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** After Michael misses lunch because of his brownie punishment, he goes to the kitchen to get something to eat and finds only oatmeal. As he leaves the kitchen while eating, Ug comes along and takes it, informing Michael that it's not for eating because it's his '''oatmeal bath''' for poison oak. Cue power puke.
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* TitleDrop: Sponge does it in the first episode, just before the cut to the theme song.
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* TitleDrop: Sponge does it in the first episode, just before the cut to the theme song.song as Budnick runs a humiliated Michael's boxer shorts up the flagpole.
** Happens again in the season 2 premiere as Budnick does the same thing to Pinsky. Pinsky does so happily and continues on.
** Happens again in the season 2 premiere as Budnick does the same thing to Pinsky. Pinsky does so happily and continues on.
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* IAteWhat: Once Cold Open sees Budnick's candy black market get busted by Ug. He calls out various tricks he used to smuggle candy inside, and culminates with him eating "red shoelace licorice." When the others sympathize with him briefly, Budnick tells them that "those shoelaces he ate weren't made out of licorice..." and he shows his bright red shoes sans laces.
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''...And when we think about you''
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''The thing came apart...''
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* YouGoGirl: Telly.
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* YouGoGirl: Telly.Telly.
''...And when we think about you''
''The thing came apart...''
''...And when we think about you''
''The thing came apart...''
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The [[WelcomeEpisode first episode]] introduced Michael Stein, the NaiveNewcomer, to the existing ensemble cast, which was set up as a SixStudentClique. The other campers included:
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The [[WelcomeEpisode first episode]] introduced Michael Stein, the NaiveNewcomer, to the existing ensemble cast, which was set up as a SixStudentClique. He was eventually PutOnABus and replaced by the amoral, [[HighSchoolHustler Ferris Bueller]] lookalike Pinsky. The other campers included:
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* ArtifactOfDoom: The cursed cow skull found inside a cave in "The Cursed Skull". Legend say it was first used by an indian tribe as part of a RiteOfPassage, where those that fail are forever cursed. At the end of the episode, it turns out to be a souvenir.
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* EEqualsMCHammer: Uttered by Dina during an ImagineSpot of Budnick's.
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* EEqualsMCHammer: Uttered by Dina during an ImagineSpot of Budnick's.Budnick's in "Budnick and Dina In Love, Part 1".
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** Budnick forms a secret society in one episode, and the initiation ceremony begins with Sponge, Donkeylips and Pinskey marching and chanting in a manner similar to the Winkie march in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
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** Budnick forms a secret society in one episode, "The Cursed Skull", and the initiation ceremony begins with Sponge, Donkeylips and Pinskey marching and chanting in a manner similar to the Winkie march in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
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* Budnick: The {{Schemer}} and resident {{Jerkass}}, Budnick is a [[HonestJohnsDealership con artist]] and more than a bit of a bully, preferring to use {{manipulative|Bastard}} ploys more often than outright coercion, though he has Donkeylips to back him up in that department as well. His attitude initially repulsed most everyone at camp, but as time went by his hostile veneer started to rub off.
to:
* Budnick: The {{Schemer}} and resident {{Jerkass}}, Budnick is a [[HonestJohnsDealership con artist]] and more than a bit of a bully, preferring to use {{manipulative|Bastard}} ploys more often than outright coercion, though he has Donkeylips to back him up in that department as well. His attitude initially repulsed most everyone at camp, but as time went by his hostile veneer started to rub off. Essentially the leader of the group when he's ''not'' being a total jerk.
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** Donkeylips has this reaction while playing Capture the Flag when he sees the other team's flag being protected by a hundred tires (an obstacle he always failed at miserably on obstacle courses).
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** Donkeylips has this reaction while playing Capture "Capture the Flag Flag" when he sees the other team's flag being protected by a hundred tires (an obstacle he always failed at miserably on obstacle courses).
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** Budnick forms a secret society in one episode, and the initiation ceremony begins with Sponge, Donkey Lips and Pinskey marching and chanting in a manner similar to the Winkie march in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
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** Budnick forms a secret society in one episode, and the initiation ceremony begins with Sponge, Donkey Lips Donkeylips and Pinskey marching and chanting in a manner similar to the Winkie march in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
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* CharacterDevelopment: In the first few Season One episodes, Budnick can't stand Michael and picks on him at almost every turn. In the fourth episode of the season ("Budnick And Michael Fake Being Sick"), the two find themselves alone in a doctor's office, which eventually leads to him opening up to Michael about his troubled family life. Later in the episode, the two toast over a ton of ice cream, and Budnick even invites Michael to see an Music/{{Aerosmith}} concert with him. Throughout the rest of the season, Budnick treats Michael a lot better than before.
