r/Recess

Please note I am not asking which are the best in terms of quality or writing, I am asking which do you like most personally?

When I watched Recess on, *One Saturday Morning*, from around 1999 to its end in 2002, I would always get excited if an episode would air that featured some sort of visual interest; colorful environments or costumes, techno style music cues, or bipack lighting.

For example, I loved Dance Lessons for the techno music of their performance, in addition to the way the lights of the backing behind the columns on the set they danced in front of changed colors. Additionally, I loved the shiny look of the costumes in the plastic wrap/bags when Pavlova handed them to them.

Similarly, Gretchen and the Secret of Yo and the episode about Grotke being a magician featured fireworks with a bipack glow effect.

Then there were the rainbows that appeared in Heat Wave when the water was turned back on.

Other episodes I loved that featured less technical visual extravagance but visual extravagance none the less

The episode where Gretchen pretends to be dumb to not be relocated, I loved Gretchen’s makeover and the music that played when she got off the bus and greeted Prickly

Also loved beauty contest for how nicely Spinelli cleaned up and looked just as good if not better than the Ashleys

In More Like Gretchen, I loved the design of the museum they went to at the episodes start.

And of course who could forget Spinelli’s Masterpiece, the exploding volcanos from Science Fair, the Luau from Weekend at Muriel’s or the collapse, rebuilding and past and future representations of Old Rusty in The Great Jungle Gym Standoff?

So as you can see all my favorite episode’s had a special visual feature to them but I don’t think that makes them the best episodes.

I think Jinxed is one of the best episodes from a writing standpoint because it only slightly exaggerates how kids take games and arbitrary rules they make up too seriously, in addition to how fickle the can be about the stupidest things. (which is to say how badly the other kids treated Gus simply for not speaking, like bullying him. Don’t want anyone thinking I think Gus was dumb or stupid or taking it too seriously) it’s great how they all embrace him at the end “Nah, it was cool!” and the stakes felt higher than most episodes the way the FBI style agents were there to take him “downtown” the prospect of getting out of school early, even if it meant getting in trouble with the law excited 6 year old me. Overall I think the exaggerated elements like the BOE agents though not technically true capture an emotional truth about how kids feel about things like being jinxed and how all those emotions are compounded by the many limitations, restrictions and social rules that are forced upon you as a minor.

I bring this up just because I want to see what drew you to Recess as opposed to what you think are the best episodes in terms of quality.

What are your most favorite moments throughout Recess that you find great

It seems familiar