Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp
By Jenny Nixon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Absurd but amiable nostalgia trip only lukewarm.
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Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp
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What's the Story?
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER: FIRST DAY AT CAMP serves as an eight-episode prequel to the 2001 cult comedy film Wet Hot American Summer, which took place on the last day of camp. Nestled in the wilds of Maine, Camp Firewood is in dire straights financially, causing the camp director (H. Jon Benjamin) to make an ill-advised deal with a nefarious corporation that ends up dumping cesspools of deadly toxic waste on the campgrounds. It's up to a couple of screwball camp counselors (Jason Schwartzman, Janeane Garofalo) to squash the danger while keeping parents from finding out what's really going on. Meanwhile, most of the other plot lines are centered on the various romantic entanglements of the counselors and teens: Uptight rich girl Katie (Marguerite Moreau) is pursued by crass Andy (Paul Rudd), while dorky Coop (Michael Showalter) attempts to figure out where he stands with hot girl Donna (Lake Bell). We're also introduced to Camp Firewood's snobby rivals at nearby preppy Camp Tigerclaw, led by polo shirt-clad Blake (Josh Charles). There's also some cheeseball musical theater in the works, produced by budding thespians and would-be lovers Susie (Amy Poehler) and Ben (Bradley Cooper), with the help of Broadway vet Claude Dumet (John Slattery).
Is It Any Good?
Boasting an all-star cast of modern comedy greats, the series relies so heavily on the stale nostalgia angle -- without offering much else -- that it comes off like an extended and slightly pointless improv exercise. Much of the original film's humor came from the fact that a cast of 20- and 30somethings were playing teenagers. This time around, the cast is even older and even less believable, and their characters are two months younger. The performers, which include many newcomers (Jordan Peele, Michael Cera, Jon Hamm) making cameo appearances, are likable enough, and there's definitely a curiosity factor involved in seeing them pick up these roles again so long after the movie.
But the humor itself is rambling and can be seriously repetitive with all the callbacks and in-jokes referencing things that happen in the film (which probably seem nonsensical and bizarre if you haven't seen it). It's not really enough to parody a genre and make lazy jokes about Tab soda and Ronald Reagan if there's nothing more substantial being brought to the table. It mainly seems like an excuse to allow some awesome actors to basically workshop stuff on camera, which has its charm, but a bit more structure and direction would have gone a long way. Still, if you've been waiting 14 years to see that talking can of vegetables again, you won't be disappointed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what it means to parody something. How can you tell when something is a sincere homage and when something is being made fun of? What's the difference?
What were some of the more ridiculous aspects of the plot? Did the surreal elements make you laugh, or did they distract from the story?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 31, 2015
- Cast: Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Michael Showalter, Bradley Cooper, Christopher Meloni, Elizabeth Banks, Janeane Garofalo, Michael Ian Black, David Wain, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Jason Schwartzman
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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