Monday, September 27, 2010

Favorite Episodes: Salute Your Shorts

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

A short-lived show this week. Just two seasons, but just about everyone I've ever talked to about this program agrees that it had the potential to last so, so much longer. The show is really divided into two part... episodes with Michael and the episodes with Pinsky. I actually have no idea why Michael left the show (although his character is written off as having chicken pox... how does only 1 person get them at a secluded venue like summer camp?), but since neither of those characters is my favorite, I don't know that it really made the episodes any better or worse as a whole.

Basically, it was Camp Anawana, a summer camp. We never see the general population, as the show focuses on a handful of kids and a single counselor. Other children fit in when a supporting character or rival is needed, but basically we have Budnick, the prankster; Telly, the sportsy one; Dina, the rich one; Sponge, the brain; Donkeylips, the fat kid; ZZ, the environmental one; and Michael & Pinksy, the regular ol' teenagers. Ug was the counselor, and Dr. Kahn was the director. He's remembered as yet another unseen-onscreen character. Nobody really ever made a big career out of the show, but it enjoyed a couple years of reruns on Nickelodeon before disappearing.

Season 1: "The Treasure of Sarah Madre" (S01E03) The gang is remembering the old dance teacher who did the cha-cha off a cliff years ago. They discover a map in the picture, and Budnick sells fake maps to two groups, in exchange for boomboxes. Everyone realizes the directions are fake, but they try to trick Budnick back. Budnick and Donkeylips go searching for the treasure at night, and dig right into a water main. This is going on, of course, just before the new camp brochure photos are to be taken, so Ug is very upset that the guys dug a hole in the baseball field.

Season 2: "Capture the Flag" (S02E10) This is my very favorite episode of the show. As the title suggests, there is a camp-wide game of Capture the Flag. While we see all of the main kids participating, it's Donkeylips who saves the day unexpectedly (he wanted to be offense, but was put on defense, but the offense all gets captured so he leads his team to victory).
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1 comment:

Margie said...

I miss old Nick. Hey Dude, Double Dare, Ren & Stimpy and definitely Salute Your Shorts.

"Sing it right or pay the price!"