Bug Juice

Bug Juice

Bug Juice logo
Created by Douglas Ross
J. Rupert Thompson
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 60
Production
Executive producer(s) Douglas Ross, Greg Stewart, J. Rupert Thompson
Producer(s) Laura Z. Thompson
Running time 22 minutes
Production company(s) Evolution Film & Tape
Disney Channel Originals
Distributor Disney-ABC Domestic Television
Broadcast
Original channel Disney Channel
Original run February 28, 1998 – October 15, 2001

Bug Juice is a Disney Channel reality series that premiered on February 28, 1998. The series focuses around 20 kids and their experiences at summer camp. Together, the kids work hard to excel in their activities and become friends. The phrase bug juice is a camping slang term for a very sweet juice drink made from powdered mixes, such as Kool-Aid, which are often served at summer camps.

History and production

The series' co-creator, Douglas Ross, a former camper, thought summer camp would be the "perfect setting for a reality-based program geared for 9- to 12-year-olds." He pitched the idea to the Disney Channel, and Rich Ross, then head of programming and production, green-lit the series without a pilot episode. The location, Camp Waziyatah, was decided a few months before the 1997 camp season started. The producers conducted about 100 phone interviews, and then made 60 home visits before selecting 27 campers. Four camp counselors were chosen from the camp's existing group, and from an open call made on the Internet, which received 350 responses. The first season was filmed for 56 days straight by three film crews.[1] The boys' and girls' cabins had all male and all female crews, led by directors Donald Bull and Laura Zucco, respectively.[2]

On July 15, 1999, it was announced that a second season had been ordered.[3] On July 12, 2000, a third season was announced; production had begun in June.[4]

Season 1

Episodes

Season 1 takes place in Waterford, Maine, at Camp Waziyatah, which has been in operation since 1922. The camp is broken down into two sessions. Each session is four weeks.[5][6]

  1. "Camp Waziyatah"
  2. "Getting to Know You"
  3. "To Clique...or Not to Clique"
  4. "Adventure Bound: Bushwack"
  5. "Molecules Colliding"
  6. "Boys-to-Men Talent Show"
  7. "Unity Campfire"
  8. "Aftershocks"
  9. "No Pain, No Gain"
  10. "Nice Guys Finish Last"
  11. "Goodbye, Session One"
  12. "Ch, Ch, Changes"
  13. "Session 2"
  14. "Turn, Turn, Turn"
  15. "When the Boys Go Away, Girls Will Play"
  16. "We Shall Overcome"
  17. "Flirting with Disaster: Co-Ed Canoe Trip"
  18. "The Last Hurrah"
  19. "So Long, Farewell"
  20. "Scrapbook"

Cast

Rhett Bachner and Morgan Will are the male counselors for Grove 4. Luna and Annie are the female counselors for Hill 4. Gregory Weiss is the Candyman.

Session 1 campers include Andrew Johnson, Darnell Jordan, Asa Korsen, Connor Shaw, Everett Boyle, Andy White, Hassan A. Omar, Jon Adler, Jason Wool, and Malik Sollas in Grove 4. Johnson, Jordan, Korsen, Omar, Adler, and Sollas are joined by Max, Andy #2, Justin Simon, and Patrick Milhaupt for Session 2.

In Hill 4, Session 1 campers include Alison Harding, Caitlin Welby, Lauren, Martha, Mary Elizabeth Bradley, Megan Tarr, Sarai Fife, Kisha, Jenny, and Stephanie Etkin. Welby, Kisha, and Etkin are joined by Annie Friedman, Cammie Delany, Sarah Ceglarski, Molly, and Anna Korsen for Session 2.

Season 2

Episodes

Season 2 takes place in Horse Shoe, North Carolina, at Camp Highlander. The camp is broken down into three sessions.

