See How Well the Cast of Wet Hot American Summer Has Aged
It’s been almost 15 years since we were first introduced to the counselors of Camp Firewood in Wet Hot American Summer; Netflix’s prequel series takes us back to the future, so to speak. In eight episodes released on Friday, First Day of Camp features nearly every adult cast member from the 2001 movie — plus enough notable guest stars to make a mini Mad Men reunion — all playing their characters, eight weeks younger, while being a decade-and-a-half older in real life.
Some haven’t aged a day since 2001 (Paul Rudd), others have miraculously grown younger (Janeane Garofalo), but everyone can agree that having 40-to-50-year-olds playing teenagers is a great idea. Take a look at how each of the main characters changed from the first day of camp (2015, on the right) to the last (2001, on the left). Spoilers for First Day of Camp ahead.
It would have probably been too absurd to have the same (child) actor play this character 15 years later, but Samm Levine’s voice kept Arty “The Beeke...
It would have probably been too absurd to have the same (child) actor play this character 15 years later, but Samm Levine’s voice kept Arty “The Beekeeper” Solomon alive. Turns out, Camp Firewood’s pamphlet advertised a “state-of-the-art broadcast facility,” but that still doesn’t explain his objection to showering.
We discover how Beth became the camp director, and that helping misdirect a falling piece of Skylab wasn’t the first time she’s saved the camp from de...
We discover how Beth became the camp director, and that helping misdirect a falling piece of Skylab wasn’t the first time she’s saved the camp from destruction.
Coop’s lovesick feelings for Katie didn’t start on the first day of camp, probably because he was too busy being manipulated by his then-girlfriend Do...
Coop’s lovesick feelings for Katie didn’t start on the first day of camp, probably because he was too busy being manipulated by his then-girlfriend Donna (Lake Bell).
Before she turned making-out into a sport with Andy, Katie’s first day of camp is dominated by her leading role in Electro City and her boyfriend, Bla...
Before she turned making-out into a sport with Andy, Katie’s first day of camp is dominated by her leading role in Electro City and her boyfriend, Blake (Josh Charles), a controlling yuppie from evil Camp Tigerclaw.
Andy spends the entire first day of camp trying to win over Katie, but by day two he’s already accusing her of dominating his time like he does on the...
Andy spends the entire first day of camp trying to win over Katie, but by day two he’s already accusing her of dominating his time like he does on the last day of camp.
We find out Lindsay is actually an undercover journalist for Rock & Roll World magazine, where she still has a problem with noticing when she has ...
We find out Lindsay is actually an undercover journalist for Rock & Roll World magazine, where she still has a problem with noticing when she has barbecue sauce on her face.
Ben and McKinley first get together thanks to a zoot suit, while he and Susie were at one point more than just producer and director-choreographers.
We start to understand why Susie and Ben bicker so much on the last day of camp after he leaves her for McKinley, but it’s all good because she gets o...
We start to understand why Susie and Ben bicker so much on the last day of camp after he leaves her for McKinley, but it’s all good because she gets one night with Monsieur Claude Dubet (John Slattery).
It takes McKinley’s love of sewing to make Ben realize how “creative” he is. Aside from occasionally checking in on “the Beekeeper,” that’s what his f...
It takes McKinley’s love of sewing to make Ben realize how “creative” he is. Aside from occasionally checking in on “the Beekeeper,” that’s what his first day of camp is all about.
That wig!
It takes all summer for Victor to admit that he’s actually a virgin, thanks in part to a bet he makes with Neil on the first day of camp about getting...
It takes all summer for Victor to admit that he’s actually a virgin, thanks in part to a bet he makes with Neil on the first day of camp about getting laid. Thanks to a choreographer’s (Michaela Watkins) penchant for “appearing unstable,” he gets his first opportunity to lie about scoring.
Neil actually does hook up with his high-school girlfriend Shari at the staff party, but tells Victor he didn’t.
In what has to be the biggest transformation of any of the characters, Abby starts out as a boy-hating camper until she gets her period and immediatel...
In what has to be the biggest transformation of any of the characters, Abby starts out as a boy-hating camper until she gets her period and immediately transforms into the boy-crazy counselor we love.
... Though Gene may win for best transformation. Once a stable, clean-shaven camp chef engaged to arts-and-crafts counselor Gail, it takes Mitch being...
... Though Gene may win for best transformation. Once a stable, clean-shaven camp chef engaged to arts-and-crafts counselor Gail, it takes Mitch being turned into a can of mixed vegetables and Gail leaving him for Jeff (Randall Park) to revert him back to his ‘Nam ways and start humping fridges.
While Gail spends the last day of camp being consoled by campers about her divorce, she spends the first day of camp engaged to Gene/Jonas, marrying J...
While Gail spends the last day of camp being consoled by campers about her divorce, she spends the first day of camp engaged to Gene/Jonas, marrying Jeff, and then subsequently leaving him for her future ex-husband Ron. We also confirm that, at least once, she knew where the big box of crayons was.
We never learn how this “robot kid” was able to save everyone on the last day of camp, but his talents are put to use on day one by hacking into the g...
We never learn how this “robot kid” was able to save everyone on the last day of camp, but his talents are put to use on day one by hacking into the government’s computer and printing things on dot-matrix paper.
Gary is just as surprised as everyone else when he finds out that Jonas is actually Gene the ex-Marine.
Ron is more than just Gail’s pathetic ex. On the first day of camp, we find out he works for President Ronald Reagan (Michael Showalter) and is the on...
Ron is more than just Gail’s pathetic ex. On the first day of camp, we find out he works for President Ronald Reagan (Michael Showalter) and is the only one willing to clean up toxic waste.
The woman who just wanted some lube on the last day of camp is apparently really good at removing diaphragms while wearing pants.
The “publish or perish” drama that he described to Beth on the last day of camp is all too real – Professor Newman’s summer home on the border of Camp...
The “publish or perish” drama that he described to Beth on the last day of camp is all too real – Professor Newman’s summer home on the border of Camp Firewood is where he escaped.
The mystery of H. Jon Benjamin’s voice coming from a can of mixed vegetables is solved when we see him fall into a pool of toxic waste with his favori...
The mystery of H. Jon Benjamin’s voice coming from a can of mixed vegetables is solved when we see him fall into a pool of toxic waste with his favorite snack. Damn you, Xenstar!