Digger Dave and Digger Sam, collectively referred to as The Diggers, are always seen digging during Recess at Third Street School. This arcane skill is a commodity on the playground; they are often contracted to dig in several episodes.
Despite popular belief, they are not identical twins, they just happen to look identical. This is pointed out in the episode "Diggers Split Up", where Sam has a flashback at when they first met, though they are changed to be such in a few foreign dubs. Additionally, in "The Terrifying Tales of Recess", Digger Dave says that Digger Sam broke dad’s best shovel, and their dad was upset about it, incorrectly alluding to the fact that they are brothers. However, since the episode is told from the perspective of Butch, an unreliable narrator, this could be a mistake on his part and not the writers.
Personality
The Diggers filling up their hole on the last day of school
Dave often considers his way the only way to do things, and when he and Sam got into a fight, he kept lecturing the others on how to do things they already do well, even so far as to try and teach the Upside-Down Girl how to hang upside down. He becomes less bossy when he and Sam get back together.
Digger Dave is the one with the mouth guard, and Digger Sam has the handkerchief as seen in the episode "Stand Up Randall". This, however, it was switched from the first episode "The Break In".
Sam can really overdo it and become desultory without Dave telling him where to dig. And when he and Dave separated, he made craters on the whole playground. When steered in the right direction, however, he can be very efficient.
Appearance
They both wear identical outfits: baggy overalls, yellow shirts, miner's helmets, and thick boots. To distinguish themselves, Sam wears a red neckerchief, and Dave wears an unsecured safety mask around his neck. In the Recess pilot, both the diggers wore neckerchiefs. Dave wore a red one, whereas Sam wore an orange one. They wore white T-shirts instead of yellow.
History
It is revealed in the episode "Big Brother Chad", that Vince's big brother Chad was the one who got Dave his first shovel.
In the episode "The Break In", they are asked to help in T.J.'s recovery.
In the episode "Buried Treasure", they are contracted by the gang to dig in the Ashleys' Clubhouse.
Trivia
- In "Bad Hair Day", they both take their helmets off for the first time ever, and they are shown to both have really long hair; however, in "Diggers Split Up" when Dave took off his helmet, his hair looked totally different; this time it was short and spiky. Sam also had the same hair as Dave in this episode, so it is likely that their hair grew back and got hairstyles before the events of the episode. Unsurprisingly, in Chief Mikey (as part of Recess: All Growed Down), they were shown to be completely bald when they were in kindergarten.
- The Diggers individually are named after the 1960s R&B duo Sam & Dave.
- Dave shares the same voice actor as Randall, Ryan O'Donohue. He also played Sam for most of Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade, as Klee Bragger already had gone through puberty (though he does play him at the end of the film for a joke about his voice changing).
- In their first appearance which was in "The Break In", the Diggers accidentally ended up digging all the way to Beijing, China.
- Even though in the first episode the Diggers end up making it to China, they still have the sign 'China or Bust' throughout the show.
- They are in the Diggers Society.
- In the Japanese dub, they are changed from identical best friends to twin brothers.
- In the German dub, they are changed from identical best friends to twin brothers, although in "Diggers Split Up", they are mentioned to only be identical best friends. They are changed back into twin brothers for the rest of the dub.
- In the episode "Diggers Split Up", The Recess Gang mentions that the Diggers are identical best friends who met in kindergarten. However, later, in "The Terrifying Tales of Recess", Dave mentions that they are brothers.
- Both are never seen without their eyeglasses. However, in the flashback of when they first met each other in kindergarten, they were shown without their glasses for the first and only ever time.
Gallery
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 Media: Recess (Episode List) • Recess: School's Out • Recess: All Growed Down • Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade • Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street Characters: T.J. Detweiler • Vince LaSalle • Ashley Spinelli • Mikey Blumberg • Gretchen Grundler • Gus Griswald • Captain Bradley • Cornchip Girl • The Diggers • Hustler Kid • Erwin Lawson • Miss Grotke • Muriel Finster • Becky Detweiler • Dr. Phillium Benedict • Menlo • Brock • Peter Prickly • Kojak • Butch • Ashley Armbruster • Ashley Boulet • Ashley Quinlan • Ashley Tomassian • Wallace Fenwick • Brandon the Singer • Gelman • King Bob • Chucko Kowalski • Jocko • Randall Weems • King Freddy II • Cheay • Spencer • Swinger Girl • Upside-Down Girl • Gordy • Hector • Miss Lemon • Lunchlady Irma • Tubby • Jordan & Jerome • Flo Spinelli • Bob Spinelli • Guru Kid Songs: Recess Theme Song • "We Shall Not Be Moved" • "Jingle Bells" (Recess Version) • "The Otter Dance" • Bonky Theme Song |