Recess

1. The Break In

Sep 13, 1997 · 11 min

The main kids try to get all the other kids to help rescue T.J. when Miss Finster punishes him by making him miss recess.

2. The New Kid

Sep 13, 1997 · 11 min

New kid Gus arrives at Third Street Elementary, but has to endure the indignities that a new kid must undergo.

3. The Experiment

Sep 20, 1997 · 11 min

The kids carry out a crucial experiment to see if it's really true that kissing each other is an inevitable part of their future.

4. The Great Jungle Gym Stand Off

Sep 20, 1997 · 11 min

The kids stage a protest when Principal Prickly plans to tear down Ol' Rusty to replace it with a new jungle gym.

5. Jinxed

Sep 27, 1997 · 11 min

The Ashleys jinx Gus according to the playground rules so that he can't talk until his friends say his name.

6. Officer Mikey

Sep 27, 1997 · 11 min

The others try to help out when Mikey wants to be a safety ranger.

7. First Name Ashley

Oct 4, 1997 · 11 min

The Ashleys try to force Spinelli to be just like them when Spinelli's first name is revealed.

8. To Finster with Love

Oct 4, 1997 · 11 min

The kids help bring Miss Finster together with Hank the janitor when they find out she has a crush on him.

9. King Gus

Oct 11, 1997 · 11 min

Bob installs Gus as a substitute king while he has a tonsilectomy, figuring Gus will be easy to control - but Gus turns into a despot instead.

10. Big Brother Chad

Oct 11, 1997 · 11 min

The kids, and Vince himself, come to the awful realization that Vince's once popular older brother Chad has grown up into a geek.

11. My Fair Gretchen

Oct 18, 1997 · 11 min

The kids come up with a plan to keep Gretchen from being transferred to Oppenheimer Elementary for the Incredibly Extremely Gifted.

12. Speedy, We Hardly Knew Ye

Oct 18, 1997 · 11 min

The kids stage an elaborate funeral for the 4th grade class's beloved hamster, wherein they learn about how many lives the hamster has touched.

13. I Will Kick No More Forever

Oct 25, 1997 · 11 min

Vince completely loses his confidence at playing kickball when Ashley Q. beats him in a game.

14. The Kid Came Back

Oct 25, 1997 · 11 min

A weird little boy keeps tagging along behind the kids, apparently causing a streak of bad luck.

15. The Pest

Nov 1, 1997 · 11 min

Jeffrey, an annoying jerk of a boy, insists that Gretchen will be his girlfriend.

16. The Legend of Big Kid

Nov 1, 1997 · 11 min

What do the kindergarteners have planned for T.J. when they capture him?

17. The Box

Nov 8, 1997 · 11 min

Miss Finster comes up with a new punishment that reduces T.J. to a vegetable.

18. The Trial

Nov 8, 1997 · 11 min

Randall accuses Spinelli of hitting him with a rock during a dirt clod war so the kids put her on trial.

19. Teachers Lounge

Nov 15, 1997 · 11 min

The kids dream about what the teachers' lounge must be like.

20. Randall's Reform

Nov 15, 1997 · 11 min

Loneliness compels Randall to want to make friends with the other kids.

21. Rainy Days

Nov 22, 1997 · 11 min

The kids grow increasingly frustrated when rain keeps then indoors for recess days on end.

22. The Great Can Drive

Nov 22, 1997 · 11 min

At first only Mikey wants to participate in the Thanksgiving can drive competition against the unbeatable Ashleys. But then the other kids join in to beat the Ashleys.

23. The Voice

Jan 10, 1998 · 11 min

Principal Prickly needs Mikey to sing the National Anthem at the PTA Spring Fling, but Mikey only sings well in the bathroom. So he brings in a music teacher to bring the Robert Goulet out of Mikey.

24. Kids in the Mist

Jan 10, 1998 · 11 min

The kids deal with a pompous expert on child research who wants to study them as they play.

25. Parents' Night

Jan 17, 1998 · 11 min

Spinelli will do anything to keep her parents from attending parents' night and meeting the others.

