50 Shows Like Recess (1997) to Watch When You're Done
Join a group of six fourth-grade best friends at Third Street Elementary School on their fun-filled adventures in their school playground. Through the ups-and-downs of adolescence, they must wrestle w
Updated June 2026
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If you loved Recess (1997), here are 50 TV series that share its content DNA. iRankMovies measures real similarity using cosine similarity across eight weighted dimensions — genre (50%), tone (12%), pace (10%), structure (8%), era (7%), theme (6%), audience (4%) and narrative perspective (3%) — not just the rating. The closest matches according to our analysis are Monsters at Work, Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers, Danny Phantom. Every title is ranked by how closely it matches and backed by the iRank Score, a composite of IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and TMDb across 12,000+ analysed titles.
50 Shows Similar to Recess
Monsters at Work
2021 · Kevin Deters
Ever since he was a kid, Tylor Tuskmon has dreamed of becoming a Scarer just like his idol James P. Sullivan, and now that dream is about to come true... or not. The day he arrives at Monsters Incorpo
In common: Animation · Comedy
Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers
1989
Chip and Dale head a small, eccentric group of animal characters who monitor not only the human world, but the animal community as well, solving mysteries wherever they may be. The "Rescue Rangers" ta
In common: Animation · Comedy
Danny Phantom
2004 · Butch Hartman
Danny Fenton was once your typical kid until he accidentally blew up his parents' laboratory and became ghost-hunting superhero Danny Phantom. Now half-ghost, Danny's picked up paranormal powers, but
In common: Animation · Comedy
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia
2016 · Rodrigo Blaas
After uncovering a mysterious amulet, an average teen assumes an unlikely destiny and sets out to save two worlds.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
2004 · Craig McCracken
Sometimes, imaginary friends get lost or kids simply outgrow them. That's why Madame Foster started Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years
2021 · Marc Ceccarelli
SpongeBob and friends spend the summer catching jellyfish, building camp-fires, and swimming in Lake Yuckymuck at Camp Coral, located in the Kelp Forest.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil
2010
Clarence Buttowski, a young boy, aspires to become the world's greatest daredevil, as he gets help from Gunther, his loyal friend and partner-in-crime.
In common: Animation · Comedy
DreamWorks Dragons
2012 · Sandra Rabins
From the creators of "How to Train Your Dragon" comes a new series that takes Hiccup and Toothless to the edge of adventure.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Happy Tree Friends
1999
This action and adventure comedy is drawn in simple appearance and combines cute forest animals with extreme graphic violence. Each episode revolves around the characters enduring accidental events of
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Boss Baby: Back in Business
2018 · Brandon Sawyer
With a little help from his brother and accomplice, Tim, Boss Baby tries to balance family life with his job at Baby Corp headquarters.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Pinky and the Brain
1995 · Steven Spielberg
Pinky and Brain are genetically enhanced laboratory mice who reside in a cage in the Acme Labs research facility. Brain is self-centered and scheming; Pinky is good-natured but feebleminded. In each e
In common: Animation · Comedy
Bob's Burgers
2011 · Steven Davis
Bob's Burgers follows a third-generation restaurateur, Bob, as he runs Bob's Burgers with the help of his wife and their three kids. Bob and his quirky family have big ideas about burgers, but fall sh
In common: Animation · Comedy
King of the Hill
1997
Set in Texas, this animated series follows the life of propane salesman Hank Hill, who lives with his overly confident substitute Spanish teacher wife Peggy, wannabe comedian son Bobby, and naive niec
In common: Animation · Comedy
Phineas and Ferb
2007
Each day, two kindhearted suburban stepbrothers on summer vacation embark on some grand new project, which annoys their controlling sister, Candace, who tries to bust them. Meanwhile, their pet platyp
In common: Animation · Comedy
Rugrats
1991 · Vanessa Coffey
Focuses on a group of toddlers, most prominently Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, and Angelica, and their day-to-day lives, usually involving common life experiences that become adventures in the babies' im
In common: Animation · Comedy
Adventure Time
2010
Unlikely heroes Finn and Jake are buddies who traverse the mystical Land of Ooo. The best of friends, our heroes always find themselves in the middle of escapades. Finn and Jake depend on each other t
In common: Animation · Comedy
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
2010
Journey to the enchanted land of Equestria, where unicorn Twilight Sparkle and her pals have adventures and learn valuable lessons about friendship.
In common: Animation · Comedy · Kids
The Amazing World of Gumball
2011 · Ben Bocquelet
The life of Gumball Watterson, a 12-year old cat who attends middle school in Elmore. Accompanied by his pet, adoptive brother, and best friend Darwin Watterson, he frequently finds himself involved i
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Fairly OddParents
2001
The zany, fast-paced adventures of a 10-year-old boy and his fairy godparents, who inadvertently create havoc as they grant wishes for their pint-sized charge.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Bluey
2018 · Libbie Doherty
Bluey is an inexhaustible six year-old Blue Heeler dog, who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures, developing her imagination as well as her mental, physical and e
In common: Animation · Comedy
We Bare Bears
2015
Three brother bears awkwardly attempt to find their place in civilized society, whether they're looking for food, trying to make human friends, or scheming to become famous on the internet. Grizzly,
In common: Animation · Comedy
Star vs. the Forces of Evil
2015 · Daron Nefcy
Intergalactic warrior Star Butterfly arrives on Earth to live with the Diaz family. She continues to battle villains throughout the universe and high school, mainly to protect her extremely powerful w
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Smurfs
1981
Classic Saturday-morning cartoon series featuring magical blue elf-like creatures called Smurfs. The Smurfs, named for their personalities, inhabit a village of mushroom houses in an enchanted forest.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Steven Universe
2013 · Brian A. Miller
A young boy takes his mother's place in a group of gemstone-based beings, and must learn to control his powers.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Johnny Bravo
1997
Johnny Bravo tells the story of a biceps-bulging, karate-chopping free spirit who believes he is a gift from God to the women of the earth. Unfortunately for Johnny, everyone else sees him as a narcis
In common: Animation · Comedy
Animaniacs
1993 · Steven Spielberg
The two Warner Brothers Yakko and Wakko and their Warner sister Dot had been (supposedly) created in the 1930's, but their cartoons were too screwy for the general public to handle. The three Warners
In common: Animation · Comedy
Big Mouth
2017
Teenage friends find their lives upended by the wonders and horrors of puberty in this edgy comedy from real-life pals Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg.
