Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Information

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is a 2015 satirical comedy television series written by David Wain and Michael Showalter, and directed by Wain. The eight-episode Netflix series is a prequel to Wain's 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer, a parody of teen sex comedies which has since developed a cult following. Although many of the original film's ensemble cast have gone on to high-profile work, all of the then-adult actors returned for this series, playing even younger versions of their original roles. The episodes were released for online viewing at the end of July 2015.

Cast

Main cast

• Elizabeth Banks as Lindsay
• H. Jon Benjamin as Mitch / Can of Mixed Vegetables
• Michael Ian Black as McKinley Dozen
• Bradley Cooper as Ben
• Judah Friedlander as Ron Von Kleinenstein
• Janeane Garofalo as Beth
• Nina Hellman as Nancy
• Joe Lo Truglio as Neil
• Ken Marino as Victor Pulak
• Christopher Meloni as Gene Jenkinson / Jonas Jurgenson
• A. D. Miles as Gary
• Marguerite Moreau as Katie
• Zak Orth as J.J.
• David Hyde Pierce as Associate-Professor Henry Neumann
• Amy Poehler as Susie
• Paul Rudd as Andy Fleckner
• Marisa Ryan as Abby Bernstein
• Jason Schwartzman as Greg
• Molly Shannon as Gail Dana Starfield
• Michael Showalter as Gerald "Coop"? Cooperberg / Ronald Reagan
• Kevin Sussman as Steve

Recurring cast

• Chris Pine as Eric, a reclusive musician
• Jon Hamm as The Falcon, a hired assassin
• Kristen Wiig as Courtney, a snobby Camp Tigerclaw counselor
• Michaela Watkins as Rhonda, a tough New Yorker and a professional choreographer
• John Slattery as Claude Dumet, a renowned Broadway actor-director
• Josh Charles as Blake McCarthy, a Camp Tigerclaw counselor and Katie"?s boyfriend
• Randall Park as Jeff, a city hall records clerk, who is in love with Gail
• Lake Bell as Donna Berman, Coop"?s love interest
• Michael Cera as Jim Stansel, Beth and Greg"?s lawyer
• David Wain as Yaron
• John Early as Logan St. Bogan
• George Dalton as Arty "The Beekeeper" Solomon
• Samm Levine as voice of Arty
• David Bloom as Kevin
• Thomas Barbusca as Drew
• Bruce Greenwood as Bill Martinson
• Rob Huebel as Brodfard Gilroy, Professor Neumann"?s rival
• Richard Schiff as Dean Fairchild, Professor Neumann"?s superior
• "Weird Al" Yankovic as Jackie Brazen, a famous hypnotist
• Rich Sommer as Graham, one of Blake"?s cronies
• Eric Nenninger as Warner, one of Blake"?s cronies
• Jordan Peele as Alan, Lindsay"?s boss
• Jayma Mays as Jessica, a journalist
• Paul Scheer as Dave, a journalist
• Beth Dover as Shari, Neil"?s high school sweetheart
• Logan Garretson as Piano Player
• Tom Simmons as Priest
• Emily Skinner as Froggy
• Allie Stamler as Debbie
• Michael Blaiklock as Danny

Episodes

| ShortSummary = It"?s the first morning at Camp Firewood, and the horny counselors are already making their moves, while something sinister is going on in the woods. | LineColor = AE1411 }}

| ShortSummary = Journalist Lindsay goes undercover as a counselor. Beth and Greg make a startling discovery. Coop has his hands full with Kevin and Donna. | LineColor = AE1411 }}

| ShortSummary = Tensions rise after Blake sees Andy hitting on Katie. Beth goes to an unlikely source for help. Coop is crushed when Donna gives out multiple gifts. | LineColor = AE1411 }}

| ShortSummary = Claude helps Susie find new leads for the musical. Gail tries to discover the truth about Jonas. The Falcon lands. | LineColor = AE1411 }}

| ShortSummary = Susie, Claude, Andy and Katie get closer during the evening meal. Jonas overreacts when Victor crank-calls him. Beth and Greg hire a lawyer. | LineColor = AE1411 }}

| ShortSummary = Lives change dramatically during the performance of the staff musical "Electro-City."? Greg and Beth"?s lawsuit goes to trial. | LineColor = AE1411 }}

| ShortSummary = Victor and Coop discover that sex is a lot more complicated than they thought. Lindsay has to file her article. Andy and Katie have a moment of truth. | LineColor = AE1411 }}

| ShortSummary = While Beth and Gene fight to save the camp from government forces, Andy and the other counselors take on their Camp Tiger Claw rivals. | LineColor = AE1411 }} }}

Production

After years of speculation and reports on a possible sequel to Wet Hot American Summer, shooting began on the miniseries in January 2015. The entire adult cast of the film returned in the same roles. Much of the film was shot in Los Angeles. Working around the availability of the cast members, many of whom had seen a significant rise in stardom since the original film, was difficult; some sources report that Bradley Cooper, who plays Ben, had to shoot all of his scenes in one day, although star and co-writer Michael Showalter has since denied this claim.

Along with the series, a making-of documentary on Wet Hot American Summer, titled Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot, was released on Netflix on July 24, 2015, consisting of behind the scenes interviews and footage shot during the filming of the movie.

Reception

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a score of 92%, based on 49 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp offers more of the same goofy hijinks that fans of the cult classic crave, but outsiders might not be quite as enamored with." On Metacritic series has a score of 74 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

For the 6th Critics' Choice Television Awards, John Slattery is nominated for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series.