Top 10 Savage Moments on Recess
#10: Spinelli Gets Put on the Hot Seat
“The Trial” Recess never shied away from showing just how ruthless kids can be— especially when they think an injustice has been done. In the ‘Trial” episode, Spinelli is accused of throwing a rock in a dirt-clod war. To the kids of the playground, this is considered the height of cowardly and unsportsmanlike behavior. This leaves Spinelli to be put on trial. While she sits in front of a jury of her peers, she gets roasted by her friend/prosecutor Gretchen during the opening statement. Her fellow students also don’t hold back their disapproval. It’s clear the heat of the trial caused the comments to get a bit carried away. Luckily, Spinelli endures the roasts until the kids figure out who was really responsible for the rock.
#9: Miss Finster’s New Punishment
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“The Box” T.J. Detweiler is a very resilient kid. But when Miss Finster contrives a cruel new punishment, we feared that his spirit would be broken. Instead of the typical detention, she forces T.J. to stand in isolation within a chalk box on the playground where no one’s allowed to get close to him. The seemingly tame punishment breaks him and he fully falls into a fearful trance. Miss Finster’s delight at seeing him reduced to a sorry state shows how savage she was. In the end, the only way T.J. can be cured of his fear is by getting sent back in the box and facing it head on. Miss Finster also ends up genuinely disappointed that her harsh punishment fell through.
#8: Gus Becomes a Tyrant
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“King Gus” When Gus is given temporary leadership over the playground, the fourth grader is initially very scared of what lies ahead. But it’s not long before he starts to take advantage of his new position. At first, Gus is brutal towards anyone who fails to live up to his requests. But he soon becomes a tyrant that throws kids in jail for the slightest misdemeanor. Not even the little ones or his close friends are safe from the wrath of King Gus. Given that he’s normally a kind soul, it was surprising to see him become a power-hungry madman. It’s easy to see why Gus is dropped back into obscurity as soon as the true king returns.
#7: Gordy’s Feud with T.J
“Nobody Doesn’t Like T.J” There comes a time in life when a person must learn that not everyone is going to like you. And that’s okay. For someone like T.J. though, this is a bitter pill to swallow. Gordy isn’t shy about how much he dislikes the protagonist. Everything gets worse when T.J tries his hardest to get his classmate on his side. During each of their interactions, Gordy’s dislike only seems to grow. And his comments only get more brutal as the story goes on. But after T.J. jumps through a lot of hoops to win him over, Gordy flat out rejects any chance of friendship. Seeing this minor character reject the hero was a good lesson that you can’t win ‘em all.
#6: The Way Everyone Treats Randall
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Various Unlike T.J, Randall isn’t the most like-able kid on the playground. Yes, he’s a teacher’s pet who sneaks on everyone, crosses plenty of lines and is generally a bit pathetic. That all leads to Randall being on the receiving end of some of the most savage put downs in the show. But would it hurt the other kids to take pity on Randall once in a while? Maybe if he had some friends he wouldn’t spend as much time hanging around Miss Finster and getting people in trouble. While Randall’s not a great person, the kid might be more bearable if people were a little less brutal to him on a regular basis.
#5: T.J. Gets Rich
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“The Economics of Recess” After missing a few days of school, T.J. returns to discover that mon-stickers have become the currency of the playground and it’s hard to get by without them. Brought low by his lack of stickers, he’s forced to sell his trademark hat to Menlo while receiving harsh comments. T.J. eventually works his way up with unsavory methods and becomes a powerful businessman. Before long, he becomes an untouchable rich kid who’s willing to throw money around just to make a savage statement. He even gets revenge on the kid who sold his hat in a rough scene. The only thing that brings T.J. down off his high horse is a major change in the playground economy.
#4: Vince Finds Out That His Brother is a Geek
“Big Brother Chad” Vince LaSalle is one of the coolest kids in Third Street Elementary. And as far as everyone remembers, his big brother Chad is even cooler. But when the two bros meet up at school, a shocking truth is revealed: Chad is kind of a geek. Not a single person on the playground holds back their disappointment. Although Vince attempts to block out all the criticism, the cruel comments from his classmates eventually get to him. The kid nearly loses his mind upon realizing Chad isn’t the person who thought he was. Fortunately, the eldest brother doesn’t mind all of the criticisms hurled his way. In the end, Chad’s pride in who he is leads Vince to think his sibling is just as great.
#3: Spinelli Calls Miss Grotkey “Mama”
“Mama’s Girl” Calling a teacher mom is a uniquely embarrassing phenomenon. But for Ashley Spinelli, it’s on a whole other level. Spinelli’s the tough kid who rarely lets herself be vulnerable. So, when she Miss Grotkey mom, it’s the end of the world for her. Kids who are usually too intimidated to ever try and make fun of her can’t let this one go. Even the adult staff at the school roasts her relentlessly for the slip of the tongue. After enduring lots of torment, Spinelli is pretty much ready to transfer to another country entirely. It’s not until her friends say the phrase publicly too that the spell is broken. But for a while, it looked like Spinelli would never get over this public humiliation.
#2: The Ashleys Rate Everyone Out of 10
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“The Ratings Game” While King Bob may rule with an iron fist and Randall is naturally at the bottom of the food chain, the social hierarchy of the Third Street playground is not that strict. In “The Ratings Game” the Ashleys try their best to change that by presenting each of the kids with a number out of ten. These social rankings definitely shake up the playground. Friendships are divided, lines are drawn and T.J feels his influence slipping away thanks to his pitiful ‘five.’ It’s especially hard on poor Gus though. He doesn’t even make it into the top ten! Luckily, the system comes crashing down eventually. But for those on the receiving end, the low score was difficult to forget in a hurry.
#1: An Elaborate & Embarrassing Ruse
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“The Big Prank” T.J. Detweiler has overcome serious challenges throughout his time in the fourth grade. So, when things go wrong it can be hard to watch, especially when everyone shames him. “The Big Prank” we’re forced to watch one of the most savage moments of humiliation T.J ever endures. After setting himself up as a rival to King Bob, his supposedly failed prank results in disaster. Our hero is tarred and feathered and laughed at in front of the whole school. He’s also walked through the playground with full ceremony to take up the role of King Bob’s fanner boy. This brutal treatment is luckily a part of T.J’s plan. But it was hard to see the kid get treated so savagely.
