special, "All Growed Down", that he spent a while in Third Street Elementary as a kindergartener before being hauled out the next day). He is also very short. He was voiced by Courtland Mead.
Secondary Characters
- Randall C. Weems - The snitch of the playground and Ms. Finster's informant, Randall frequently proves the chief antagonist to the Recess gang. He could be modeled on Richard Nixon. Randall was voiced by Ryan O'Donohue.
- King Bob (Robert) - The "king" of the playground. He once appointed himself pharaoh when he realised that no one remembered the three kings before him (no one would since the other kids were too young). Generally he is a good but arrogant leader. He was voiced by Toran Caudell.
- Erwin Lawson - Vince's sports rival, he usually goes by his last name. Lawson is also one of the school bullies. He has a very limited imagination, being unable to come up with all but the lamest nicknames and insults (for example, he called a fort on the playground, "Fort Fort", he named his soccer team "The Winning Guys" and made fun of Gus's dodgeball alias, "El Diablo", by calling him "El Di-Loser"). He was voiced by Erik von Detten.
- Menlo - A kid who spends recess indoors, helping Miss Lemon, Principal Prickly's secretary. In one episode it was revealed that he was once T.J.'s best friend, and in another we are told that he used to be an uncontrollable kid until he was selected as Principal For A Day. He was voiced by Blake McIver Ewing.
- The Ashleys (Ashley Armbruster, Ashley Boulet, Ashley Quinlan, and Ashley Tomassian) - Four girls who are best friends and all share the same first name. They view themselves as perfect and spend their time putting on make-up, having tea parties, and playing with dolls. The Ashleys are often the targets of pranks that are pulled off by T.J. and his friends. The Ashleys each have a younger brother and a younger sister (the Tylers and the Britneys). They also are commonly referred to by their last initial (for example, Ashley A.). Ashley T. rarely speaks, but when she does speak, she is voiced by Gretchen's voice actor Ashley Johnson. The Ashleys have their own fort made out of rubber tires, which is elaborately decorated on the inside. They have a book of rules intended for all Ashleys to follow. In the episode where Spinelli's first name was discovered, The Ashleys attempted to assimilate Spinelli into their club, but failed.
- Theresa "Cornchip Girl" LaMaise - A girl who is usually seen eating corn (maize) chips. Like Gus, she also has a military family; her father is in the United States Navy. Gus' father and her own father are rivals. She is voiced by Aria Noelle Curzon.
- The Diggers (Digger Dave and Digger Sam) - twin brothers who spend all of their time digging holes. from time to time, they also help T.J. and the gang with most of their pranks and plots. They are sometimes known to try to dig to China or dig for treasure.
- Guru Kid, a.k.a. Jimmy - Guru Kid provides spiritual advice for students. He wears his shirt as a turban.
- Hustler Kid, a.k.a. Francis - A black market trader who provides various items for the kids, such as comics, maps to teachers' houses, and rare airplane models. His name was revealed on the episode "the "Gus'ler kid."
- Upside-down Girl - Spends her recess hanging upside down from monkey bars. She also has a very short temper when bothered.
- Butch - Butch is a conspiracy theorist, with a white streak in his hair. He got this upon seeing that older boys and girls enjoy kissing one another.
- Swinger Girl - Swinger Girl, also known as Swinger Kid, spends all of her recess on the swings, trying to achieve her greatest ambition of swinging over the top. Wears a leather aviator jacket and headpiece, probably an homage to Amelia Earhart. She also helps T.J. and the gang with their plans but has helped Lawson occasionally.
- Crier Kid, a.k.a. Bradley - Rarely mentioned, Cryer Kid works as a "professional crier", that is he cries in order to distract elder staff to benefit the other kids. He agrees to work for the Recess gang and Randall for a dollar and two candy bars in the episode "Randall's Reform".
- Library Kid - She was discovered by the group when they went to the library to find a book for a book report. Addressed simply as "Library Kid", she was very shy, small, and very knowledgeable about locations in the library. She spends her recess in the library. In one episode, the kids released her from the library in order to show her that the true enjoyment of recess is in the playground. She then turns out to be hyperactive and eventually manages to gain control over herself after being rescued by firefighters.
- Kirsten Kurst- Also known as "Kurst the Worst", she is a glutton and is a generally unpleasant character; however, when Mikey is kind towards her, she become a rather more pleasant and civilized character in the episode "Kurst-the-not-so-bad".
- Little Jimmy Kratmer - a kid seen only once but to whom Butch often refers. He has supposedly had all sorts of horrible things happen to him, such as being abducted by aliens. Butch often evokes his name to warn the others. His one appearance comes at the end of "The Experiment" where he is deposited back on the playground just as recess ends by the aliens Butch spoke of. He is shown only very briefly on the empty playground before running into the school, and the only clue that it is in fact Jimmy on the alien spaceship.
- Gelman- the school bully. When his favourite victim changes schools, he chooses Gus as a replacement. Gus stands up to him and all the other children back him up. Gelman and Gus later become friends.
- The Pale Kids - a group of kids who do not go outside to play during recess, instead, they stay in and play various card and board games, or read comic books.
- Fillmore - a bully who is very mean to "Cornchip Girl".
- A/V Kid - a student who acts as an assistant to the staff by repairing the somewhat dilapidated projectors when they break down. Though Vince as well as T.J., possibly motivated by the perk of an unrestricted hall pass, compete for the coveted spot of his replacement, neither of them get the position because they help each other in the final trial. A/V Kid considers this to be a sign that they are not sufficiently self-reliant to handle the responsibilities of the job.
