Having enjoyed the book, I was pleased to recently discover the existence of this single-season adaptation. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend NOT watching it, I would caution that there are some things to consider first (really mild spoilers ahead):
Since they probably hoped for a second season, the plot meanders, introducing far too many characters and conflicts to allow for any satisfactory resolution or character arcs . It doesn't even span an entire summer, instead ending abruptly after Parents' Weekend.
It doesn't seem to know what its main genre and target audience should be. The setting is primed for dramedy, but the drama part is unrelenting, with few moments of typical summer camp levity to offset the angst that plagues staff and campers alike. It's a "huge" mistake to give us such a great backdrop and about a billion campers only to focus excessively on the train wreck of a camp director. Hers is the most fleshed-out storyline, but also the least interesting.
The main protagonist, Will, is really unlikable and - weirdly - remains a pencil-sketch of a character, even after ten episodes. We still have no real idea why she's so awful (mere neglectful parenting doesn't really explain it away), and it's hard to care if she succeeds.
Despite these issues, better pacing and more focus could've made "Huge" a fan favorite. There are some fun moments (the talent show, for instance), the acting is really solid, and the direction is reminiscent of other popular shows of the era. In the end, though, it's just one of those shows no one probably missed when the summer was over.
Review by Cory L.BlockedParent2023-08-28T00:00:18Z
Having enjoyed the book, I was pleased to recently discover the existence of this single-season adaptation. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend NOT watching it, I would caution that there are some things to consider first (really mild spoilers ahead):
Since they probably hoped for a second season, the plot meanders, introducing far too many characters and conflicts to allow for any satisfactory resolution or character arcs . It doesn't even span an entire summer, instead ending abruptly after Parents' Weekend.
It doesn't seem to know what its main genre and target audience should be. The setting is primed for dramedy, but the drama part is unrelenting, with few moments of typical summer camp levity to offset the angst that plagues staff and campers alike. It's a "huge" mistake to give us such a great backdrop and about a billion campers only to focus excessively on the train wreck of a camp director. Hers is the most fleshed-out storyline, but also the least interesting.
The main protagonist, Will, is really unlikable and - weirdly - remains a pencil-sketch of a character, even after ten episodes. We still have no real idea why she's so awful (mere neglectful parenting doesn't really explain it away), and it's hard to care if she succeeds.
Despite these issues, better pacing and more focus could've made "Huge" a fan favorite. There are some fun moments (the talent show, for instance), the acting is really solid, and the direction is reminiscent of other popular shows of the era. In the end, though, it's just one of those shows no one probably missed when the summer was over.