The BEST episodes of Recess

Every episode of Recess ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Recess!

Six brave fourth-graders at Third Street School make it their mission to protect the other kids on the playground. Despite the rule of King Bob and his minions, who enforce his unwritten laws, T.J, Ashley, Vince, Gus, Gretchen and Mikey seek a rational balance between conformity and individuality.

Last Updated: 1/25/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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The Story of Whomps
star
8.60
25 votes

#1 - The Story of Whomps

Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 1/9/1999

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.

Directors: Chuck Sheetz
Writer: Mark Drop
Bachelor Gus
star
8.41
17 votes

#2 - Bachelor Gus

Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 11/7/1999

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

Watch Now:Amazon
Economics of Recess
star
8.41
27 votes

#3 - Economics of Recess

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 12/12/1998

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

Directors: Howy Parkins
Watch Now:Amazon
Call Me Guy
star
8.14
14 votes

#4 - Call Me Guy

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 9/26/1999

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.

Writer: Ford Riley
Watch Now:Amazon
The Barnaby Boys
star
8.09
23 votes

#5 - The Barnaby Boys

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/15/2000

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.

Watch Now:Amazon
The First Picture Show
star
8.04
24 votes

#6 - The First Picture Show

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/12/1999

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

Watch Now:Amazon
Buried Treasure
star
8.04
25 votes

#7 - Buried Treasure

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/15/2000

T.J. 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.

Watch Now:Amazon
Pharaoh Bob
star
8.04
26 votes

#8 - Pharaoh Bob

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 11/14/1998

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

Watch Now:Amazon
Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave
star
8.00
41 votes

#9 - Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave

Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 12/26/1998

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

Directors: Susie Dietter
Bad Hair Day
star
8.00
26 votes

#10 - Bad Hair Day

Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 1/16/1999

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

Watch Now:Amazon
The Secret Life of Grotke
star
8.00
12 votes

#11 - The Secret Life of Grotke

Season 4 - Episode 34 - Aired 11/28/1999

The gang believe that Miss Grotke is a spy. But is she spying for or against America?

Old Folks Home
star
8.00
1 votes

#12 - Old Folks Home

Season 4 - Episode 45 - Aired 2/27/2000

The Recess Gang take a visit to the Old Folks' Home, only to be surprised.

Watch Now:Amazon
Some Friend
star
8.00
2 votes

#13 - Some Friend

Season 4 - Episode 46 - Aired 2/27/2000

T.J. has a mysterious friend who appears to be Menlo.

Watch Now:Amazon
First Name Ashley
star
7.96
52 votes

#14 - First Name Ashley

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/4/1997

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

Watch Now:Amazon
Omega Kids
star
7.91
22 votes

#15 - Omega Kids

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 12/12/1998

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

Writer: Steve Bannos
Watch Now:Amazon
Gus' Last Stand
star
7.88
25 votes

#16 - Gus' Last Stand

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/3/1998

Gus winds up the new victim of bully Gelman's wrath.

Watch Now:Amazon
Weekend at Muriel's
star
7.87
39 votes

#17 - Weekend at Muriel's

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 1/9/1999

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

Directors: Chuck Sheetz
The Break-Up
star
7.87
39 votes

#18 - The Break-Up

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/12/1998

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

Watch Now:Amazon
The Spy Who Came in from the Playground
star
7.86
21 votes

#19 - The Spy Who Came in from the Playground

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/13/1999

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

Directors: Chuck Sheetz
Watch Now:Amazon
The Great Jungle Gym Stand Off
star
7.85
81 votes

#20 - The Great Jungle Gym Stand Off

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/20/1997

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

Writer: Joseph Purdy
Watch Now:Amazon
The Trial
star
7.84
32 votes

#21 - The Trial

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 11/8/1997

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

Watch Now:Amazon
Wild Child
star
7.84
25 votes

#22 - Wild Child

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 10/10/1998

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

Directors: Chuck Sheetz
Writer: Mark Drop
Watch Now:Amazon
Dodgeball City
star
7.84
31 votes

#23 - Dodgeball City

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/18/1999

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

Watch Now:Amazon
The C Note
star
7.83
18 votes

#24 - The C Note

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/1/2000

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

Writer: Steve Ochs
Watch Now:Amazon
Dance Lessons
star
7.83
23 votes

#25 - Dance Lessons

Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 1/16/1999

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

Directors: Chuck Sheetz
Writer: Phil Walsh
Watch Now:Amazon