"The Biggest Trouble Ever" is the first segment of the forty-first episode of Recess.
Synopsis[]
T.J. and the gang are deemed criminals because of an accident involving a statue of the school's namesake.
Plot[]
The episode starts off with a journalist introducing himself in front of the school. The clip changes to two construction workers (from "The Great Jungle Gym Standoff") putting the 60-year-old statue of Thaddeus T. Third III in its place, which had come back from overseas after eight years of getting shined. The workers realize that they left the bolts to secure the statue to its pedestal in their work van, but they decide to take a break and go for lunch. Back on the playground, the children are busy cleaning the school for the re-dedication ceremony. The Recess Gang are part of the Leaf team and sent to the front lawn to clean up some stray leaves. Gretchen explains to Gus that the town is "a buzz" over the statue's return to the school. When they see the statue, they appreciate its majesty and then climb it, just when the statue is revealed and the whole town sees them atop the statue. Moments later, it starts to tip over to the side; the gang evacuates and the statue shatters when it hits the ground. Miss Finster exclaims "You six are in the biggest trouble ever!"
Later on the local TV News channel, the journalist expresses his anger and gives the children the nickname "The Destructive Six." He reveals that Mayor Fitzhugh will conduct a secret meeting to decide a suitable punishment for the kids. The next day while on the way to school, the children decide that they will tell Principal Prickly they're sorry and explain their side of the story. Later, they are forbidden from recess and from seeing Prickly. They are given punishments by Miss Finster that she thought were 'appropriate'. For several days the kids had to clean the floor with toothbrushes, peel onions and cut grass on the playground with scissors, while wearing orange coveralls, like prisoners. During the punishment, Mayor Fitzhugh tells them they will be attending a hearing with himself as the judge since the council has decided a punishment: to send all six of them to six separate schools. This shocks everyone, even an outraged Miss Finster and Principal Prickly protest that this sort of punishment is a little too harsh. T.J. is at a loss for a plan when Miss Finster asks if he has one.
The gang's parents tried to get an appeal but were denied. At the hearing in city hall, T.J. gives the gang's genuine apology, stating that the friendship between the gang can't be broken than the statue itself. However, Mayor Fitzhugh refuses to accept their apology because they climbed on the statue, and now they must pay (despite Prickly's protest on behalf of the kids) and as he is about to declare the punishment, Thaddeus T. Third V (grandson of Thaddeus T. Third III) enters city hall.
Third berates Fitzhugh for treating the kids like felons and shows everyone a slide projection of photos of Finster, Prickly, and others climbing the statue together when they were children, which Finster is a little embarrassed at, and Prickly fondly remembers. However, Third next pays extra attention to Mayor Fitzhugh as a young boy in the photo, the only one actually trying to break the statue by pushing it over. Third tells Fitzhugh that the kids can't be punished for doing things that kids have always done, and will always do; one might as well punish them for being shorter than adults. He berates Fitzhugh as a "jingle-headed public servant" and reminds him when someone apologizes for an incident (and accidents will happen), the matter is closed and firmly "strongly urges" him to do so. Recognizing that pursuing the matter will only make him look even worse, Mayor Fitzhugh quickly proclaims the matter closed and spares the kids, to which everyone celebrates; even Prickly and Finster hug each other in relief. The kids then thank Third for vouching for them.
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
- Ronnie Schell as Mayor Fitzhugh
- Edward Asner as Thaddeus T. Third V
- Charles Kimbrough as Mort Chalk
- Gregg Berger as Ron, Construction Worker
- Warren Sroka as Conrad Mundy
- Sam McMurray as Jerry, Man
Trivia[]
- Moral: Children have always broken things by accident, and chances are they always will. But it's unfair to persecute them for something they didn't mean to. As long as they apologize for it (and even make up for it), it's best to drop the issue and move on.
- This episode pays homage to both the 1979 film, Escape from Alcatraz and the 1987 film, Full Metal Jacket.
- This is the first episode to mention what the J in T.J.'s name stands for.
External links[]