  1. "Your Adventure Starts Here"
  2. "You Never Know Until You Try"
  3. "Odd Man Out"
  4. "You Get What You Give"
  5. "Brits, Fights, & Videotape"
  6. "Old Friends & New Friends"
  7. "I'm Gonna Walk Those Fears Right Outta My Head"
  8. "First Farewells"
  9. "Bringing on the New Recruits"
  10. "The Dance of Love"
  11. "Climbing Toward Acceptance"
  12. "Outside Looking In"
  13. "You Don't Have to be a Star to Shine"
  14. "July Goodbye"
  15. "New Kids on the Bus"
  16. "Discovering Your Inner Camper"
  17. "Countdown Begins"
  18. "War Breaks at Highlander"
  19. "And the Winner Is..."
  20. "See Ya, Highlander"

Cast

Male counselors for Cabin 28 are Andrew Cohen and Andrew Foti. Female counselors for Cabin 6 are Amanda Peryln, Nicki K, Tiffany Lydon, and Ali Baske.

Female campers in Session A include Libby, Maryanne, Sarah, Jenny, Alex, Simana, Annette, Nikki, Samantha, and Michaela. In Session B, Annette and Samantha are joined by Hilary, Michelle, Kelly, Kim, Jennifer, Michelle, Baylor, and Jessica. In Session C, Kim, Jennifer, Baylor, and Jessica are joined by Jess, Gaby, Dalit, Danielle, Alanna, and Jasmyne.

Male campers in Session A include Steven, Kevin, Sam, Alvan, Jared, Austin, Ricky, Brendan, Alex, Chasen. In Session B, Steven, Alvan, Ricky, and Chasen are joined by Josh, Steffen, Hunter, Farb, Tyler, and Conor. In Session C, Ricky, Josh, Hunter, and Farb are joined by Michael, Steven, Marcellus, Brandon, Brendan, and Kevin.

Season 3

Episodes

Season three takes place in Tererro, New Mexico, at Brush Ranch Camp. The camp is broken down into two four-week sessions.[4]

  1. "Welcome to Brush Ranch Camp"
  2. --
  3. --
  4. --
  5. --
  6. "Choices and Consequences"
  7. --
  8. --
  9. --
  10. --
  11. --
  12. --
  13. --
  14. --
  15. --
  16. --
  17. --
  18. --
  19. "Gettin' Dirty"
  20. "End of Brush Ranch"

Cast

Male campers in Rustlers include Lee, Alex, Brendon, Josh, Bryan, Todd, Houston, Alex J., and Jordan in Session 1. Session 2 includes Jake, Aaron, Brendon, Sam, Bryan, Terrance, Will, Mike, Josh, and Carl.

Female campers in Indian Creek include Eve La Fountain, Jen, Hallie, Reid, Kelly, Amanda Bustamante, Ali C., Kristen, Megan, and Ali B. in Session 1. Session 2 includes Alana, Carrie, Hallie, Alex, Kelly, Amanda Bustamante, Leela, Sarah, Megan, Ellie, and Kiersten.

Reruns

Episodes of all three seasons were shown for several years on Disney Channel, ending with a run of Season 3 during the year 2001. Bug Juice was subsequently pulled from the air and was not shown again until the summer of 2004, during which episodes from the first season ran nightly in chronological order. The last episode of Bug Juice aired August 20, 2004, and it has not been shown since.

During the summer of 2006, Disney began posting mini episodes on its Web site, encouraging viewers of the Disney Channel to log on and view 5-minute short clips from episodes of the first season.

Bug Juice was also broadcast in the UK on Channel 4's The Bigger Breakfast.

See also

After the success of Bug Juice, Disney Channel produced three additional reality series that aired until 2002. They were as follows:

References

  1. ↑ Ellin, Harlene (March 1, 1998). "Disney Drops In On Camp For Teens". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  2. ↑ Graeber, Laurel (March 1, 1998). "Tomorrowland Was Never Like This". The New York Times. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Back by Popular Demand; Disney Channel Orders Second Seasons of Reality Series "Bug Juice" and "Z Games"; Also Goes to the Big Top with New Reality Series "Circus Kids"". Business Wire. July 16, 1999. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Disney Channel Brews Up a Third Season of "Bug Juice"". Business Wire. July 12, 2000. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "Goodbye, Session One". Bug Juice. Season 1. Episode 11. Disney Channel. The way the summer works, it's broken up into two four-week sessions. Some kids can go to both sessions, stay out eight weeks, some kids just come for the first half.
  6. ↑ "Dates & Rates". Camp Waziyatah. Retrieved June 25, 2013.

External links