"Economics of Recess" is the first segment of the twenty-third episode of Recess.
Synopsis[]
T.J. discovers that while he was out sick, the school has undergone a currency implementation, Monster Stickers. At first, T.J. is broke, but through hard work and investments, he becomes the richest kid in school and grows mad with power.
Plot[]
T.J. returns to school after having been sick for a week. Upon reuniting with his friends, he is surprised to find that basic things such as entering the school to drinking from the water fountain requires that he pay with Mon Stickers, cheap stickers with monsters on them. Realizing that he has nothing to pay with, Mikey gives him one sticker, but the only thing he can do that requires one is lay down on the lawn. The Recess Gang head over to Kelso's to get more, only to find that they have sold out. Menlo, who has gotten popular with the new economic system, buys T.J.'s hat for five Mon Stickers. After getting a newsboy hat, T.J. decides to work hard to get more.
T.J. starts doing odd jobs around the playground and quickly gets paid. He gets a repertoire for being reliable and hires Randall as his assistant after "buying" all the balls that he gives out and essentially taking over his "business". Soon, he gets to a point that he starts to hire other kids to do the work while he collects the full payment. He begins to ignore his friends and takes over 80% of the playground, turning into a mogul. Menlo, having lost his Mon Stickers, pathetically returns and sells T.J.'s old hat back for one Mon Sticker. Randall becomes afraid of T.J. after all the kids have stopped playing and runs away.
T.J. returns to school the next day to see that everyone is playing again. When he tries to use his Mon Stickers to take part in the activities, he discovers, to his horror, that no one takes Mon Stickers anymore as everyone has switched to Lick 'n' Stickers, essentially leaving him broke. The Gang reunite with T.J., and he apologizes for the way he treated them. They in turn offer him a contract stating that he will no longer take more than 10% the Lick 'n' Stickers on the playground. He signs it, only to tell the Gang that he has to get back to work to try and collect more, much to their concern.
Cast[]
- Ross Malinger as T.J. Detweiler
- Rickey D'Shon Collins as Vince LaSalle
- Pamela Adlon as Ashley Spinelli
- Ashley Johnson as Gretchen Grundler
- Jason Davis as Mikey Blumberg
- Courtland Mead as Gus Griswald
- Ryan O'Donohue as Randall Weems, Digger Dave, Kid #3, Kid #4
- Klee Bragger as Digger Sam, Phil
- Anndi McAfee as Ashley Armbruster
- Francesca Marie Smith as Ashley Boulet, Swinger Girl
- Rachel Crane as Ashley Quinlan, Kid #6
- Lane Toran as King Bob
- Blake Ewing as Menlo
- Paul Wilson as Aaron Kelso
- Erik von Detten as Safety Officer #1, Safety Officer #3, Kid #1, Kid #2
- Justin Shenkarow as Safety Officer #2
- Elizabeth Daily as Kid #5
Trivia[]
- This episode apparently confirms that T.J. views Spinelli as his second-in-command as she took over when he was sick.
- As evidenced by the title of the episode, the main theme revolves around world economics, particularly Marxist capitalism.
External links[]
- Economics of Recess at the Recess Wiki