26. Swing on Thru to the Other Side

Jan 17, 1998 · 11 min

Spinelli is inspired to form a cult based on the Swinger Girl when she thinks she's seen her swing over the top into another dimension.

1. The Break-Up

Sep 12, 1998 · 11 min

The gang breaks up when they are forced to choose a best friend to write about.

2. The Hypnotist

Sep 12, 1998 · 11 min

A hypnotist performing for the kids inadvertantly hypnotizes Principal Prickly into thinking he's six years old.

3. Mama's Girl

Sep 19, 1998 · 11 min

Spinelli gets labelled a mama's girl when she inadvertantly calls Ms. Grotke ""Mama.""

4. Outcast Ashley

Sep 19, 1998 · 11 min

Ashley A. hooks up with Gretchen when she sins against the clique so gravely as to get thrown out.

5. The Game

Sep 26, 1998 · 11 min

Gus finds a tile from the game Ajimbo and soon the entire student body gets caught in its evil grasp.

6. The Lost Ball

Sep 26, 1998 · 11 min

Gus has to go to the Yard of No Return when he kicks a good kickball over the fence.

7. Gus' Last Stand

Oct 3, 1998 · 11 min

Gus winds up the new target of the school bully's wrath.

8. Operation Field Trip

Oct 3, 1998 · 11 min

All the kids go on a big field trip to MISOOE (The Museum of Industry, Science, Oceanography, Oddities and Energy). But Ol' Smokey, the beloved school bus, breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

9. The Challenge

Oct 10, 1998 · 11 min

A visit from Principal Prickly's brother Paul leads to a challenge between 3rd Street and 98th Street kickball teams.

10. Wild Child

Oct 10, 1998 · 11 min

In the "Pee Wee Pals" program, the main kids each have to take care of a kindergartner during recess.

11. The Substitute

Oct 31, 1998 · 11 min

Substitute teacher Mr. E. captivates all the kids with his command of authority, except T.J.

12. Gretchen and the Secret of Yo

Oct 31, 1998 · 11 min

Gretchen turns to former yo-yo champ Tommy Tate to learn how to master the yo-yo.

13. The Girl Was Trouble

Nov 7, 1998 · 11 min

Gretchen's search for her stolen laptop leads her on a journey among the school's delinquents that ultimately brings about her downfall.

14. Copycat Kid

Nov 7, 1998 · 11 min

Mikey wants to be exactly like Vince when Vince saves his life.

15. Operation Stuart

Nov 14, 1998 · 11 min

The kids take in a really ratty stray cat that they find near the dumpster, naming it Stuart.

16. Pharaoh Bob

Nov 14, 1998 · 11 min

King Bob orders the kids to build him a pyramid so that all future classes will remember him.

17. The Story of Whomps

Jan 9, 1999 · 11 min

Principal Prickly and Miss Finster deem T.J.'s word "whomps" as a cuss and punish him for it, starting a scandal that leads all the way to the board of education.

18. Weekend at Muriel's

Jan 9, 1999 · 11 min

Miss Finster agrees to babysit Spinelli for the weekend while her parents are away.

19. Economics of Recess

Dec 12, 1998 · 11 min

When the playground goes on the monsticker standard T.J. goes down the path from poverty to wealth.

20. Omega Kids

Dec 12, 1998 · 11 min

The main kids wish they could have the overcrowded school to themselves, then surprisingly get their wish.

21. Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave

Dec 26, 1998 · 22 min

Mikey is the only fourth grader who still believes in Santa Claus. He tries to convince the others Santa exists.

22. Bad Hair Day

Jan 16, 1999 · 11 min

T.J. and Vince manage to convince everyone that the bad haircut they gave Mikey is actually cool.

23. Dance Lessons

Jan 16, 1999 · 11 min

Spinelli's parents put her in Mlle. Povlova's dance school, where she teams up with Mikey.

24. Principal for a Day

Feb 27, 1999 · 11 min

Principal Prickly and Miss Finster plot to turn T.J. over to their own side by making him principal for a day.

