Camp Wilder

Camp Wilder is an American television sitcom which aired on ABC from September 18, 1992 until February 26, 1993. 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. The series was created by Matthew Carlson, and produced by a.k.a. Productions in association with Capital Cities Entertainment.

Camp Wilder
GenreSitcom
Created byMatthew Carlson
Written byMatthew Carlson
Gary Gilbert
Cheryl Holliday
Matt Miller
Barrie Nedler
David Z. Sacks
Donald Todd
Directed byZane Buzby
Gail Mancuso
Arlene Sanford
David Trainer
James Widdoes
StarringMary Page Keller
Jerry O'Connell
Meghann Haldeman
Tina Majorino
Jay Mohr
Hilary Swank
Jared Leto
Margaret Langrick
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
DistributorABC Distribution Company
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseSeptember 18, 1992 (1992-09-18) –
February 26, 1993 (1993-02-26)

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 and Germany, where it became a hit.

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 couldn't 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 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

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Bad Influence"Arlene SanfordMatthew CarlsonSeptember 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 BuzbyGary 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 TrainerGary 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 MancusoDonald 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"TBATBAJanuary 8, 1993 (1993-01-08)
14"I Love You, Margaret B. Sanger"James WiddoesCheryl HollidayJanuary 15, 1993 (1993-01-15)
15"Bringing up Brody"David TrainerTBAJanuary 22, 1993 (1993-01-22)
16"Forget-Me-Not"David TrainerTBAFebruary 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
Year Award Result Category Recipient
1993Young Artist AwardsNominatedOutstanding 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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