Camp Wilder

Last updated
Camp Wilder
Genre Sitcom
Created by Matthew Carlson
Written byMatthew Carlson
Gary Gilbert
Cheryl Holliday
Matt Miller
Barrie Nedler
David Z. Sacks
Donald Todd
Directed by Zane Buzby
Gail Mancuso
Arlene Sanford
David Trainer
James Widdoes
Starring Mary Page Keller
Jerry O'Connell
Jay Mohr
Meghann Haldeman
Margaret Langrick
Hilary Swank
Tina Majorino
ComposerJonathan M. Wolff
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes20 (1 unaired)
Production
Executive producerMatthew Carlson
ProducersLinda Nieber
David Z. Sacks
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesVanity Logo Productions
ABC Productions
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseSeptember 18, 1992 (1992-09-18) 
February 26, 1993 (1993-02-26)

Camp Wilder is an American television sitcom which aired on ABC from September 18, 1992, until February 26, 1993. [1] The premise centered on a young woman who opens up her home to the friends of her younger siblings, who sought it as judgment-free "hangout", and who regularly went to her for advice. [2] The series was created by Matthew Carlson, and produced by a.k.a. Productions in association with Capital Cities Entertainment.

Contents

The show aired as a part of ABC's TGIF lineup, but was cancelled after 19 episodes due to low ratings. A twentieth episode was produced, but was never aired in the United States. Camp Wilder was also shown in the UK, Spain and Germany.

Synopsis

Ricky Wilder (Mary Page Keller) is a 28-year-old nurse and single mother, raising her family in her childhood home after her parents' deaths. Ricky's only actual child was her 6-year-old daughter Sophie (Tina Majorino), but she was also the principal guardian to her teenage siblings, 16-year-old Brody (Jerry O'Connell) and 13-year-old Melissa (Meghann Haldeman). From the time their parents died, Ricky understood that she could not change out of her persona as the "cool, approachable" older sister, and mixed parenting tactics in with the setting of a casual, laissez-faire household. In fact, the atmosphere in the Wilder house was so laid-back that many of Brody and Melissa's friends sought it as a refuge from the stricter, more confining homes run by their traditional parents. Ricky thus welcomed them all in with open arms, and they regularly sat around the family's kitchen table and dished about life's various happenings and dilemmas, while Ricky helped them sort out their issues and dispensed sound advice in a non-judgmental, friend-like way. As a result, the neighborhood youth nicknamed their home "Camp Wilder."

Among the regular inhabitants of Camp Wilder were Brody's off-kilter best friend Dorfman (Jay Mohr) and Melissa's best friends Beth (Margaret Langrick) and Danielle (Hilary Swank). Many other friends and classmates of theirs passed through Camp Wilder in guest appearances, most notably Dexter (Jared Leto), a hip, motorcycle-riding bad boy who Danielle had the hots for. However, it was goofball Dorfman who quickly became the show's breakout character, with his gross-out humor causing friction with the girls, and Ricky's numerous attempts to help him become an upstanding young man (i.e., teaching him work ethic by giving him a job as an orderly at her hospital, saving him from being held back in school by becoming his tutor, etc.). Other stories focused on the escapades of the Wilders, and especially on Sophie, who was beginning to look up to Brody as a surrogate father figure rather than just as an uncle. Throughout the show's 20 episodes, she began exhibiting tomboyish traits, and at Christmas, she told the family that all she wanted was to be a boy.

Cast

Main

Recurring

Original pilot

When the series was originally conceived, it was titled Camp Bicknell and a pilot was shot under this original title.[ citation needed ] In the first pilot, which was subsequently retooled, Elena Stiteler had the role of Ricky Bicknell, the older sister who was raising young daughters Lucy (Ginger Orsi) and Sophie (Tina Majorino). Ricky had become the guardian of her 16-year-old brother Brody (Paul Scherrer) after their parents died a year earlier. Jay Mohr, Hilary Swank, and Margaret Langrick all appeared as Dorfman, Danielle, and Beth, respectively—all were friends of Brody's in the first pilot. The latter three, along with Tina Majorino, were the only cast members from the Camp Bicknell pilot who were retained when the project was retitled Camp Wilder and underwent casting changes. The original pilot was never aired.[ citation needed ]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Bad Influence" Arlene Sanford Matthew Carlson September 18, 1992 (1992-09-18)
2"See Spot Go"Arlene SanfordDonald ToddSeptember 25, 1992 (1992-09-25)
3"The First Kiss"Arlene SanfordMatthew CarlsonOctober 2, 1992 (1992-10-02)
4"To Protect and Serve" Zane Buzby Gary GilbertOctober 9, 1992 (1992-10-09)
5"Melissa's Friend"Zane BuzbyMatthew CarlsonOctober 16, 1992 (1992-10-16)
6"Sophie's Birthday"Zane BuzbyMatthew CarlsonOctober 23, 1992 (1992-10-23)
7"Spirit of Friendship" David Trainer Gary GilbertOctober 30, 1992 (1992-10-30)
8"It's a Wonderful Video"David TrainerGary GilbertNovember 6, 1992 (1992-11-06)
9"Something Wilder"David TrainerMatthew Miller & Barrie NedlerNovember 13, 1992 (1992-11-13)
10"Boy Loses Girl" Gail Mancuso Donald ToddNovember 20, 1992 (1992-11-20)
11"Jung at Heart"Gail MancusoCheryl HollidayDecember 4, 1992 (1992-12-04)
12"A Close Shave"Gail MancusoDavid SacksDecember 18, 1992 (1992-12-18)
13"Career Day"UnknownUnknownJanuary 8, 1993 (1993-01-08)
14"I Love You, Margaret B. Sanger" James Widdoes Cheryl HollidayJanuary 15, 1993 (1993-01-15)
15"Bringing up Brody"David TrainerUnknownJanuary 22, 1993 (1993-01-22)
16"Forget-Me-Not"David TrainerUnknownFebruary 5, 1993 (1993-02-05)
17"Love Stinks"David TrainerDavid SacksFebruary 12, 1993 (1993-02-12)
18"A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dorfman"David TrainerMatthew CarlsonFebruary 19, 1993 (1993-02-19)
19"That Was Thin, This is Now"David TrainerDavid SacksFebruary 26, 1993 (1993-02-26)

Awards and nominations

YearAwardResultCategoryRecipient
1993 Young Artist Awards NominatedOutstanding Actress Under Ten in a Television SeriesTina Majorino
Best Young Actress in a New Television SeriesHilary Swank
Best Young Actress in a New Television SeriesMeghann Haldeman

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References

  1. "BBC - Comedy Guide - Camp Wilder". web.archive.org. December 5, 2004.
  2. "Camp Wilder". EW.com.