'Recess' Movies & TV Shows In Order
When Disney+ first became available, the first thing I did was start rewatching Recess (1997) alongside Lizzie McGuire (2001). Out of the countless movies that were integral to my childhood, nothing came close to the comforting balm that was Recess. My deep-seated nostalgia is personal, but thankfully, it's also an animated series that still holds up. Because, unfortunately, as many of us know by now, it's not every piece of fiction from our childhoods that holds the same magic or cleverness that we remember.
In addition, what most people also don't know is that Recess wasn't just a TV show, but there were some great movies that took us on more adventures with the Third Street Elementary kids. Like Rugrats (1991) and numerous other cartoons of that time, movie spin-offs added more joy and escapism. That said, if you're feeling nostalgic and want to revisit Recess, here's the correct order to watch all that's available.
The detail that floors me most about Recess as an adult is seeing how mature the core six characters are for fourth graders. And sure, they're written with more imagination and maturity than a lot of kids their age might be, but still, it's admirable. The friendship between TJ, Spinelli, Vince, Gretchen, Mikey, and Gus is precious throughout, and their wild adventures during recess are so ridiculously nostalgic it's even more fun to watch as adults.
Back in the day, it feels like you were either a Recess kid or someone who obsessively loved Doug (1991). Maybe even Hey Arnold! (1996). As someone who was obsessed with all three, these are essentially the type of shows that've made so many of us fall in love with the found family trope. Still, to this day, it's something that I look for in everything I watch, and I'm pretty sure Recess and '90s cartoons are what started it.
The animation is stunning, the storylines are fun, the characters are all fleshed out plus surprisingly complex, and the whole thing is appropriate for both kids and adults to appreciate.
Summer break is every kid's favorite time of year, unless you're TJ Detweiler and all your friends leave you for different camps and then strange adults try to turn your school into a lab. It's a little embarrassing how many times I rewatched Recess: School's Out as a kid, but there was something so enticing about the narrative back then that still works.
Now, it feels like watching an episode of Stranger Things (2016) without the demogorgons. There's something so inherently human about the narrative that touches on loneliness and how our minds play tricks on us. At the same time, there's something really fascinating about the importance of believing kids when they're suspicious of something or someone. It's thrilling, clever, and genuinely hilarious at times, because you'd never expect a TJ and Principal Prickly team-up, which the movie nails perfectly.
03
Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street
2001
While most people who loved Recess growing up likely remember Recess: School's Out, its holiday special, Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street, is one that too many people forgot about. It was a direct-to-video special, so if you didn't happen to find it at the video store, then you might've missed it entirely.
Unfortunately, it's also not available on Disney+ right now, but sometimes if the demand is there, maybe the streamer will eventually add it. It's not exactly a must-watch, but it was a sweet and wholesome holiday special that added the same warmth that movies like it did around the season.
A lot like when Rugrats had their All Grown Up (2003) special that showed us the babies as teenagers, Recess: All Growed Down is essentially a more meta version of the core six looking back at their time in Third Street Elementary, while we momentarily see them when they were in kindergarten. After they're captured by kindergarteners who have a new leader, the movie takes us down memory lane with homages to other episodes to make the kindergarteners remember their past treaty with the big kids.
The day's essentially saved by Gus, who makes up a completely different story, and the animation gives us a chance to see the kids meeting and befriending each other when they're younger. It's ridiculous in more ways than one, but narratively it's a whole lot of fun to explore the silly playground dynamics.
Taking place after the events of Recess: School's Out, the final installment of the story follows the gang in one final adventure while they're officially fifth graders. Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade is a wild, albeit fun time where ordinary changes naturally feel a lot bigger to TJ and his friends. The school isn't what they're used to; everything's questionable, and it's all naturally too much.
Still, for the last leg of their adventure, it's one that effectively reminds us of their idiosyncrasies, closeness, adventures, and all the unique quirks that consistently made the show so special to those who grew up with it. Because it was released directly to DVD, there's a good chance most people didn't know about it until now. If people never watched this special, the original show gives us a good closure, too, but it's still worth every minute as one last playground experience.
