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"Jinxed" is the fifth episode of the first season of Recess, which was first broadcast on September 27th, 1997.

Plot[]



Summary[]

After Gus is jinxed by The Ashleys, the gang tries to find out why he will not speak, with disastrous results.

Main Story[]

At the beginning of recess, Gus accidentally trades his pet lizard with Barry for his harmonica. Although he wants to trade back, the rest of the gang explains to him that he cannot do that, because trading back will make him a taker-backer, which is against the kids' unwritten code of honor. Not knowing what it is, the gang explain the code of honor to him. They explain that the code makes them different from adults and animals, and without it, they would be nothing. T.J. makes him promise never to do something like that again, and Gus agrees, saying that he will always "stick to the code of honor; no matter what."

As the gang walk away, Ashley A. notices them and gets an idea. Meanwhile, the other Ashleys are sitting at one of the picnic benches; bored. Ashley Q. suggests that they spread a rumor about the Swinger Girl, but Ashley B. disagrees, as it is "so last week". Ashley A. comes running up to them excitedly, ready to tell them about her idea. She whispers it to them, and they all agree to it.

In another part of the playground, Gus is waiting for a sixth-grade boy to finish his turn at the drinking fountain. Vince tells him that they will meet him at the jungle gym, and they leave him. Shortly after, the sixth grader lets Gus drink from the fountain, but before he can take a drink, he gets sprayed in the face with the nozzle by Ashley A. She asks him what he is doing, and he replies with that he is just trying to get a drink. When he bends down to drink from the water fountain, Ashley A. notices the harmonica in his back pocket, and takes it from him. She asks him what it is, and he just asks her to give it back. Then, she tosses it to Ashley Q., who asks the same question, and Gus gives her the same answer. Ashley Q. tells him that they will give it back, as long as he tells them what it is, as she tosses it to Ashley T. Gus says that it is his harmonica, but the girls ask him again. When he tells them again, they say it with him, and jinx him. The girls run around him in circles and chant that he cannot talk, and Ashley A. explains to him that it is part of the kids' code of honor. Seeing the gang over by the jungle gym, Gus feels relieved and runs over to them, while the Ashleys go over to the swing-set and laugh about what they did. Ashley A. explains to Ashley B. that they can still continue their game, by making sure that no one else says Gus' name so that he can never speak again. The girls run off to see what else they can do.

Gus meets up with the gang at the jungle gym and tries to mime out his situation. The kids do not know what he is doing, but Gretchen believes that he is trying to communicate with them. Gus points to his mouth and shakes his head, trying to explain that he cannot talk. However, the other kids do not understand what he is saying. Spinelli asks him what he is trying to say, when Ashley Q. purposefully shoves her from behind. The girls start getting into an argument, while Gus begins to write out his story in the sand with his finger. Ashley B. motions to Ashley A. to show her what he is doing, which causes her to go over to the kindergarten area and ask the kindergartners if they want candy. Noticing that she has gotten them excited, Ashley A. tosses the candy bar over to Ashley B. who lures the kindergartners onto the playground with it. Right after Gus finishes what he was writing before everyone heard a large rumble, Ashley B. runs by with the candy bar and causes the kindergartners to stampede over his message, getting rid of it making it useless. Gus notices that there is a notebook on the steps of the school and runs towards it, leaving Spinelli who still does not understand about Gus until another argument with Ashley Q. after she made a snide comment. 

Gus is about to take the notebook, until he bumps into the sixth grader from earlier at the fountain. The kid tells him that it is his notebook and demands to return it, but Gus is unable to tell him why he is taking it. Frustrated, the sixth grader drags Gus over to see King Bob.

Meanwhile, Spinelli and Ashley Q. are still arguing while the student body runs by. Tracey runs over to the gang, causing the girls to stop arguing and he tells them that Gus is being taken to see King Bob. While T.J. and the gang run over to where King Bob is, the Ashleys stand by and laugh.

At King Bob's throne, the sixth grader tells him that Gus was stealing his notebook and would not apologize. King Bob orders him to apologize, however, still jinxed, he cannot say anything and continues his motioning. Because he will not speak up, King Bob orders his guards to take him to the wheel.

Not too much later, Gus is tied to the merry-go-round, being spun by three sixth grade boys as the student body chants for him to go faster. While King Bob's guards laugh at Gus' pain, a fourth-grade girl comments that Gus is brave for taking it all in silence. T.J. and Spinelli arrive to see what is happening to Gus and Spinelli attacks one of King Bob's guards, ordering him to leave Gus alone. Right after King Bob's guard throws Spinelli off of him, Miss Finster sternly asks the kids what is going on, which causes the student body to run away. As Mikey is helping Spinelli getting up, Miss Finster stops the merry-go-round and grabs Gus off, asking him what his story is. As Gus still cannot talk, he continues to use hand signals. Miss Finster believes he's doing this because he's a troublemaker and sends him to the office, despite T.J. trying to explain that it is not his fault.