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* CharacterDevelopment: In the first few Season One episodes, Budnick can't stand Michael and picks on him at almost every turn. In the fourth episode of the season ("Budnick And Michael Fake Being Sick"), the two find themselves alone in a doctor's office, which eventually leads to him opening up to Michael about his troubled family life. Later in the episode, the two toast over a ton of ice cream, and Budnick even invites Michael to see an Music/{{Aerosmith}} concert with him. Throughout the rest of the season, Budnick treats Michael a lot better than before.he did before this episode.
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* CharacterDevelopment: In the first few Season One episodes, Budnick can't stand Michael and picks on him at almost every turn. In the fourth episode of the season ("Budnick And Michael Fake Being Sick"), the two find themselves alone in a doctor's office, which eventually leads to him opening up to Michael about his troubled family life and then inviting him to see an Music/{{Aerosmith}} concert together. Throughout the rest of the season, Budnick treats Michael a lot better than before.
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* CharacterDevelopment: In the first few Season One episodes, Budnick can't stand Michael and picks on him at almost every turn. In the fourth episode of the season ("Budnick And Michael Fake Being Sick"), the two find themselves alone in a doctor's office, which eventually leads to him opening up to Michael about his troubled family life life. Later in the episode, the two toast over a ton of ice cream, and then inviting him Budnick even invites Michael to see an Music/{{Aerosmith}} concert together.with him. Throughout the rest of the season, Budnick treats Michael a lot better than before.
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* CharacterDevelopment: In the first few Season One episodes, Budnick can't stand Michael and picks on him at almost every turn. In the fourth episode of the season ("Budnick And Michael Fake Being Sick"), the two find themselves alone in a doctor's office, which eventually leads to him opening up to Michael about his troubled family life and then inviting him to see an Music/{{Aerosmith}} concert together. Throughout the rest of the season, Budnick treats Michael a lot better than before.
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* DudeNotFunny: In the episode "Sponge And Donkeylips Weigh-In", the cashier at a concession stand is charmed by Ug and even invites him to go swimming with her. The offer is immediately retracted when he makes a joke about "needing a lot of handcreme," which humiliates her so badly that she closes the whole food afterwards.
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* DeadpanSnarker: Pretty much everybody (including Ug himself).
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* DeadpanSnarker: Pretty much everybody (including Ug himself).Ug).
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* DudeNotFunny: In the episode "Sponge And Donkeylips Weigh-In", the cashier at a concession stand is charmed by Ug and even invites him to go swimming with her. The offer is immediately retracted when he makes a joke about "needing a lot of handcreme," which humiliates her so badly that she closes the whole food afterwards.
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** "There is a very deep hole in the middle of my infield. Eventually, the hole will fill up with water and the ''scum'' will float to the top! Then, Bobby Budnick, you will be mine!"
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* PreviouslyOn: At the beginning of "Budnick Loves Dina, Part 2". Donkeylips uses flag signals explaining what happened in the previous episode as Sponge writes them down while cutting to scenes from the last episode. In-Universe: they do this so they can get another merit badge. However, a bee was on Donkeylips and he tries to swat it with his flags, confusing Sponge.
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* PreviouslyOn: At the beginning of "Budnick Loves Dina, Part 2". Donkeylips uses flag signals explaining what the events that happened in the previous episode as Sponge writes them down while cutting we cut to scenes the accompanied clips from the last said episode. In-Universe: In-universe: they do this so they can to get another merit badge. However, a bee was on Donkeylips and he tries to swat it with his flags, confusing Sponge.
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[[KeepCirculatingTheTapes The series is not available on DVD]]. With the announcements that ''TheWonderYears'' and ''Series/{{Batman}}'' will finally be available in the format, ''Salute Your Shorts'' is now the #1 most requested show not released on DVD, according to [=TVShowsOnDVD.com=].
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[[KeepCirculatingTheTapes The series is not available on DVD]]. DVD.]] With the announcements that ''TheWonderYears'' ''Series/TheWonderYears'' and ''Series/{{Batman}}'' will finally be available in the format, ''Salute Your Shorts'' is now the #1 most requested show not released on DVD, according to [=TVShowsOnDVD.com=].
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* CloudCuckoolander: Z.Z.
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* CloudCuckoolander: {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Z.Z.
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'''Pinsky''': [[ShoutOut They'll think what]] [[Film/CitizenKane I tell them to think]]. ([[{{Sting}} Cue evil music]])
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'''Pinsky''': [[ShoutOut They'll think what]] [[Film/CitizenKane I tell them to think]]. think.]] ([[{{Sting}} Cue evil music]])
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* [[TheEveryman The Everykid]]: Michael.