25. The Beauty Contest

Feb 27, 1999 · 11 min

The Ashleys get back at Spinelli by entering her into the Kiddie Cosmetics Little Miss Blush Beauty Pageant. But her friends talk Spinelli into trying to beat the Ashleys in the pageant.

1. One Stayed Clean

Sep 11, 1999 · 11 min

On class picture day, the kids vow to keep Gus clean as he's never had a class picture of him taken.

2. A Genius Among Us

Sep 11, 1999 · 11 min

Someone else besides Gretchen is a math genius, and through math, Gretchen starts a close relationship with this person.

3. Dodgeball City

Sep 18, 1999 · 11 min

The main kids discover that Gus was once a notorious dodgeball player who went by the name of El Diablo.

4. A Career to Remember

Sep 18, 1999 · 11 min

A career day assembly gets all the kids to decide their future careers. That is all except Spinelli.

5. Kindergarten Derby

Sep 25, 1999 · 11 min

Every year the older kids pick kindergarteners to race in the Kindergarten Derby. This year an eager Tubby gets an unwilling Mikey to sponsor him in the race.

6. The Bet

Sep 25, 1999 · 11 min

Fed up with Vince's ego, the kids bet Vince that he can't go one whole day without beating someone in a sport.

7. Space Cadet

Oct 2, 1999 · 11 min

T.J. takes charge when Gretchen seems to achieve a dream that T.J.'s always had, to be an astronaut on the space shuttle.

8. Stand Up Randall

Oct 2, 1999 · 11 min

Randall becomes popular when he uses a joke book to make himself a standup comedian.

9. The Shiner

Nov 6, 1999 · 11 min

T.J. shows up in school with a black eye. Everyone makes up wild stories about the heroic acts T.J. must have done to get the shiner.

10. Lord of the Nerds

Nov 6, 1999 · 11 min

T.J. breaks his clavicle and now has to spend recess with the ""pale kids"" in Room 51.

11. That Stinking Feeling

Nov 13, 1999 · 11 min

Spinelli gets a crush on a fifth grader and has to get over it to save her reputation.

12. My Funny Valentines

Nov 13, 1999 · 11 min

In his hatred of Valentine's Day, T.J. sends a ""funny"" valentine to every single girl on the playground to show them how stupid Valentine's Day is, but his plan soon backfires when the girls mistake them for ""real"" valentine cards.

13. The Barnaby Boys

Jan 15, 2000 · 11 min

T.J. and Vince are so into the "Barnaby Boys" books that they dress up like the Barnaby Boys and try to solve the mystery of the suspicious substitute janitor, Earl Raymond.

14. Buried Treasure

Jan 15, 2000 · 11 min

TJ receives an old history textbook with a treasure map that leads the gang, Randall, and the Ashleys out to get the treasure. But as they get closer, greed arises and the 4th graders fight for the treasure.

15. The Library Kid

Jan 22, 2000 · 11 min

When the gang catches the mysterious ""Libray Kid"", they take her out to recess where she becomes obssessed with the playground.

16. The Ratings Game

Jan 22, 2000 · 11 min

Everyone is segregrated once the Ashley's start giving ratings to everyone on the playground.

1. The First Picture Show

Sep 12, 1999 · 11 min

Señor Fusion: the Movie finally opens and T.J. vows to be there at its first screening.

2. The Big Prank

Sep 12, 1999 · 11 min

The kids rope T.J. into a challenge to play a prank on King Bob before the end of the school day.

3. Hustler's Apprentice

Sep 13, 1999 · 11 min

Gus winds up working for the Hustler Kid to pay off a debt, and soon he himself becomes the biggest hustler in the playground.

4. The Spy Who Came In from the Playground

Sep 13, 1999 · 11 min

The main kids make a friend of new kid James Stone and show him all their little schemes, but soon regret that.

5. Gus' Fortune

Sep 19, 1999 · 11 min

The kids find a paper fortune teller on the ground that predicts doom for Gus.

6. Rumor Mill

Sep 19, 1999 · 11 min

The kids want to find out who started a rumor that a boy knocked over Mikey's popcorn at the movies and Mikey then threw the boy into the girl's bathroom.

