Camp - Recap: Stay, Little Valentine, Stay

Credit: NBC

Of course, there's also a lot of sweetness to be found in romance, and that sweetness is in no short supply here. It may not always hit the mark as a comedy, but once again, I find that what I enjoy most about Camp is its nostalgic aspect, how it so poignantly and succinctly encapsulates the highs and lows of typical adolescence. It's hardly groundbreaking or consequential, but it's unmistakably affecting for something so lightweight. And that's a real accomplishment, particularly for a summer series that NBC likely isn't expecting to be seen by many people -- hell, it wouldn't surprise me if I were to learn that the show came cheap to the network, since it's pretty much an Australian import. It's not only populated with an Aussie cast and filmed in Australia, but the writers continually seem to forget that the legal drinking age in the United States isn't eighteen. But those aren't really complaints. This show could be filmed in a high school auditorium, and I'd still adore it for everything it brings to the table, from the relatable stories to the largely likable cast. Basically, what I'm saying is that "Valentine's Day in July" is pretty much my favorite episode yet.

Credit: NBC

The episode, as could be expected from the title, follows the various romantic entanglements occurring during Little Otter's annual Valentine's Day in July festivities. A large portion of the episode revolves around Mack (Rachel Griffiths), who's caught in the middle of a love triangle between herself, Roger (Rodger Corser) and Cole (Nikolai Nikolaeff). Naturally, Mack doesn't know about Cole's feelings because he refuses to make them known to her -- or to anyone else, for that matter, as he sternly denies having any feelings when called out on it by Sheila (Genevieve Hegney). But he's pretty much terrible at concealing it, holding a grudge against Roger out of jealousy -- among other things. Never one to be outdone in the hotheadedness department, Roger eggs Cole on while the adults are out at the bar, teasing him about his failed baseball career. The two men take it outside and proceed to have one of the most hilariously lame fights in the history of unarmed combat, as they essentially slap at one another after Roger kicks things off by pushing Cole into a pile of garbage. Mack comes outside just in time to break things up by scornfully calling both men out on their childish behavior, but not before Roger nearly breaks his hand inadvertently punching a keg after Cole ducks out of the way. However, while Roger is still a jerk most of the time, he's still the one who ends up with Mack by the end of the episode, and that understandably frustrates Cole, who just doesn't get why she'd willingly be with the guy one minute, and then spend the rest of her entire day complaining about him the next.

Credit: NBC

But like with most relationships we suspect might be bad for us, Mack is irresistibly drawn to Roger, accepting his offer to attend the Valentine's Day fair. They have a fairly romantic evening, culminating in a romp back in Mack's cabin....which is interrupted by Buzz (Charles Ground), in a funny payoff to an earlier joke in which Mack accidentally walked in on him masturbating. After the coitous interruptus, Mack has trouble getting things started with Roger again, perhaps due to how quickly things are moving. Yet she shows her first sign of genuine warmth with him when he honors her request not to go any further, despite being in the middle of a makeout session. "Thank you for surprising me," Mack tells him, and I wonder what this world is coming to when a guy gets a pat on the back for respecting when a woman says "no." But the story does end on a sweet note, as Mack exchanges door locks with Buzz as a belated Valentine's Day gift, acknowledging that while circumstances have changed in their lives (Buzz is getting older, Mack is single), they can still respect each other's privacy. Buzz may still be suffering embarrassment as a result of his mother walking in on him, but he's a lot better off now than he was before, as Grace (Charlotte Nicdao) cheers him up by joining him in a performance of "Falling Slowly," which is surprisingly sweet.

Credit: NBC

Also sweet is the continued flirtation between Kip (Thom Green) and Marina (Lily Sullivan). When Zoe (Carmel Rose) posts Marina's topless photos all over camp, Kip defends her by helping to take the photos down, and then breaking things off with Chloe (Natasha Bassett) in a show of solidarity. But he still has trouble actually telling Marina how he feels, so he writes it all down in a Valentine's Day poem. However, he chickens out at the last minute and tosses the poem away, only for guitar-playing Greg (Jordan Rodrigues) to find it in the trash and turn it into a song for Marina, wooing her with the ballad right as Kip is about to confess his feelings. It's a little trite, but the heartbreak is all the more palpable since Kip is being felled by his own words. On the plus side, Chloe sends Kip an apology valentine, and just like that, their relationship is back on. I'm not really all that crazy about the Chloe/Kip pairing these days, if only because it's far creepier than it is sweet, as Chloe's obsession with Kip seems solely motivated by the fact that he could theoretically die at any moment. She's also a massive bitch far more often than not, but then, Chloe strikes me as the type who's never really had substantive, meaningful human interaction, so she might not exactly know that you're not supposed to imply to someone you're into that being seen with them is an embarrassment. It's still not an excuse, but it's better than nothing, I guess. But if the show is trying to get us to sympathize with Kip by showing us he deserves better, then it's not like I can pretend the show is doing a bad job with it.

Credit: NBC

However, I'm having a bit of a hard time getting entirely invested in the love triangle between Robbie (Tim Pocock), Sarah (Dena Kaplan) and handsome novelist Miguel (Juan Pablo Di Pace). Though it's a romance storyline on the surface, it's more about Sarah's decision between two separate life paths. While she loves Robbie, she fears her future will be little more than popping out babies and teaching swimming classes at the Y. Miguel represents the possibility of seeing the world, as he regales her with tales of his international travels when they bump into each other at the bar. Sarah pretends not to have met him before, for Robbie's benefit. But even she isn't sure why she did it. Her ambivalence continues as she makes amends with Robbie following their fight over Miguel. Yet she still can't deny her attraction to Miguel. Upon seeing him on the dock during her morning swim, she rises out of the water and locks lips with him. She then swims away as though nothing had happened, leaving Miguel to stew in confusion and blue balls. Love can be frustrating, no?

Credit: Vince Valitutti/NBC

"Valentine's Day in July" perfectly encapsulates the adolescent experience, even if the stories themselves don't share a 1:1 correlation with the experiences of viewers themselves. In the broad sketches, I feel like everybody has experienced unrequited love, heartache, romantic confusion, embarrassment, or anger at some point in their lives. Those believable, though admittedly small, issues are what make the stories on Camp as frequently relatable as they are.