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* [[TheEveryman The Everykid]]: {{The Every|man}}kid: Michael.
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** TheMentor: Ug Lee
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** TheMentor: {{Mentor|s}}: Ug Lee
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* LetHimChoose: Unfortunately, the frog TookAThirdOption.
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* LetHimChoose: Unfortunately, the frog TookAThirdOption.[[TakeAThirdOption Took a Third Option]].
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* RealWomenNeverWearDresses: As an in-universe example, Telly is ''pathological'' about this.
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* RealWomenNeverWearDresses: RealWomenDontWearDresses: As an in-universe example, Telly is ''pathological'' about this.
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* SoapBoxSadie: Z.Z. In most episodes this is mild to the degree it is present at all -- she is usually among the nicer and more easygoing campers, as well as a bit of a dreamy CloudCuckoolander. But she makes up for it with a vengeance in "The Environmental Party", when she is loudly opinionated, pushy, and harshly judgmental to the point that she comes off as less reasonable and likable than Dina, who actually tries to help her out until Z.Z.'s harshness drives even her away. Her hippie folk song about saving the environment eventually devolves into outright, literal yelling at people.
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* SoapBoxSadie: Z.Z. In most episodes this is mild to the degree it is present at all -- she is usually among the nicer and more easygoing campers, as well as a bit of a dreamy CloudCuckoolander.{{Cloudcuckoolander}}. But she makes up for it with a vengeance in "The Environmental Party", when she is loudly opinionated, pushy, and harshly judgmental to the point that she comes off as less reasonable and likable than Dina, who actually tries to help her out until Z.Z.'s harshness drives even her away. Her hippie folk song about saving the environment eventually devolves into outright, literal yelling at people.
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* FullHouseMusic: Considering the general tenor of the show otherwise, it can be a bit surprising when this gets played completely straight, most notably in the episode where Budnick and Michael play sick to get out of Instructional Swim, and in the "Budnick Loves Dina" two-parter.
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* SentimentalMusicCue: Considering the general tenor of the show otherwise, it can be a bit surprising when this gets played completely straight, most notably in the episode where Budnick and Michael play sick to get out of Instructional Swim, and in the "Budnick Loves Dina" two-parter.
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* OnionTears: In "Bunk Chief Elections".
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** At the start of "They Call Me Ms. Tibbs", Telly finds a [[Franchise/FridayThe13th hockey mask and a machette]], which [[OhCrap worries her]].
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** At the start of "They Call Me Ms. Tibbs", the kids were picking up garbage from the lake. Telly finds a [[Franchise/FridayThe13th hockey mask and a machette]], which [[OhCrap worries her]].
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* BedtimeBrainwashing: One episode had Budnick telling a ghost story about Zeke the Plumber, a custodian who was killed in a gas explosion. The gist of the story is that whoever touches his plunger will be haunted by them in their dreams, and since Telly was one of them, she has a sleepless night which causes her to nod off in the mess hall, after which Budnick comes up and starts whispering in her ear, "Zeke the Plumber, Zeke the Plumber..." Guess who she starts dreaming about?
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* YouCanSeeThatRight: Inverted. Ug gets hit on the head in one episode and hallucinates. He asks the kids to reassure him that the brontosaurus he sees tap-dancing in the corner isn't real.
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Just for fun pages are not tropes.
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* JustForFun/XMeetsY: ''Series/SavedByTheBell'' meets CampRunamuck.
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The series is not available on DVD. With the announcements that ''TheWonderYears'' and ''Series/{{Batman}}'' will finally be available in the format, ''Salute Your Shorts'' is now the #1 most requested show not released on DVD, according to [=TVShowsOnDVD.com=].
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[[KeepCirculatingTheTapes The series is not available on DVD.DVD]]. With the announcements that ''TheWonderYears'' and ''Series/{{Batman}}'' will finally be available in the format, ''Salute Your Shorts'' is now the #1 most requested show not released on DVD, according to [=TVShowsOnDVD.com=].
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The series is not available on DVD. With the announcements that ''TheWonderYears'' and ''Series/{{Batman}}'' will finally be available in the format, ''Salute Your Shorts'' is now the #1 most requested show not released on DVD, according to [=TVShowsOnDVD.com=].
