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The Best Episodes of Recess

Every episode of Recess ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Recess!

Binge this in 23h 50m•Peaking at 8.4/10

Join a group of six fourth-grade best friends at Third Street Elementary School on their fun-filled adventures in their school playground. Through the ups-and-downs of adolescence, they must wrestle with authority, avoid the school snitch,

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Recess Season 2 Episode 15 - Operation Stuart
    8.4/10(188 votes)

    #1 - Operation Stuart

    S2:E15

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Katy Ballard

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  2. Recess Season 3 Episode 3 - Dodgeball City
    8.3/10(179 votes)

    #2 - Dodgeball City

    S3:E3

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

    Director:Howy Parkins
    Writers:Mark Drop, Phil Walsh, Gil Evans

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  3. Recess Season 2 Episode 7 - Gus' Last Stand
    8.1/10(157 votes)

    #3 - Gus' Last Stand

    S2:E7

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Jonathan Rosenthal

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  4. Recess Season 2 Episode 20 - Omega Kids
    8.0/10(162 votes)

    #4 - Omega Kids

    S2:E20

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Steve Bannos

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  5. Recess Season 4 Episode 14 - The Rules
    8.0/10(136 votes)

    #5 - The Rules

    S4:E14

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

    Director:Howy Parkins
    Writers:Etan Cohen, Bart Jennett

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  6. Recess Season 1 Episode 3 - The Experiment
    7.9/10(207 votes)

    #6 - The Experiment

    S1:E3

    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.

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Lesa Kite

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Recess

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  7. Recess Season 1 Episode 25 - Parents' Night
    7.9/10(185 votes)

    #7 - Parents' Night

    S1:E25

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Holly Huckins

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  8. Recess Season 2 Episode 4 - Outcast Ashley
    7.9/10(156 votes)

    #8 - Outcast Ashley

    S2:E4

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Doria Biddle

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  9. Recess Season 2 Episode 8 - Operation Field Trip
    7.9/10(159 votes)

    #9 - Operation Field Trip

    S2:E8

    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.

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Michael L. Kramer

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  10. Recess Season 6 Episode 5 - Lost Leader
    7.9/10(141 votes)

    #10 - Lost Leader

    S6:E5

    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

    Director:Howy Parkins
    Writers:Bart Jennett, Randy Fechtor

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  11. Recess Season 2 Episode 1 - The Break-Up
    7.8/10(167 votes)

    #11 - The Break-Up

    S2:E1

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Michael L. Kramer

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  12. Recess Season 2 Episode 9 - The Challenge
    7.8/10(152 votes)

    #12 - The Challenge

    S2:E9

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Jonathan Greenberg

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  13. Recess Season 2 Episode 12 - Gretchen and the Secret of Yo
    7.8/10(156 votes)

    #13 - Gretchen and the Secret of Yo

    S2:E12

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Doria Biddle

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  14. Recess Season 2 Episode 18 - Weekend at Muriel's
    7.8/10(160 votes)

    #14 - Weekend at Muriel's

    S2:E18

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writers:Michael L. Kramer, Phil Walsh

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  15. Recess Season 2 Episode 19 - Economics of Recess
    7.8/10(161 votes)

    #15 - Economics of Recess

    S2:E19

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

    Director:Howy Parkins
    Writers:Mark Drop, Rick Gitelson, Phil Walsh

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  16. Recess Season 3 Episode 10 - Lord of the Nerds
    7.8/10(148 votes)

    #16 - Lord of the Nerds

    S3:E10

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

    Directors:Chuck Sheetz, Howy Parkins
    Writer:Ford Riley

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  17. Recess Season 4 Episode 1 - The First Picture Show
    7.8/10(136 votes)

    #17 - The First Picture Show

    S4:E1

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Richard Whitley

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  18. Recess Season 4 Episode 21 - Schoolworld
    7.8/10(135 votes)

    #18 - Schoolworld

    S4:E21

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

    Director:Howy Parkins
    Writer:Scott Shelley

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  19. Recess Season 4 Episode 23 - The Dude
    7.8/10(138 votes)

    #19 - The Dude

    S4:E23

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

    Director:Howy Parkins
    Writer:Richard Whitley

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  20. Recess Season 4 Episode 34 - Soccer Boy
    7.8/10(134 votes)

    #20 - Soccer Boy

    S4:E34

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

    Director:Howy Parkins
    Writers:Bart Jennett, Scott Redman

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  21. Recess Season 6 Episode 1 - Terrifying Tales of Recess
    7.8/10(154 votes)

    #21 - Terrifying Tales of Recess

    S6:E1

    In this Hallowe'en episode, Butch tells us three terrifying tales of Recess. Children of the Cornchip: Cornchip Girl eats some untested cornchips and turns into a werekid! The gang have to save her. When Bikes Attack!: The bikes that the kids ride to school everyday become alive and turn against their riders. Night of the Living Finsters: Lawson challenges Vince to spend the night in the graveyard, only for the gang to discover that the school is built on the Finster family graveyard.

    Director:Howy Parkins
    Writers:Bart Jennett, Mark Archuleta, Jack Monaco

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  22. Recess Season 1 Episode 5 - Jinxed
    7.7/10(200 votes)

    #22 - Jinxed

    S1:E5

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Scott Shelley

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  23. Recess Season 2 Episode 3 - Mama's Girl
    7.7/10(155 votes)

    #23 - Mama's Girl

    S2:E3

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Mark Drop

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  24. Recess Season 2 Episode 5 - The Game
    7.7/10(145 votes)

    #24 - The Game

    S2:E5

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

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Peter Gaffney

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  25. Recess Season 2 Episode 17 - The Story of Whomps
    7.7/10(169 votes)

    #25 - The Story of Whomps

    S2:E17

    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.

    Director:Chuck Sheetz
    Writer:Mark Drop

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Best Episodes Summary

"Operation Stuart" is the best rated episode of "Recess". It scored 8.4/10 based on 188 votes. Directed by Chuck Sheetz and written by Katy Ballard, it aired on 11/14/1998. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Dodgeball City".