In the very first episode of Recess, TJ is sent to detention for trying to get at the Good Food, so his friends, Vince, Gretchen, Mikey, and Spinelli, make an effort to break him out.
Tropes:
- Abusive Parents: One of the sixth graders mentions that his mother called him "some dumb kid."
- Ate the Spoon: Apparently, the Tomato Surprise can dissolve concrete floors and cutlery, to say nothing of door locks and nails.
- Big Brother Bully: According to Cornchip Girl, her big brother called her "some dumb kid."
- Big "NO!": TJ's reaction to finding out that he's missed recess.
- Chekhov's Gun: Quite a surprise, a Tomato Surprise the acidic quality of which comes in handy for T.J's rescue.
- Digging to China: At the end of the episode, the Diggers do end up in China.
- Establishing Character Moment: If you weren't paying attention to the theme song, this episode has Establishing Character Moments for the Recess Gang, Miss Finster, Randall, Guru Kid, the Diggers, the kindergarteners, and King Bob.
- Establishing Series Moment: The episode starts with TJ and his friends complaining about the school lunches, with TJ trying to eat the good food and getting in trouble with Miss Finster.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: The gang go to drastic measures trying to get T.J. out of detention. As soon as they get all the other kids to help them and their plan is almost a success... but T.J. breaks himself out. Not only that, it took all of them the entirety of recess to do so!
- Vocal Evolution: Both Vince and King Bob's voices have higher pitches than normal. In addition, April Winchell didn't quite get settled with her Finster voice. This could be chalked up to this being the first episode ever recorded.
- You Are Too Late: By the time the gang arrives in the cafeteria to break T.J. out of detention, T.J. has broken himself out, and shortly after, recess is over.