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* FoolsMap: Happens when Budnick finds directions from a long-dead camp counselor, in dance steps, to where she supposedly hid a fortune. Since the original was hard to read, he types it out and gives copies to the other kids in exchange for their boomboxes. The directions lead them to collect a bunch of junk, but they find something that makes him think they were very close to it, so he and Donkeylips start trying to get the directions back. [[spoiler:In this case, the player gets played, as the directions he gets back were fake as well, written by the other kids to lead Budnick to dig a hole in the middle of the softball field that Ug had been meticulously trimming.]]
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** Donkeylips has this reaction while playing Capture the Flag when he sees the other team's flag being protected by a hundred tires (an obstacle he always failed at miserably on obstacle courses).
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-->'''Ug''': ''Camp Anawanna...''
-->'''Z.Z.''': ''We hold you in our heart...''
-->'''Donkeylips''': ''And when we think about you-''
-->'''Budnick''': ''It makes me wanna fart!''
-->''[other kids laugh]''
-->'''Ug''': ''It's "I hope we never part"! Now get it right or pay the price!''
--->~''Excerpt from the opening theme''
Airing on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} in the early/mid nineties, ''Salute Your Shorts'' was a network contemporary of such shows as ''Series/ClarissaExplainsItAll'', ''Series/TheAdventuresOfPeteAndPete'', and ''Series/AreYouAfraidOfTheDark'', and like those three tends to be among the more clearly and fondly remembered pieces of the era (making it a prime candidate for the NostalgiaFilter). A sitcom centered around a group of kids at summer camp Annawanna. The title of the show comes from a common prank in initiating new campers. Older, jerkier campers would loot their luggage, steal their underwear, and run them up the nearest flag pole to let them flap in the breeze. Seeing how there's no way to ''un''-steal it, the appropriate response is to "stand at attention, click your heels, and salute your shorts!"
The [[WelcomeEpisode first episode]] introduced Michael Stein, the NaiveNewcomer, to the existing ensemble cast, which was set up as a SixStudentClique. The other campers included:
* Budnick: The {{Schemer}} and resident {{Jerkass}}, Budnick is a [[HonestJohnsDealership con artist]] and more than a bit of a bully, preferring to use {{manipulative|Bastard}} ploys more often than outright coercion, though he has Donkeylips to back him up in that department as well. His attitude initially repulsed most everyone at camp, but as time went by his hostile veneer started to rub off.
* Donkeylips: The muscle ([[StoutStrength Donkeylips is fat, but tough enough to qualify]]) and sometimes Budnick's enforcer, though he is rather amiable in personality otherwise. Openly crushes on Dina, to her disgust... [[DefrostingIceQueen most of the time]].
* Sponge: the quirk, a smart, scrawny kid with occasional hyperactive tendencies.
* Telly: the smart one, although more in a common sense way, Telly is a tomboy obsessed with sports. Also the token black kid.
* Dina: the pretty one - a bit of a BrainlessBeauty, and can be a RichBitch
* Z.Z.: the wild one - GranolaGirl and {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, very conscientious about the environment but less conscious of just about everything else.
The only authority figure in sight is Kevin "Ug" Lee, the dim-witted loser guy counselor. Dr. Kahn, his superior, is only heard through loudspeaker.
In season two Erik [=MacArthur=] left the show and accordingly Michael left camp, ([[RealLifeWritesThePlot ostensibly due to chicken pox]]), and was promptly replaced by Ronnie Pinsky. Pinsky, in his debut episode, is established as a wise-cracking [[HighSchoolHustler Ferris Bueller-like]] character ([[StraightMan Michael's]] polar opposite, really) and immediately becomes the most popular kid in camp (except with Budnick). Later in the season, however, he becomes much more restrained and fallible (though still with his moments of Bueller-like mischief), and his popularity is significantly lower.
----
!!This show contains examples of:
* TheAce: Pinsky in his introductory episode. He's rich, athletic, handsome, immediately popular, continually gets away with pulling stunts, and -- most obnoxiously as far as Budnick is concerned -- almost completely unflappable, easily laughing off all of Budnick's insults and pranks. Clearly, "cheesing Budnick off with his mere existence" is Pinsky's ''greatest'' skill set, which seems to have been the entire point. In later episodes Budnick's dislike of him is completely forgotten, and likewise Pinsky's ace status seems to fade away, leaving him a more ordinary and flawed HighSchoolHustler type.
* AdultsAreUseless: Well, only ''one'', really...Camp counselor Kevin "Ug" Lee. But he's still useless.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Dina doesn't like Budnick ''unless'' he's a bad boy.
* AlliterativeList: Ug's "Four F's of Leadership": Fearlessness, Fairness, Firmness and Control.
-->'''Telly''': Control isn't an F.\\
'''Ug''': Well then it's three F's and a C.\\
'''Telly''': Sounds like Donkeylips' report card.