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy
2001 · Brian A. Miller
The exploits of the Grim Reaper, who has been forced into being the best friend of two children. A spin-off of the show Grim & Evil.
In common: Animation · Comedy · Kids
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
2002
Jimmy Neutron is the smartest kid in town. As a genius, Jimmy thinks most things can be solved with the invention of a new gizmo. But Jimmy usually takes the easy way out, and his backfiring gadgets r
In common: Animation · Comedy
Animaniacs
2020 · Sam Register
Yakko, Wakko and Dot return for all-new big laughs and the occasional epic takedown of authority figures in serious need of an ego check. Joining the Warners are Starbox & Cindy on their latest play d
In common: Animation · Comedy
Cow and Chicken
1997 · Buzz Potamkin
Follows the surreal adventures of a cow, named Cow, and her chicken brother, named Chicken. They are often antagonized by "The Red Guy", who poses as various characters to scam them.
In common: Animation · Comedy · Kids
Timon and Pumbaa
1995
Set after the events of the "The Lion King," follow Timon and Pumbaa as they go on misadventures in the jungle, as well as across the globe in various.
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Looney Tunes Show
2011
Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the “Looney Tunes” characters are back with more adventures for a new generation of viewers. The animated series features roommates Bugs and Daffy moving out of
In common: Animation · Comedy
Drawn Together
2004
The world's first animated reality series gathers icons from all corners of the cartoon universe and lets them loose, with plenty of cameras to catch their exploits. Here's what happens when eight car
In common: Animation · Comedy
Daria
1997
After moving to a new town with her stressed-out parents and relentlessly popular little sister, Daria uses her acerbic wit and keen powers of observation to contend with the mind-numbingly ridiculous
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Simpsons
1989 · James L. Brooks
Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands
In common: Animation · Comedy
Family Guy
1999 · Alec Sulkin
Sick, twisted, politically incorrect and Freakin' Sweet animated series featuring the adventures of the dysfunctional Griffin family. Bumbling Peter and long-suffering Lois have three kids. Stewie (a
In common: Animation · Comedy
South Park
1997 · Frank C. Agnone II
Follow the misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado.
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Owl House
2020
Luz, a self-assured teenage human girl, accidentally stumbles upon a portal to a magical new world where she befriends a rebellious witch, Eda, and an adorably tiny warrior, King.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Ed, Edd n Eddy
1999
Three adolescent boys, Ed, Edd "Double D", and Eddy, collectively known as "the Eds", constantly invent schemes to make money from their peers to purchase their favorite confectionery, jawbreakers. Th
In common: Animation · Comedy
Dexter's Laboratory
1996 · Sherry Gunther
Dexter, a boy-genius with a secret laboratory, constantly battles his sister Dee Dee, who always gains access despite his best efforts to keep her out, as well as his arch-rival and neighbor, Mandark.
In common: Animation · Comedy
BoJack Horseman
2014 · Will Arnett
Meet the most beloved sitcom horse of the '90s , 20 years later. He's a curmudgeon with a heart of...not quite gold...but something like gold. Copper?
In common: Animation · Comedy
Kim Possible
2002 · Bob Schooley
If there's danger or trouble, Kim Possible is there on the double to save the world from villains... and still make it home in time for cheerleading practice! Luckily, Kim has her sidekick Ron Stoppab
In common: Animation · Comedy
American Dad!
2005
The series focuses on an eccentric motley crew that is the Smith family and their three housemates: Father, husband, and breadwinner Stan Smith; his better half housewife, Francine Smith; their colleg
In common: Animation · Comedy
Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu
2012
When the fate of their world, Ninjago, is challenged by great threats, it's up to the ninja: Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Lloyd and Nya to save the world.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
2012 · Ciro Nieli
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back in an all-new animated series on Nickelodeon! Surfacing topside for the first time on their fifteenth birthday, the titular turtles, Leonardo, Michelangelo, R
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Daily Life of the Immortal King
2020
As a cultivation genius who has achieved a new realm every two years since he was a year old, Wang Ling is a near-invincible existence with prowess far beyond his control. But now that he’s sixteen, h
In common: Animation · Comedy
The Loud House
2016 · Chris Savino
Welcome to the Loud House, where life can get pretty crazy. One boy, TEN girls?! Lincoln Loud wouldn’t change it for the world!
In common: Animation · Comedy
Scissor Seven
2018
Seeking to recover his memory, a scissor-wielding, hairdressing, bungling quasi-assassin stumbles into a struggle for power among feuding factions.
In common: Animation · Comedy
Solar Opposites
2020
A family of aliens from a much better world must take refuge in middle America after the destruction of their planet. Their mission: protect the Pupa, a living super computer that will one day evolve
In common: Animation · Comedy