7 Reasons We Need More “Wet Hot American Summer”
I was about four months into dating my SO, I decided it was time. It was supposed to be a quiet movie night. A peaceful, pleasant occasion. But over popcorn I threw down the real gauntlet: “No pressure, but if you don’t like this movie a lot, we might not be a good fit.” Praise be, ninety something minutes later, My date conceded to my point: this flick was pretty darn funny. Un-coincidentally, both movie and man have turned out to be real keepers.
“Wet. Hot. American. Summer” is the cult film that wins all cult films. A campy ode to summer camp. From its all-star cast of early-career comedic geniuses to the script’s slew of inside jokes, this movie remains an arbiter of taste and a must-see for anyone with the vaguest interest in dating me, or being a curious, productive human.
In a delightful twist of events, David Wain, director and co-writer of the 2001 original film, is allegedly in talks with Netflix to create a ten episode prequel series to this most magnificent of magnificent movies — think Arrested Development’s recent fourth season. Wain has told Q&A podcast of the upcoming project: “The prequel would be the same summer so they would be 20 years old for the part..but not younger. So it would be 40 year olds playing 16 year olds.”
That’s right, folks. The Camp Firewood gang is (maybe) back. And if anyone can pull off something so ridiculous, my money’s on Michael Showalter, Paul Rudd and Janeane Garofalo. Fan-bait or not, this is one of those times where I’m willing to quell my critic’s side and follow the funny. Plus, the original movie left us with so many questions! In the spirit of inquiry, here are five reasons we don’t just want, but NEED, a prequel:
Because we need to know when (and how…) Gene-the-chef began falling in love with kitchen appliances.
Because it’d be nice to have a context for Andy’s malaise. Seriously, what makes this guy so fussy?
Because we want to know how Gail and Ron von Kleinenstein got together in the first place.
Because we’d like to witness more of McKinley and Ben’s tender, summer courtship.
…and, for that matter, Andy and Lindsay’s.
Because we want to see more getting-ready-for-the-talent-show montages.
And this isn’t really a reason, but because…Coop:
One means of measuring quality art is in its staying power — and for some reason, my love for Wet Hot American Summer hasn’t Wain-ed (nyuk nyuk nyuk). Every year, my friends and I plan to go as the Firewood Gang for Halloween (…though we always forget). We bandy movie quotes about in every other conversation, some twelve years later. So, bring on the prequel, Netflix. I’m jazzed.