* AlliterativeName: Z.Z. Ziff.
* AlphaBitch: Dina, more or less.
* AmusingInjuries: Nine times out of ten, Ug, but "Budnick Loves Dina" had so many characters suffer accidents that by episode's end those two were the ''only'' people not on crutches.
* AnticipatoryBreathSpray: Michael does this repeatedly in the "Cinderella Play" episode when he's cast as the male lead (who thus gets to kiss Dina). When the actual moment does come, however, he winds up chickening out and shaking Cinderella's hand instead.
* BadassBookworm: Sponge, occasionally.
* BeautifulAllAlong: Telly has one of these moments when she loses her glasses in favor of contact lenses.
* BigGuyLittleGuy: Donkeylips and Sponge
* [[BigManOnCampus Big Girl on Campus]]: Telly.
* ButtMonkey: Ug.
* CallBack:
** Pinsky's introductory episode is one CallBack after another to Michael's, right down to the pranks. However, events don't play out the same way a second time, a few outcomes being reversed entirely.
** "The Wrath of Kahn, Jr." references the "Awful Waffle" from the first episode. Also the music used when the girls' trap was tripped plays when Kahn's niece gets her just desserts.
* CaptureTheFlag: Episode of the same title.
* CatchPhrase:
** "Roasted, toasted, and burnt to a crisp."
** "Tough nuggets."
* CavalierConsumption: Pinsky nonchalantly continues to munch on his smuggled-in sausage even as the bed he's lying in is collapsed by Budnick, who'd rigged it to fall ([[CallBack the same prank he'd pulled on Michael, who was a lot more obviously irritated by it]]).
* ChainedToARailway: A model train rail, in this case.
* TheChewToy: Ug.
* CloudCuckoolander: Z.Z.
* ComedicSociopathy: Often.
* ControlFreak: Ug.
* ContinuityNod: Michael's "wuss hat" is Harry the Hippo.
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: Punishments have included:
** Having to fill the swimming pool with water, one bucket at time
** Ringing a bell with your nose while doing push-ups
** Having to clean entire rooms with your own toothbrush (a perennial favorite)
** Hugging a tree ([[FauxHorrific this is apparently terrifying]])
** Forced to hold out buckets of water at arm's length (similar to StandingInTheHall)
* CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority: The reason for Pinsky's enormous popularity in his debut episode (see also: TheAce). Of course, throughout the remainder of the series, this attitude backfires on him at least as often as not.
* CrosscastRole: Almost happens in-universe with the Cinderella play. When Dina claims she lost her voice (she really got stage fright), Cinderella is nearly played by the only other person that knows all the lines: Sponge, who is briefly shown in costume.
* CurseCutShort
-->'''Budnick''': Right now we gotta swear to each other.\\
'''Donkeylips''': Ok! You're a big dripping piece...\\
'''Budnick''': I'm not talking swear like that. I mean, swear that whatever we find, we'll split 50/50.
* DartboardOfHate: Budnick has one for Pinsky in the latter's introductory episode, but it's just a piece of paper with Pinsky's name written on it.
* DeadpanSnarker: Pretty much everybody (including Ug himself).
* TheDitz: Both Z.Z. and Dina have exhibited ditzy traits.
* TheDogBitesBack: Despite being his friend and enforcer, Donkeylips had no qualms about doing this if Budnick went too far.
* DrunkWithPower
** Happens to Budnick on OppositeDay.
** Also Pinsky in "The Pinsky-Sponge Gazette"
-->'''Pinsky''': Material's no problem. If it's a slow news day, we'll just go out and create it ourselves.\\
'''Donkeylips''': But what will people think of that?\\
'''Pinsky''': [[ShoutOut They'll think what]] [[Film/CitizenKane I tell them to think]]. ([[{{Sting}} Cue evil music]])
* EconomyCast: Now and again there will be some extras milling around, or even an additional speaking role, but for the most part as far as the show was concerned there could have been only seven kids and one counselor in the entire camp. This could be justified as it's repeatedly suggested that Anawanna is a ''really'' crappy camp.
* EEqualsMCHammer: Uttered by Dina during an ImagineSpot of Budnick's.
* EmbarrassingNickname: Michael is "Moosh-Moosh" to his grandparents.
* [[TheEveryman The Everykid]]: Michael.
* EvilRedhead: Budnick.
* FakeOutMakeOut: After sneaking out of camp to go to the theater, Sponge and his date manage to avoid detection from Ug by kissing passionately in the phone booth they'd been trying to hide in. Ug (who's being dragged out the door anyway) reasons it can't be Sponge if he's getting some action... meanwhile, in the booth, Ug has been long since forgotten and the episode ends with them ''still'' kissing.
