Hello & welcome back to A Look at Disney and today, we continue our investigation here with A Look at Disney Investigates as we take a look at the 13th episode of season 3 of Recess as we look at The Barnaby Boys. I'm so excited to be reviewing this episode as this is one that I've wanted to look at for a long time. If you've read any of the entries in my series, On The Case, then you know that I'm a fan of The Hardy Boys. And this episode is one big Hardy Boys episode. Now, they never state it in the episode but with the books that our lead characters are reading, you get that idea and the set up for this episode is like that of a classic Hardy Boys book. Heck, our lead characters, T.J. and Vince even end up dressing like Frank and Joe, granted the show didn't use those names. And I may have some experience in dressing up like The Hardy Boys as during my Junior year of high school, we had a Spirit Week and one of the days was Famous Duos Days, where you could come dressed up as a famous duo. So I talked my best friend, who admittedly isn't to The Hardy Boys as much as I am to dress up as Frank & Joe. Granted, none of the other students knew who we were. And when I tried to explain to them, who we were. They kept asking "Isn't that a wrestling team?" And me, having never watched wrestling had no clue about who they were talking about. With that outta the way, let's begin.
The Plot
We open on our two lead characters, T.J. and Vince sitting at recess reading books starring The Barnaby Boys, while their friends look on in surprise. Though, one friend, Spinelli is annoyed by this as she needs them for her kickball team. But the two pay very little mind to this. The next day, they come to school dressed in sweater vests like The Barnaby Boys. Again, I totally understand this. That's when they notice that a unusual new janitor filling in for this usual one. And the boys attempt to get some information on him and find out that he used to work at their school as the janitor. And they attempt to get his files but that seems to be a no can do until Spinelli threatens to punch Menlo, the kid in charge of the files and there they find out that he works as a janitor at a school closer to his home but has been attempting to get his old job back. And there, they come across a piece of paper with the number 19-16-25 on it. And at first, Gretchen, one of their friends that is a certified genius takes this to be a code and thinks that it means that the janitor Earl Ramen is a spy. So, our characters decide to spend the next couple of days spying on him and notice that he keeps going to one particular spot. They wonder why, he keeps going to that one spot, so they decide to check the school blueprints and find that spot use to have lockers. Though, they have no idea where they could be until they discover that the school has a storage room behind the school's clock. Oh, and it's also at this point, that they realized that the numbers weren't a code but rather a combination for a locker. They get to the storage room and all seems hopeless until Gretchen pulls out a toothpick using an idea from one of The Barnaby Boys books as she had read all of them the night before. And there, we discover why Ramen had wanted to get his old job back as he had stolen the head of Thomas Jefferson from a statue in town, and now planned on selling it back to the town for 300 bucks. Spinelli, who didn't go up with the rest of her friends because she thought they were being dumb showed up with the cops at the end and the day is saved.
I LOVE this episode. This episode is such a treat as Hardy Boys fan. They never mock The Hardy Boys or say it's silly to love books like this. It's just a fun episode that uses The Hardy Boys as it's inspiration.
Characters
T.J. & Vince voiced by Andy Lawrence & Rickey D'Shon Collins
I totally get the enthusiasm that these two had for The Barnaby Boys as that would so be me. Even, the sweater vest. I saw so much of myself and my love of The Hardys in these two throughout this episode. I mean yeah, they changed the names but I knew what they were talking about. I mean, they even referenced The Hardy's boat, The Sleuth. Granted, The Barnaby's boat is called The Sloop but still. One odd thing for me is that apparently, one of The Barnaby Boys is named Biff. And in The Hardy Boys books, one of Frank & Joe's friends is Alex "Biff" Hooper. Kinda threw me but I went with it.
Supporting Characters
Spinelli voiced by Pamela Segall-Adlon
What I said about mocking isn't entirely true as Spinelli did that but that was more because she was annoyed at the way her friends were acting but we do find out in the end that she has also read all The Barnaby Boys books and that's why she her friends were being dumb because The Barnaby Boys wouldn't go after someone without the authorities. Yeah.... Frank & Joe have totally done that. Okay, I know it was inspired by but it's not The Hardy Boys. Still though, the payoff at the end with her frustration was worth it.
Gretchen, Mikey, & Gus voiced by Ashley Johnson, Jason Davis, & Courtland Mead
These three admittedly didn't have much to do in terms of the episode but they were good supporting characters nonetheless.
Villain
Earl Ramen voiced by Brad Garrett
Even, the bad guy in this episode was a lot of fun. He was just so sleazy and had this air to where you knew even before the reveal that there was something shady about him.
My Final Thoughts
Like I said up top, I love this episode. This episode is just so much fun. I can keep heaping praise onto it but you guys should really check this one out for yourselves. This episode is such a delightful little treat. Join me next time for a Classic Shorts Showcase as Goofy shows us....
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