10 Thoughts on Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of CampDinner

10 Thoughts, Reviews, Shows, TV Shows

Here we are again, back at Camp Firewood! The birds are singing, the weird kid on the radio is giving narration, and there is a possibility of a three way, maybe. During the evening meal, Susie and Claude and Katie and Andy get a little closer. Victor incurs the wrath of Jonas. And Beth and Greg hire a lawyer. Things are heating up now that we’ve passed the half way point of the season. Plots are starting to hurtle towards their inevitable conclusions and things are getting wackier and wackier.

Love, both illicit and preordained, is the main theme of today’s episode. Coop is the target of an indecent proposal. Gail is the target of a poorly timed proposal. And Susie is the target of just a kind of icky proposal. Who will say yes? Who will say no? The answers are below, maybe!

Onto some thoughts I had.

1. These cold opens are getting better and better

We start the episode today with Victor (Ken Marino) and Neil (Joe La Truglio) prank calling Jonas (Christopher Meloni) in the mess hall. Over hysterical giggling, Victor tells Jonas that he’s the health inspector and that “your food is contaminated with dick farts.” But Jonas isn’t fooled. The health inspector would never call at this time of day! No matter, Victor continues his prank. He tells Jonas “I’m gonna kill you and fuck you!” (whoa…) and then drops the phone, Victor and Neil laughing like hyenas. But Neil says Victor’s name and the game is up. Now Jonas is out for blood and it’s amazing. Angry Christopher Meloni is terrifying and hilarious. And I can’t wait to see what it means to “kill someone like a soup.”

whas ep 5 main

2. This musical actually looks pretty good

The musical that Susie and Claude are working on for the camp, Electro/City, is a fictional show. As far as I know. It’s seems too silly to be an actual musical. But I don’t know. I’m no musical theater expert. But the arrangements I’ve seen so far are actually pretty good. The music is tight, the choreography is great, and the kids are really on top of their shit. I was never in a play that good when I was these kids age. It’s not even a performing arts camp. Claude (John Slattery) should be a lot more impressed. But he’s from the city, oooooooh (as in New York City. Also the city that I live in. So I should probably stop being snide).

3. Things are getting serious

Jonas is out to kill Victor. Gregg and Beth are trying to save the Camp from the government. And the play is close at hand. Stakes are getting higher, guys! I mean, as high as they can get in the WHAS universe. Which isn’t very high. But still, people seem to be buckling down and investing in their stories. Again, stakes can’t get very high when men can transform into cans of vegetables due to green ooze. But that’s the beauty of this show. High stakes, zero consequences.

4. Best gag of the episode goes to: Jonas chasing Victor

After Jonas finds out Victor told him his food was contaminated with “dick farts,” Jonas went on a rampage. In a panic, Victor hid in his bunk, only to be stalked by Jonas. But I have to hand it to Victor, he knows how to hide. Or Jonas is just really bad at looking. Either way, their game of cat and mouse is my favorite part of the episode. Especially when Jonas is running after Victor. Or rather, skipping lazily while Victor runs at full tilt. The sight gags on this show are really just top notch.

5. Oh, right. There’s a wedding.

We haven’t really talked about it because it hasn’t really been mentioned. But Gail (Molly Shannon) and Jonas are getting married today. But Gail is so upset because she’s learned that Jonas isn’t really Jonas! What’s a girl to do? She can’t talk to him because she’s a devout Mennonite and they’re not allowed to see each other on the day of the wedding, even though, as one kid points out, they have seen each other several times during the day. Molly Shannon denying that they have and getting into an argument with a nine year old is stupendous. I’m going to run out superlatives before the end of this review.

6. Michael Cera is Johnny Pisspot

That’s right, folks. The lawyer that Gregg and Beth go to for help is none other than scrawny lil’ Michael Cera. But his specialty is not taking down the government! It’s in traffic violations and public urinations. That’s why they call him Johnny Pisspot, because he hasn’t lost a public urination case yet (which is actually pretty impressive). Will he be enough to stop Zanstar, the evil sludge producing corporation? Will he show the US government what the little guy is made of? Or does it not matter at all because this entire show is one glorious deus ex machina? I’m gonna go with the latter.

7. John Slattery is channeling Leslie Neilson

I mean…

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 6.02.12 PM

 

He has a whole conversation like that.

8. The best line this week goes to: Paul Rudd

He’s still trying to seduce Katie. How does he do it, you might ask? It’s by farting in her general direction. Oddly enough, he’s able to elicit a smile from her and he knows he’s on his way. As he walks away, knowing how suave he is, he says “I’ll fart my way into that snatch. Just you wait.” Putting aside that deeply upsetting image for a moment, how is it that Rudd can say something so icky and somehow still be charming and not annoying in the slightest? Where is this Charisma Wizard who is granting Paul Rudd such mastery of charm??

9. McKinley and Ben’s “What?”-Off is charming as hell

Ben (Bradley Cooper) and McKinley (Michael Ian Black) are clearly going to hook-up, it’s just a matter of time. And their adorable flirtation culminated this episode in the two of them saying “what?” back and forth, neither saying what they wanted to say, but each knowing what needed to be said. Love is in the air at Camp Firewood. When are these two gonna kiss already?

10. And that’s how we get the Gene we know and love

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 6.17.12 PM

Wha…where did that beard come from?

Check out previous thoughts on Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp below!

10 Thoughts on Wet Hot American – Auditions

10 Thoughts on Wet Hot American Summer – Activities

10 Thoughts on Wet Hot American Summer – Campers Arrive & Lunch

Colin is a writer and actor based in Brooklyn, NY.