* FireForgedFriends: Maybe friends is too strong a word, but after "Budnick and Michael Fake Being Sick," the two get along much better and pretty much have each other's respect.
* FiveManBand: Well, not exactly five, but anyway...
** TheHero: Michael Stein, then Ronnie Pinsky
** TheLancer: Bobby Budnick
** TheSmartGuy: Sponge Harris
** TheBigGuy: Telly Radford
** TheChick: Dina Alexander
** TheHeart: ZZ Ziff
** KidAppealCharacter: Donkeylips Gelfan
** TheMentor: Ug Lee
* FoodFight: Of ''course.''
* FreudianExcuse: Budnick comes from a broken home.
* FriendInTheBlackMarket: Budnick sells candy to campers at sizable prices. Given the "No Outside Food" rule, no one complains too much.
* FullHouseMusic: Considering the general tenor of the show otherwise, it can be a bit surprising when this gets played completely straight, most notably in the episode where Budnick and Michael play sick to get out of Instructional Swim, and in the "Budnick Loves Dina" two-parter.
* FunnyForeigner: Z.Z.'s friend Spanakopita.
* {{Gasshole}}: Donkeylips.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Many times.
** In the episode "The Radio Call-in Contest", Eugene "Sponge" Harris quite clearly says "I'm pissed off because I'm not as smart as I thought I was!" The profanity was never removed from the episode. Also, several mentions of flipping the finger are made in "Budnick and Michael Fake Being Sick".
** In "Budnik Loves Dina":
-->'''Pinsky''' (re: Budnick's crush on Dina): I don't know what you're thinking with, but it is certainly not your brain.\\
\\
'''Budnick:''' ''(to Dina)'' You know, before we met the only time I used the word "bull" is followed by another word.
** In "Brownies for Thud Mackie"
--->'''Budnick''' How many fingers am I holding up?\\
'''Michael:''' How many fingers am ''I'' holding up?
** In "Budnik and Michael Fake Being Sick":
--->'''Donkeylips''' (in an outhouse): Hey! There's this thing on the wall that sells balloons!
** In the first episode, Ug offers a milkshake and a pizza every night for the rest of the summer to the person who reveals to him who set up the trap that got him CoveredInGunge and feathers:
--->'''Budnick:''' And rat on our friends? Sorry, Big Bird, go pluck yourself!
** In "Cinderella Play", when auditioning, Budnik sings the "Beans, beans" song (both the "Good for your heart" and "musical fruit" versions) and gets cut off before he can say "fart" or "toot". Which is odd considering the word "fart" was said in the theme song.
* GoldDigger: Budnick's favorite thing about Dina is her rich father.
* GoldFever: "The Treasure of Sara Madre" episode being an obvious {{Homage}} / WholePlotReference.
-->'''Z.Z.''': Look, I found a Junior Park Ranger's badge!\\
'''Michael''': Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!
* GranolaGirl: Z.Z. Or as Telly puts it...:
-->'''Telly:''' Are you out of your granola-munchin', whole-wheat, tie-die, save-the-planet '''''mind'''''?!
* HappyDance: On being told that the winner of the frog jumping contest gets a night on the town, Z.Z. starts to do a peppy little song-and-dance number around the room before Dina interrupts.
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: Dr. Kahn, the camp director, who 'appears' only as a disembodied voice over the loudspeaker.
** Someone once hung a sign on a goat saying "This is Dr. Kahn", and all they got was a loudspeaker request to remove it.
* HiddenDepths:
** Generally Ug is portrayed as dim-witted, kind of lazy, and a bit of a loser, but he has moments of ''[[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass scary]]'' [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass competence]], usually sees through most of the kids' schemes, and is a certified athletic trainer. He may seem a little high-strung sometimes, but dealing with those kids would drive someone to drink.
** Donkeylips showed he had some decent wrestling chops in one episode. He is also a very clever strategist as shown in "Capture the Flag".
* HighSchoolDance and SchoolPlay: despite being set at a summer camp rather than a high school.
* HighSchoolHustler: Pinsky on his better days. His {{Zany Scheme}}s backfire, he often promises more than he can deliver and some of the stuff he gets away with is only by virtue of [[RefugeInAudacity having no shame]], but he ''did'' get Sponge a girlfriend and helped Donkeylips live out his dream of championing a game of "Capture the Flag."
* {{Homage}}:
** More than a few elements of the show harked back to ''{{Series/MASH}}''. The most obvious were the frequent establishing shots of the camp overlaid with some bizarre news or orders from Dr. Kahn's PA. Ug's general character as the erstwhile but hapless authority figure drew inspiration from Colonel Blake, down to wearing the same hat.
