"Recess is Cancelled" is the first segment of the thirty-eighth episode of Recess.
Synopsis[]
The Government officially cancels recess as part of an experiment, but things go wrong when the kids become slow-minded and so depressed that they fail their tests as a result.
Plot[]
The Secretary of State suggests to the President that they cancel recess so that test scores go up, feeling that recess is causing children to become distracted by their studies. They randomly pick Third Street School to test this theory, much to the consternation of the children and even the faculty. Soon, everyone begins to feel laconic and distant from each other and the rest of the school. Students go day in and out with little to no life in them while the faculty desperately looks to take a break themselves, such as the case with Miss Finster who has nothing to do and ends up arguing with Miss Lemon.
Contrary to the Secretary's theory, test scores end up faring worse, yet ironically he does not realize it is because of the removal of recess and sends agents in to interview the kids. They come to the conclusion that it is due to the fact that the kids have no way of physically expressing themselves and "invents" a new recess (pronounced wreck-ess) and implements it into Third Street. The kids head back outside again and soon regain their vitality. The Recess Gang also start to notice each other for the first time since the cancelation, but pay no mind to it. Back at the White House, the President congratulates himself on the new idea.
Cast[]
- Andrew Lawrence 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
- April Winchell as Muriel Finster
- Dabney Coleman as Peter Prickly
- Allyce Beasley as Miss Grotke
- Tress MacNeille as Miss Lemon, Agent Noble
- Klee Bragger as Gordy
- Paul Willson as Coach Klooger
- Frank Welker as Mr. Dunn
- John Forsythe as The President
- Gregg Berger as Secretary of Education, Agent Barnes, Steves
Trivia[]
- This episode serves as the foundation for the plot of Recess: School's Out. However, this would also create something of a continuity problem; seeing as how it was made perfectly clear that canceling recess would not improve anything, it is unlikely that such a thing would be tried again.
- This is one of the few times in a Disney Television Animation series that someone mentions God.
- Agent Barnes and Agent Noble are, of course, named after the book store chain Barnes & Noble.
- As the school slowly becomes more dull, the color starts to become more muted. Once recess is uncancelled, the color is back in full vibrancy as soon as the sun comes out.
External links[]
- Recess is Cancelled at the Recess Wiki