Soon after, Gus is in Principal Prickly's office and the Recess Gang, the Ashleys, and the rest of the student body are watching from the outside window. Miss Finster tries once more to get Gus to talk, however he still does not talk. Knowing Gus is a troublemaker, Finster suggests putting him in detention until he become 17, but Principal Prickly declines and makes with another method. In order to get Gus to talk, Principal Prickly gives him some candy and Gus takes some. When Prickly asks if he likes candy, Gus nods. He asks Gus what name is and Gus notices from the window, Ashley A. making a "zipped-lips" motion. He does not say anything. Prickly asks him some more questions, but Gus still will not answer. Thinking that Gus is up to no good, Prickly asks Miss Lemon to call up District Headquarters, to the shock of Finster, Gus and most of the student body. The Ashleys start laughing at this and the gang realize that the girls are up to something.

Later, the school superintendent and two officers of the Board of Education arrives at Third Street School, ready to see Gus. He comes into the office and asks Gus a few questions, however, Gus cannot answer back. When Prickly angrily laments about Gus, one officer of the Board of Education decides to take Gus downtown to make him talk. This causes the Ashleys to laugh in amusement and they run into the building to see if they can keep it going any longer. The Recess Gang walk over from the side of the school and realize that the Ashleys jinxed Gus all along. T.J. leads the gang into the school to save Gus.

At the same time, Gus is being walked out by the B.O.E. officers and the student body stand on each side of the hallway, watching him as he walks out. One student says that he is a kook, another says he is a rebel, and one says that he is "all-man" at what he is doing. The gang try calling out for Gus, but realize he is already out. T.J. tells the gang to go to the other door. 

As Gus is leaving the school, other members of the student body stand on each side of the walkway watching him. One student tells Gus that they will never forget him, as they chant "Quiet Boy!" as he walks. The sixth grader from earlier apologizes to him for hogging all the water earlier and begins crying into the arms of his friend, Eddy. The B.O.E. officers tell Gus to get into the car with them and Gus takes one more look at the school before getting in.

As Gus gets in, Gretchen looks out the window of the school and tells the gang to look, and Vince exclaims that Gus is being taken away. Luckily, T.J. notices the loudspeaker in the office, and gets an idea that will save Gus. He turns it on and announces over the loudspeaker that Gus has been jinxed, saying his full name. Gus is relieved that he can talk again and the B.O.E. officer mentions that this is the third jinxed kid this week. He tells Fred, the other B.O.E. officer, to let him go. Prickly does not believe this and the B.O.E. officer tells him that it is just the kids' unwritten code of honor. The officers jokingly and accidentally jinx each other than simultaneously laughs as they drive away. Prickly heads back inside; irritated. The sixth grader asks Gus if he was doing what he was doing earlier because he was jinxed, and Gus replies that he did and added that it was dumb. Fortunately, the sixth grader tells him that it was not dumb at all and Judy mentions that it made Gus a hero. The kids carry Gus away on their shoulders, chanting "Jinxed Boy" as the rest of the Recess Gang watch.

As Vince comments on Gus' bravery, the gang notice the Ashleys commenting about how it was fun while it lasted, and that they should do something similar for every recess. Spinelli gets an idea and T.J. agrees with her. Spinelli drops a dollar on the ground and asks the girls if they have dropped five bucks. The girls, saying their catchphrase, are caught off-guard when the gang spontaneously says it along with them and jinxes them. The gangs laugh at the Ashleys' predicament.

Goofs[]

  • Audio/animation error: When the kids are chanting "Faster! Faster!", some of their lip-syncing is slightly off.
  • Animation/continuity error: When the Ashleys are playing keep-away with Gus' harmonica, Ashley Q. tosses it to Ashley T. However, in the next shot, Ashley Q. is holding it.
  • Animation/continuity error: When the Board of Education arrive at Third Street School, the flag outside is missing.
  • Animation/continuity error: When the Ashleys says "Scandalous!" for the fourth time, Ashley T. has thin eyebrows.
    Animation error in Jinxed
  • Animation/continuity error: While Spinelli tells the guard to "leave Gus alone", her nostrils appear for a frame.
  • Animation/continuity error: When Principal Prickly says "Speak, you little-", his eyebrows become thicker than usual; the error continues until Principal Prickly tells Miss Lemon to get the district headquarters.

Trivia[]

Regular[]

  • Clips of Gus tied to the merry-go-round and the kindergartners stampeding through the playground were used in a Disney's One Saturday Morning advertisement seen on the 1998 VHS of Lady and the Tramp.
  • Two characters names are revealed in this episode. The kid with the purple sweater vest, long nose, and the glasses who Gus traded his lizard to is called Barry, and the 5th/6th grade boy with black hair, a grey vest and blue pants is named Eddie.
  • Principal Prickly's question about liking candy was heard in the Recess Gag Reel.[1]

Continuity[]

  • This is the first time the Ashleys are referred to by name.
    • This is also the first time they are prominent characters.
  • This is the first episode to be animated by Sunwoo Entertainment.
  • This is the first episode to be written by Scott Shelley.
  • This is the first episode where Tracey Logan has a speaking role. Tracey is known to oddly switch genders in various episodes.

Foreign Dub Titles:[]

  • Dutch: "Betoverd" ("Jinxed")
  • German: "Verhext" ("Jinxed")
  • French: "Le gage" ("The Pledge")
  • Italian: "La legge del silenzio" ("The Law of Silence")
  • Polish: "Dyngs" ("Jinx")

Cast[]

Reference[]

  1. Recess Gag Reel: 7:50-7:51

Gallery[]

Photos The Recess Wiki has a collection of images about Jinxed
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