** Ug also draws parallels from Frank Burns, Sponge sometimes channels Radar, and Pinsky fills in the Hawkeye role once he comes to camp.
* HypocriticalHumor: Dina in particular supplies a lot.
* IJustWantToBeNormal: When a celebrity kid comes to camp, he just wants to be treated like everyone else, which supremely frustrates Dina.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Poor Z.Z.
-->'''Z.Z.''': I know I'm gonna hate myself for saying this. But if you tell Dina, what you just told me? She'd probably change her mind about you.
* IronicEcho: George Michael's real name in "The Radio Call-In Contest".
-->'''Telly:''' You know what my 3 favorite words are: [[IWarnedYou "told", "you", and "so"]].
* {{Jerkass}}:
** Budnick.
** Ug is also this to some extent.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold:
** ''Also'' Budnick, whose good qualities start coming out more frequently in the second season.
** Really, almost all of the campers tended to fall into this at one point or another.
* JudgmentOfSolomon:
** Spoofed via ShaggyFrogStory in "Bunk Chief Elections", when Z.Z. can't decide between Dina or Telly as bunk chief, and Budnick's initial advice leaves a bit to be desired.
-->'''Budnick''': It's like when Solomon King had to make his decision.\\
'''Z.Z.''': You mean King Solomon when he had to cut the baby in half?\\
'''Budnick''': No, I mean Solomon King. I went to school with the guy. He had front-row tickets to two incredible concerts on the same night, he had to make a decision.\\
'''Z.Z.''': What'd he do?\\
'''Budnick''': Well, he came down with the chicken pox, so he couldn't go to either one of them.\\
'''Z.Z.''': That... doesn't help me much.
** In "Counselor Budnick," the trope is played straight: Dina and Z.Z. have a dispute over the ownership of "Wartbreath", a frog Dina found (but initially wanted to squash) that Z.Z. had trained into a champion jumper, when it turns out the frog jumping contest actually has a prize for winning. When the old LetHimChoose method fails, Budnick has them both grab the frog and tug-of-war for it. Of course [[FriendToAllLivingThings Z.Z.]] immediately lets go ("are you crazy!?") and Budnick declares her the real owner. The elegance of this solution confirms him as a real counselor to the other campers, but Budnick confesses it had been his own idea -- the counselor's guidebook would have awarded the frog to Dina.
* KarmaHoudini: Dina and Telly in "Bunk Chief Elections". They leave the boys to take blame for the mess left in their personal FoodFight, with nary a qualm of guilt, even knowing Ug's been making their lives hell for some time already and is just ''looking'' for an excuse to dish out more punishment.
* KeepTheReward: Z.Z. can't get the campers to pitch in and help the environment until she creates an incentive to save up for a trip to the water park. At the end of the episode, they decide to surprise her by using the funds to purchase a tree instead.
* LetHimChoose: Unfortunately, the frog TookAThirdOption.
* LimitedSocialCircle
* LockedInARoom: The [[TwoLinesNoWaiting A-plot]] of "Budnick and Michael Fake Being Sick".
** The "Cursed Skull" episode also becomes this, when Telly and Dina (after constantly bickering with each other over who gets to return the skull to where it belongs) find themselves in a cave full of garbage. A thunderstorm begins, so they spend the night in the cave and reconcile their differences.
* {{Metaphorgotten}}:
-->'''Pinsky''': Look, I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I have another foot that you haven't even seen yet! This is the foot of honesty, and that foot spoke to me.
* MoodWhiplash: The gang feeling depressed with Michael gone, only to cheer up when they meet Pinsky who one-up'd Budnick.
* MotionlessMakeover: Ug is in a trance after his girlfriend dumps him. One of the campers puts a danish on his head.
* MouthyKid: Budnick and Pinsky.
* NaiveNewcomer: Michael. Pinsky... not as much, although it is lampshaded once.
-->'''Pinsky:''' ''(to Dina)'' Look, I know you're normally a sweet, wonderful kid without an ounce of meanness in you--\\
'''[[DeadpanSnarker Telly]]''': You ''haven't'' been in camp very long, have you...
* NerdGlasses: Sponge, although Telly had a pair that were never seen past the first episode (she got contacts).
* NoodleImplements: The "Awful Waffle" from the first episode, requiring syrup and a tennis racket. The viewer never gets to see what one looks like, and the ingredients list grows longer and stranger each time it's invoked. It probably started off based on the real-life hazing of a bare-skin paddling with tennis racket applied to leave a "waffle-like" bruise pattern. (It also needs to be said that there's another, much more disgusting version of an awful waffle, that would '''NEVER''' fly on ''any'' show, ever.)