7. Recess is Cancelled

Sep 22, 1999 · 11 min

Secretary of Schools Garrison chooses 3rd Street School as the place to test his program to bring test scores up by cancelling recess.

8. Tattletale Heart

Sep 22, 1999 · 11 min

The kids warn Gus not to break the code by telling Miss Finster who started a food fight.

9. The Madness of King Bob

Sep 26, 1999 · 11 min

King Bob abandons his throne in his obsessive pursuit of pulling a prank on T.J. in this sequel to The Big Prank

10. Call Me Guy

Sep 26, 1999 · 11 min

Gus takes a new identity when he discovers that people think he's a different cool kid when he doesn't wear them. Too bad "Guy" can't see a thing.

11. Prickly is Leaving

Oct 3, 1999 · 11 min

Prickly finally gets his appointment to Spiro T. Agnew Middle School. But the kids try to make him stay after they meet the new Principal Slicer.

12. Randall's Friends

Oct 3, 1999 · 11 min

Randall gets the main kids to pretend that they're his friends when his father, Leonard, visits the school on Randall's birthday.

13. The Biggest Trouble Ever

Nov 7, 1999 · 11 min

The gang gets busted when they accidentally break a statue of a famous hero.

14. The Rules

Nov 7, 1999 · 11 min

The original 1935 edition of The Rules of the Playground is discovered in the library.

15. Gus and Misdemeanors

Nov 8, 1999 · 11 min

The bad kids from The Girl was Trouble trick Gus into shoplifting candy from Kelso's.

16. A Science Fair to Remember

Nov 8, 1999 · 11 min

Second grade prodigy Becky Benson befriends Gretchen to get help for her science fair project. But she has an ulterior motive.

17. Mikey's Pants

Nov 14, 1999 · 11 min

The gang tries to cover up Mikey's ripped pants so Finster won't catch him.

18. Here Comes Mr. Perfect

Nov 14, 1999 · 11 min

Jared, the new student, appears to be perfect, making the rest of the school very jealous.

19. Good Luck Charm

Nov 19, 1999 · 11 min

Spinelli gets too attached to the lucky marble that Vince loans her.

20. Diggers Split Up

Nov 19, 1999 · 11 min

Digger Dave quits digging and then bosses everyone around.

21. Schoolworld

Nov 21, 1999 · 11 min

The school gets a new technology system installed called the SAL 3000 which controls everything.

22. Bachelor Gus

Nov 21, 1999 · 11 min

Thinking his family is moving away again, Gus moves under the jungle gym to avoid leaving his friends and school

23. The Dude

Nov 28, 1999 · 11 min

T.J. and the gang meet Mr. Dudicoff, a student teacher who was a legend at 3rd Street School back in the day.

24. Partners in Crime

Nov 28, 1999 · 11 min

Menlo and Randall team up to manipulate the entire playground.

25. The Candidates

Nov 29, 1999 · 11 min

Gretchen and Vince both run for president.

26. This Brain for Hire

Nov 29, 1999 · 11 min

People start paying Gretchen for doing their homework so she can buy herself a new bike

27. Spinelli's Masterpiece

Feb 6, 2000 · 11 min

Spinelli channels her anger into a playground chalk drawing.

28. Nobody Doesn't Like T.J.

Feb 6, 2000 · 11 min

T.J. can't figure out why Gordy doesn't like him.

29. Yope from Norway

Feb 20, 2000 · 11 min

When a new kid from Norway comes to 3rd Street School, Gus befriends the kid by making him think that Gus is the hottest kid in the school.

30. Bonky Fever

Feb 20, 2000 · 11 min

Scared of turning 10 on his soon-to-be bithday, Mikey develops an obssession of becoming a little kid again so he won't have to grow up.

31. Don't Ask Me

Feb 21, 2000 · 11 min

Spinelli becomes popular as an advice giver when she sits in for Guru Kid.

32. The Secret Life of Grotke

Feb 21, 2000 · 11 min

Ms. Grotke's strange behavior makes the kids think that she's a spy.

33. The Fuss Over Finster

Feb 27, 2000 · 11 min

Miss Finster hurts her leg and can't keep up with the kids during recess.

