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"The First Picture Show" is the first segment of the thirty-fifth episode of Recess.

Synopsis[]

T.J. finds out about the first Señor Fusion movie and vows to see the first show, but the first showing happens to be during school hours.

Plot[]

T.J. is riding his bike to school when he suddenly passes by the movie theater and discovers that a Señor Fusion movie is coming out that weekend. He tells his friends who are all excited, until Lawson shows up to mock T.J., declaring that he will be the first to go see the movie when it opens. Gretchen tells them that the movie will open while they are all still in school, but Lawson reveals that he has a permission slip that will get him out of school early, disappointing T.J. He passes by the movie theater and egged on by the film's tagline as well as a friendly janitor, T.J. decides to find a way to fight to see the first screening.

T.J. tells his friends that he is determined to see the movie and concocts a plan to see it legitimately during school hours. The Recess Gang proceed to pitch to each of the faculty members about possibly taking a field trip to see Señor Fusion with Miss Grotke convinced about its positive message, Coach Kloogey convinced by the physical action and Mr. Dunn convinced by the movie theater's design. Soon, the whole school supports the idea of going to see Señor Fusion, until Principal Prickly hears and turns them down. T.J. reveals that it was his plan and accuses Prickly of being a closeted Señor Fusion fan. He decides to challenge him to a trivia contest to determine the trip.

Everyone overhears Prickly testing T.J. which despite the difficulty, he manages to easily breeze through them. Prickly finally hits T.J. with the last question of who Señor Fusion's sidekick was from the Golden Age, issues that T.J. does not possess. He manages to deliver a suitable answer, but Prickly counts it wrong because of how he pronounced "Femme Fatale" (Fem-ee Fatal-ee). T.J. calls Prickly a false Señor Fusion fan for tricking him and after overlooking his own memorabilia, breaks and announces T.J. as the winner. Everyone goes to the movie theater while Miss Finster catches and kicks out Lawson with his fake permission slip and everyone enjoys the movie.

Cast[]

Trivia[]

  • On Disney+ and outside the U.S., this episode is first next to "Gus' Fortune".
  • The title is a reference to the 1971 film, The Last Picture Show.
  • It seems unlikely that T.J. would only just know about the movie a week before its release, though this was clearly done to drive the plot of the episode. Additionally, Gretchen explains that the first showing is Friday afternoon. While movies do advertise opening during this time, it is quite common for them to open Thursday evening.
  • The janitor tells T.J. that he had been in the movie business for years. This is clearly intended as an in-joke for actor Frank Welker who has had a famously long and detailed career.

External links[]

v - e - d
Recess-logo
Media
Recess (Videography) • Recess: School's Out (Soundtrack) • Recess: All Growed DownRecess: Taking the Fifth GradeRecess: Miracle on Third Street"Lax" (Lilo & Stitch: The Series crossover episode)"Codename: Electric Haircut" (Fillmore! crossover episode)
Characters
T.J. DetweilerVince LaSalleAshley SpinelliMikey BlumbergGretchen GrundlerGus GriswaldCaptain BradleyCornchip GirlThe KindergartnersThe DiggersHustler KidErwin LawsonMiss GrotkeMuriel FinsterBecky DetweilerDr. Phillium BenedictMenloBrockPeter PricklyKojakMiss SalamoneButchAshley ArmbrusterAshley BouletAshley QuinlanAshley TomassianFenwickBrandon the SingerGelmanKing BobChuckoJockoRandall WeemsKing Freddie IICheaySpencerThe MegansThe BrittanysThe TylersBob and Flo Spinelli
Episodes
Season One: "The Break In" / "The New Kid" • "The Experiment" / "The Great Jungle Gym Standoff" • "Jinxed" / "Officer Mikey" • "First Name Ashley" / "To Finster with Love" • "King Gus" / "Big Brother Chad" • "My Fair Gretchen" / "Speedy, We Hardly Knew Ye" • "I Will Kick No More Forever" / "The Kid Came Back" • "The Pest" / "The Legend of Big Kid" • "The Box" / "The Trial" • "Teacher's Lounge" / "Randall's Reform" • "Rainy Days" / "The Great Can Drive" • "The Voice" / "Kids in the Mist" • "Parents' Night" / "Swing on Thru to the Other Side"

Season Two: "The Break-up" / "The Hypnotist" • "Mama's Girl" / "Outcast Ashley" • "The Game" / "The Lost Ball" • "Gus' Last Stand" / "Operation Field Trip" • "The Challenge" / "Wild Child" • "The Substitute" / "Gretchen and the Secret of Yo" • "The Girl Was Trouble" / "Copycat Kid" • "Operation Stuart" / "Pharaoh Bob" • "The Story of Whomps" / "Weekend at Muriel's" • "Economics of Recess" / "Omega Kids" • "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave" • "Bad Hair Day" / "Dance Lessons" • "Principal for a Day" / "The Beauty Contest"
Season Three: "One Stayed Clean" / "A Genius Among Us" • "Dodgeball City" / "A Career to Remember" • "Kindergarten Derby" / "The Bet" • "Space Cadet" / "Stand Up Randall" • "The Shiner" / "Lord of the Nerds" • "That Stinking Feeling" / "My Funny Valentines" • "The Barnaby Boys" / "Buried Treasure" • "The Library Kid" / "The Ratings Game"
Season Four: "The First Picture Show" / "The Big Prank" • "Hustler's Apprentice" / "The Spy Who Came in from the Playground" • "Gus' Fortune" / "Rumor Mill" • "Recess is Cancelled" / "Tattletale Heart" • "The Madness of King Bob" / "Call Me Guy" • "Prickly is Leaving" / "Randall's Friends" • "The Biggest Trouble Ever" / "The Rules" • "Gus and Misdemeanors" / "A Science Fair to Remember" • "Mikey's Pants" / "Here Comes Mr. Perfect" • "Good Luck Charm" / "Diggers Split Up" • "Schoolworld" / "Bachelor Gus" • "The Dude" / "Partners in Crime" • "The Candidates" / "This Brain for Hire" • "Spinelli's Masterpiece" / "Nobody Doesn't Like T.J." • "A Great State Fair" / "The A.V. Kid" • "Yope from Norway" / "Bonky Fever" • "Don't Ask Me" / "The Secret Life of Grotke" • "The Fuss Over Finster" / "Soccer Boy" • "Fort Tender" / "Germ Warfare" • "More Like Gretchen" / "Prince Randall" • "Me No Know" / "Good Ole T.J." • "Chez Vince" / "Tucked in Mikey" • "Old Folks Home" / "Some Friend"
Season Five: "The Coolest Heatwave Ever" / "No Strings Attached" • "Beyond a Reasonable Scout" / "The C Note" • "The Army Navy Game" / "Big Ol' Mikey" • "The Principals of Golf" / "All the Principal's Men" • "Lawson and his Crew"
Season Six: "Terrifying Tales of Recess" • "Kurst the Not So Bad" / "League of Randalls" • "Mundy, Mundy" / "Lost Leader"

Locations
Third Street SchoolOld RustyFifth and Sixth Grader ClubAshley's ClubhouseKing's Jungle Gym
Songs
We Shall Not Be MovedBorn to Be WildGreen TambourineDancing in the Street
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