In perhaps the most bizarre episode in the series, the government decides to perform an experiment where one school must cancel recess to see whether test scores will go up.
Tropes:
- Animation Bump: The only episode animated by Anivision looks excellent and is very consistent.
- Big "NO!": Once Principal Prickly announces that recess has been cancelled, Mikey screams no in shock.
- Call-Back: It is stated that a SAL 9000 computer has picked Third Street as the pilot school.
- Creepy Monotone: The kids start speaking this way as they get more and more standardized tests.
- Didn't Think This Through: The Secretary of Education theorizes that eliminating recess can bring test scores up. What follows soon gives lie to said theory, as the kids become so bored that they can't even focus in class, and their test scores go down, necessitating the return of recess.
- Everyone Has Standards: As much as TJ is willing to bend several rules to bring out a noble cause for his schoolmates, he refuses to protest against the government's plan for Third Street School to cancel recess because doing do would paint him as un-American. He even quotes this to Vince and Spinelli.
- Even Miss Finster is not happy about recess being cancelled, as she finds herself moping around while sitting next to Ms. Lemon's desk; which of course put them at odds with each other.
- Epic Fail: The attempt to get rid of recess is a massive failure on the government's part, showing that without the time and space needed for kids to have fun during the school day they lose all focus and their test scores plummet.
- Fun with Acronyms: Reversing Effects of Continuous Educational Stress Syndrome
- Hope Spot: After their first test, it looks like the class is about to have a moment of fun when Miss Grotke takes out a paper football. This is immediately quashed by the agents.
- My Country, Right or Wrong: When Spinelli and Vince suggest that they take back their recess, T.J. replies that to do so would be going against their country.
- Rule of Symbolism: As the episode goes on, the colors Fade Out until it's almost desaturated to symbolize the students and faculty's ensuing boredom with a lack of recess. And as soon as recess is reinstated, the colors return as the children enjoy themselves.