34. Soccer Boy

Feb 27, 2000 · 11 min

Mikey makes the other kids regret not letting them play on their team for the playground's soccer tourney.

35. Fort Tender

Feb 29, 2000 · 11 min

The bored main kids build their own fort. But then Lawson takes it over.

36. Germ Warfare

Feb 29, 2000 · 11 min

Gus starts an obsessive crusade to kill all the germs in the world, while Mikey will do anything to save them.

37. More Like Gretchen

Mar 1, 2000 · 11 min

Spinelli gets peeved with her parents heap so much praise for Gretchen at her expense.

38. Prince Randall

Mar 1, 2000 · 11 min

Randall uses an embarrassing photo to blackmail King Bob into making him Playground Prince.

39. Me No Know

Apr 30, 2000 · 11 min

Vince feels like an outsider after he misses the must-see movie of the weekend.

40. Good Ole T.J.

Apr 30, 2000 · 11 min

Gretchen is worried when she's partnered with T.J. on a class project.

41. Chez Vince

May 7, 2000 · 11 min

Disgusted by the horrible cafeteria food, Vince becomes the new school cook when the other kids try his cooking.

42. Tucked In Mikey

May 7, 2000 · 11 min

Needing to prepare himself for a poet laureate ceremony, Mikey decides to listen to Menlo to learn how to organize himself.

43. Old Folks Home

Jul 17, 2000 · 11 min

Mikey badgers the gang into a trip to senior citizens home.

44. Some Friend

Jul 17, 2000 · 11 min

T.J. has a mysterious new friend.

1. The Coolest Heatwave Ever

Sep 9, 2000 · 11 min

During a burning hot day, the gang attempts to make it across the playground to the otherside where there is a water pump.

2. No Strings Attached

Sep 9, 2000 · 11 min

The gang is suspicious when the Ashleys give Spinelli six wrestling tickets.

3. Beyond a Reasonable Scout

Sep 16, 2000 · 11 min

Mikey and Gus want to join the Woodchuck Scouts.

4. The C Note

Sep 16, 2000 · 11 min

T.J. finds a $100 bill and along with the gang try to find out who lost it.

5. The Army Navy Game

Sep 23, 2000 · 11 min

Gus and Theresa (Cornchip Girl) have a hard time becoming friends due to their rivaling fathers.

6. Big Ol' Mikey

Sep 23, 2000 · 11 min

After Mikey helps Cornchip Girl off the climbing frame after she gets stuck, the gang wonder how big he will be. Gretchen and Galileo conduct a test to find out how big everyone will be when they are older, and Mikey's test says he will be 50 feet tall! The others find this cool and wonder what 50 foot Mikey could do, but Mikey isn't so sure that being 50 feet tall will be that great.

7. A Great State Fair

Oct 14, 2000 · 11 min

Gus must stay behind from the fair because he forgot his permission slip, while the rest of the gang try to figure out a way to get Gus to the fair.

8. The A.V. Kid

Oct 14, 2000 · 11 min

Vince and T.J. compete for the job as A.V. Kid, but their competition leads to a broken-up friendship between them.

9. The Principals of Golf

Nov 4, 2000 · 11 min

The kids think Vince is getting special treatment when he becomes Prickly's golf partner.

10. All the Principal's Men

Nov 4, 2000 · 11 min

The gang tries to find out who removed all the balls from the playground.

11. Lawson and His Crew

Jan 6, 2001 · 22 min

Tired of TJ and his friends getting all the glory from King Bob, Lawson decides to get a gang of his own together. He recruits Randall, Menlow, Swinger Girl, Skeenes and Kurst the Worst and together the six start solving the playground's problems and getting the glory. Of course TJ and his friends now have nothing to do, so they are left just talking and eventually realise that just being friends is much better than getting all the glory they used to have. Friends being something that Lawson and his crew are definitely not ...

5. Lost Leader

Nov 4, 2001 · 11 min

When one of T.J.s plans goes wrong and Gus breaks his leg he won't make another plan. It's up to the others to get T.J. back to his old self