Netflix strikes comedy gold with ‘Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp’

The summer months are often accompanied by a lull in TV shows, with most major network programs taking a hiatus in preparation for season premieres in the fall. Luckily, Netflix's new series, “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" ("First Day of Camp"), which was released on July 31, provides perfect binge-watching material for viewers missing their usual slate of shows. The first season, comprised of eight episodes, acts as a prequel to the 2001 cult classic comedy "Wet Hot American Summer." "Wet Hot American Summer" takes place at a summer camp in 1981 and follows the experiences of the campers and counselors, deriving its humor from its satirical portrayal of camp life. Commercially, the film was a complete failure, earning a meager $295,206 at the box office. It didn't fare too well critically either; it holds low ratings on IMDb (6.7), Metacritic (42/100) and Rotten Tomatoes (32 percent). Despite this, "Wet Hot American Summer" accrued a solid cult following, drawing viewers in part because of its numerous actors who have since become major players in Hollywood (e.g. Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper and Elizabeth Banks, among others). Impressively, "First Day of Camp" was able to bring back all of the adult cast in this first season.

Though all eight episodes of "First Day of Camp" take place during just one day at Camp Firewood, the writers manage to stuff these 24 hours with comically ludicrous events, new roles and character development. Perhaps the most simultaneously disconcerting and hilarious part of the show is that it boasts famous stars attempting to portray pre-teens and teenagers alongside actual pre-teen and teenage actors, many of whom are beginning to explore their sexuality at Camp Firewood. Though the humor is often crude, it feels quite natural since most of the actors are adults.

"First Day of Camp" takes teenage interactions and stereotypes and completely blows them out of proportion to create quite the satire.Across the lake from Camp Firewood, Blake (Josh Charles) of Camp Tigerclaw spends the majority of the day spying on his girlfriend, Katie (Marguerite Moreau), and her admirer, Andy (Rudd), at Camp Firewood and complaining about their interactions to his friends, all of whom are wearing preppy sweaters and multiple layers of pastel-colored polo shirts.

On the Camp Firewood side, we get a glimpse into how tormenting teenage love can really be. Two counselors, Coop (Michael Schowalter) and Donna (Lake Bell), had a brief affair at the end of the previous summer, but unfortunately for Coop, Donna seems to be more interested in the Israeli soccer coach, Yaron (David Wain), than anything else. Their colleagues, Ben (Cooper) and Susie (Poehler), are Camp Firewood’s power couple and work together to put together the annual performance, "Electro-city." But this seemingly perfect relationship is tested when the much-older director, Claude Dumet (John Slattery), expresses an interest in Susie. 

At a real turning point in the season, the camp director, Mitch (H. Jon Benjamin, also the voice of Bob on the 2011 series “Bob’s Burgers”), discovers that a chemical spill has occurred next to the camp. He proceeds to fall into the pool of green, goopy chemicals and is thought dead by his assistant and romantic interest, Beth (Janeane Garofalo). It is later revealed, however, that Mitch has become a talking can of mixed vegetables. Beth, upon discovering this, is happy he is alive and continues to talk to him as if he were human.

As if things couldn’t get any weirder, a reporter for fictional magazine "Rock and Roll World," Lindsay (Banks), goes undercover as a counselor to get the inside scoop on Camp Firewood. She claims that she wants to start covering the world outside of rock and roll -- and this is where she starts. What better place to begin that mission than a random camp in the middle of Maine?

"Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" is an acquired taste and requires viewers to open up a little bit to its odd sense of humor. Though it can take an episode or so to adjust to the show's brand of comedy, "First Day of Camp" really turns out to be an excellent show and is a significant improvement from the movie. The experienced and talented main cast is able to fairly accurately depict obnoxious teenagers, despite the show's comically over-dramatic tone. Netflix original series so rarely disappoint, and since there really isn’t any other show on air like "First Day of Camp," everyone should, at the very least, give it a try.