Salute Your Shorts

"Salute Your Shorts" may not be the finest television program ever created, but it sure does rank pretty high when concerning Nickelodeon shows. Thanks to Nick GAS (a channel that also airs "Double Dare," "Finders Keepers," "Legends of the Hidden Temple," etc) I've been catching it once or twice every weekend this summer.

I wasn't expecting much, to tell you the truth. I was a young kid the last time I saw this show, and, of course, my tastes have since irreversibly changed.

I was quite surprised to find a very entertaining show. The cinematography and camera angles are actually compelling; the direction is sure-handed and solid. Although the acting can sometimes lean a bit toward the amateurish side at times, it kind of adds to the show's charm. Don't get me wrong -- there is some really good acting here, too.

One of the few old Nickelodeon shows to hold up so well, "Salute Your Shorts" is a lost classic that deserves far more credit than it gets.

This has to be one of the greatest shows ever aired in the history of television. First off, it starts at camp, which is always interesting. It was about a group of teenage campers facing everyday problems, at camp! The writing for the show was very creative, and it was very well acted. It seems like Nickelodeon is unable to air shows like this today because the crappy cartoons take up the whole schedule. I wish that Nickelodeon would just take one week and air episodes of "Salute Your Shorts," "Hey Dude," "Welcome Freshmen," "You Can't Do That On Television," "Nick Arcade," and "Wild and Crazy Kids." Maybe if these shows would air today, a new generation would be able to enjoy them. Ah, those were the days when you would come home from school and have these shows to look forward to. Too bad they've taken it away.

Before I saw this show, I never really knew the stigmas attached to the word *CAMP* and the dread that kids have over it. I've never been, maybe that's why!

Anywayz-z-z, I enjoy all the characters, but most of all, my fave would have to be Ug-Lee. He is *hilarious* as the hated goofy, but good-guy counselor. He provided 99.999% of the slapstick and physical comedy of "Salute". (Remember when he goes into a movie theatre, and tells the concession lady, "I'll take a popcorn, AND YOU, to go!"(goofy laugh)?!)

My favourite episode, I think, was either the one where Budnick falls for Dina, or the one with the curse of that ox skull, when the guys split from the girls and each go into a cave, when Dina and Telly are fighting at first, but then make-up, while the guys try plucking one of Ug's nosehairs out for the "skull" ritual.

Of course, who could forget Capture the Flag and all those food fights?

-Sep

Ahhh, Salute Your Shorts. The essence of TRUE Nick humor lies in this show, no longer aired on Nickelodeon. I grew up with this show, along with other shows like Hey, Dude, Welcome Freshmen, and You Can't Do That On Television. This was when Nick was about being a kid and enjoying it. And when things were basically about nothing, and nothing is fun! Nowadays Nick is just cartoons; geared toward younger viewers. No live action comedies at all. Just Spongebob (yuck).

This show was about kids at a summer camp and the episodes were so funny! Unforgettable characters like Budnik, Sponge (who was my favorite because he was like me, a scrawny smart nerd-like guy) and Donkey Lips? I laughed my head off at it. It was so unbelieveable yet so believeable. Why doesn't Nick make shows like this anymore? Maybe they should start showing these shows on Nick At Nite or something, since now people who have grown up with these shows are in college or at least high school.

My second favorite non-animated show on Nickelodeon. The first, of course, would have to be the Adventures of Pete and Pete. There were so many great things about this show, they're too many to list. All I can say is Nick needs to get back in gear and start running these old shows that came of Nickelodeon back when I was a kid. Shows like Pete and Pete, Rocko's Modern Life, Salute Your Shorts (of course) Clarissa Explains it All (did you know she went to see Pearl Jam in one episode, and Nirvana in another?) and maybe even some Roundhouse. Definitely don't bring back stupid Alex Mack or even Hey! Dude. I wasn't really too fond of either of those shows. They were just too cheesy without enough comedy. Hell, Alex Mack wasn't even a comedy, it was just a sad attempt at a kid's action/drama.

All I can say is, bring back the better shows. The shows from back in the day when the ads for Nick had a dog in a karate outfit dancing on two legs while an ocapella sang "Ni-ni-ni-n'nick-nick-nick- Nick-el-o-deon!