- Stinky Peterson - a boy much like Little Jimmy Kratmer, he is used as a fallback for terrible playground rumors. These include things like failing the 4th grade standardized test and being sent back to kindergarten and receiving a "Doom Message" from a paper fortune teller. These disasters usually befall the main characters, but they are often revealed to be untrue in the end.
Teachers & Staff
- Principal Peter Prickly - The principal of Third Street School, who is also known by adults in several episodes as "Petey". He hopes to one day be promoted out of Third Street and into a middle school, although when the opportunity did arise, he decided to stay, reciprocating the loyalty Miss Finster and the children have shown to him and the school.
- Miss Muriel P. Finster - The elderly, heavyset, draconian teacher in charge of keeping order on the playground. Although she seems uptight and militaristic, we learn in a Recess special that she used to be a kind, grandmotherly old teacher until one student caused a lot of trouble, triggering her so-called "dark side". In the movie and an episode where the kids were digging through some old yearbooks, it is revealed that she was once a beautiful, thin, young hippie, although her voice sounded exactly the same (rough and throaty).
- Ms. Grotke - The 4th Grade Teacher at Third Street, she is African-American, and somewhat New Age, but is popular among her pupils.
- Hank the Janitor - Hank briefly had a romantic relationship with Ms. Finster, and in another episode it was revealed that he is a mathematical genius (presumably an homage to Good Will Hunting).
- Miss Lemon - Principal Prickly's secretary. Is elderly, and rarely smiles. She works alongside Menlo to ensure notes and letters are organised.
- Mr Yamashiro - A teacher who is frequently in the Teacher's Lounge (evidenced when Vince was in second grade and tries to deliver a report to the said room and two years later when the kids try to sneak into the same room) and drives a lime green convertable.
- Frank Skinner or Superintendent Skinner, is the school inspector of the district. Sometimes, he appears at the school and inspects the place. He may be inspired by the behavioralist B.F. Skinner.
- Miss Furley mentioned rarely in Recess, but seen with glasses. She is the Ashleys' 4th grade teacher from the Thanksgiving can drive episode.
Episodes
Season 1 - 1997-98 (ABC)
- The Break In / The New Kid
- Parents' Night / Swing on Thru to the Other Side
- First Name Ashley / To Finster with Love
- King Gus / Big Brother Chad
- My Fair Gretchen / Speedy, We Hardly Knew Ye
- I Will Kick No More Forever / The Kid Came Back
- The Pest / The Legend of Big Kid
- The Box / The Trial
- Teachers Lounge / Randall's Reform
- Rainy Days / The Great Can Drive
- Jinxed / The Great Jungle Gym Standoff
- The Experiment / Officer Mikey
- The Voice / Kids in the Mist
Season 2 - 1998-99 (ABC)
- The Game / The Lost Ball
- Gus' Last Stand / Operation Field Trip
- The Challenge / Wild Child
- The Substitute / Gretchen and the Secret of Yo
- The Girl was Trouble / Copycat Kid
- Operation Stuart / Pharaoh Bob
- Mama's Girl / The Hypnotist
- Economics of Recess / Omega Kids
- Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave
- The Story of Whomps / Weekend at Muriel\'s
- Bad Hair Day / Dance Lessons
- Principal for a Day / The Beauty Contest
- The Break Up / Outcast Ashley
Season 3 - 1999-2000 (ABC)
- One Stayed Clean / A Genius Among Us
- Dodgeball City / A Career to Remember
- Kindergarten Derby / The Bet
- Space Cadet / Stand Up Randall
- That Stinking Feeling / Lord of the Nerds
- The Shiner / My Funny Valentines
- The Barnaby Boys / Buried Treasure
- The Library Kid / The Ratings Game
Season 4 - 1999-2000 (UPN)
- The First Picture Show / The Big Prank
- Hustler's Apprentice / The Spy Who Came In from the Playground
- Gus's Fortune / Rumor Mill
- Recess is Cancelled / Tattletale Heart
- The Madness of King Bob / Call Me Guy
- Prickly Is Leaving / Randall's Friends
- The Biggest Trouble Ever / The Rules
- Gus and Misdemeanors / A Science Fair to Remember
- Mikey's Pants / Here Comes Mr. Perfect
- Good Luck Charm / Diggers Split Up
- Schoolworld / Bachelor Gus
- The Dude / Partners in Crime
- The Candidates / This Brain for Hire
- Spinelli's Masterpiece / Nobody Doesn't Like T.J.
- Yope from Norway / Bonkey Fever
- Don't Ask Me / The Secret Life of Grotke
- The Fuss over Finster / Soccer Boy
- Fort Tender / Germ Warfare
- More Like Gretchen / Prince Randall
- Me No Know / Good Ole T.J.
- Chez Vince / Tucked In Mikey
- Old Folks Home / Some Friend
Season 5 - 2000-2001 (ABC)
- The Coolest Heatwave Ever / No Strings Attached
- Beyond a Reasonable Scout / The C Note
- The Army-Navy Game / Big Ol' Mikey
- A Great State Fair / The A.V. Kid
- The Principals of Golf / All the Principal\'s Men
- Lawson's Crew
Season 6 - 2001 (ABC)
- Terrifying Tales of Recess
- Kurst the Not So Bad / League of Randalls
- Mundy, Mundy / Lost Leader
External links
- [Disney's Recess at Toon Disney]
- [Recess] at TV.com
- [Fort Tender Fansite]
- [Kids of the Playground (Fansite)]
- [Recess titles and air dates guide]
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