* NotSoAboveItAll: Ug. Sure, he dispenses severe and exaggerated punishment, but in the context of the campers actually breaking the rules. Still, whenever given the chance to prank Budnick, he jumps at the chance.
* OddFriendship: Donkeylips and Sponge.
** Of all the campers Ug is probably the closest to ZZ (probably because she's, usually, the best behaved) and she's one of the few campers who ''likes'' going on his nature hikes.
* OhCrap: The gang groans when they learn that Kahn's niece will be coming back to camp the next summer. And she learned a few tricks from them.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Ug, Donkeylips, Sponge and Z.Z. (Their real names were used ''very'' occasionally; as is mentioned in the intro to this article, Ug's real name is Kevin Lee, while Donkeylips' real name is Eddie Gelfen and Sponge's real name is Eugene Harris.)
* OppositeDay:
** Budnick and Ug switch places as camper and counselor.
** And the girls dressing up as guys and vice-versa. In fact, one of the girls says she looks forward to it because "it's the only time you can see Budnick in a dress." Make of that what you will.
* PetTheDog: Both the kids and Ug have (rare) moments where they show they actually ''do'' care about each other somewhat.
* PlayingCyrano: Pinsky does this for Sponge, creating a new persona for him to get him with a girl from another nearby camp that's way out of his league. It later turns out that the girl in question was just as geeky, and her fellow campers also were pulling the same stunt.
* PlayingSick: A popular ploy for getting out of instructional swim. Budnick has a killer recipe for realistic-looking vomit.
* PleaseDumpMe: Dina employs this to break up with Budnick, who ceased being bad boy while they were a couple ([[AllGirlsWantBadBoys and thus ceased to be interesting]]).
* PoorlyDisguisedPilot: The pilot aired on another Nickelodeon program called ''SpecialDelivery''.
* PositiveDiscrimination: Telly is the most athletic camper, and frequently the most honest and level-headed one as well.
* PreviouslyOn: At the beginning of "Budnick Loves Dina, Part 2". Donkeylips uses flag signals explaining what happened in the previous episode as Sponge writes them down while cutting to scenes from the last episode. In-Universe: they do this so they can get another merit badge. However, a bee was on Donkeylips and he tries to swat it with his flags, confusing Sponge.
* PublicDomainSoundtrack: Used a lot, though not exclusively. Tchiakovsky's "March Slav" is frequently used.
** The show's famous classical music soundtrack is used a bit less often in Season 2, with generic stock music being the norm by that time.
* PunnyName: Ug Lee. From the first episode, when he introduces himself as "Kevin Lee" only to have the kids start chanting "Ug Lee, Ug Lee, Ug Lee," one might get the impression the nickname "Ug" was actually picked by the kids for exactly this reason, although it's never stated outright.
* RadioContest: An entire episode.
* RealWomenNeverWearDresses: As an in-universe example, Telly is ''pathological'' about this.
* RichBitch: Dina, although she tends to be shallow and ditzy more often than outright bitchy.
* RightThroughTheWall: Subverted in "Park Ranger Mona" when Ug and Mona start to fight. But they notice they're being watched, so Ug closed the door on the campers, but the door has glass so they can still see.
-->'''Z.Z.''': I can't believe they're fighting! This is terrible!\\
'''Donkeylips''': I know! I can't hear a word they're saying!
* RomanticRunnerUp: Near the end of "Budnick Loves Dina, Part One," Budnick tells Z.Z. he might have been interested in her if he didn't currently have a thing for Dina.
* RunningGag:
** If a food fight breaks out Ug is always the one to blow the whistle to stop it and always gets hit with something ''immediately'' after he blows the whistle.
** In "Budnick Loves Dina, Part 1", someone gets their leg broken and ends up in crutches.
* ScarilyCompetentTracker: Donkeylips can not only track people but determine the kind of sandwich they were eating at the time. Dina, meanwhile, is not good at tracking most of the time but is a crack expert at following ''limo'' tracks.
* SecondPersonAttack: In the first season finale, Michael is leaving to avoid a large and very aggressive bully. In the episode's climax, Michael decides to face the bully down. The camera switches to Michael's POV for the confrontation just before [[spoiler:the bully delivers an anticlimactic OneHitKO]] and the screen goes black.
* ShoutOut:
** At the start of "They Call Me Ms. Tibbs", Telly finds a [[Franchise/FridayThe13th hockey mask and a machette]], which [[OhCrap worries her]].
** Budnick forms a secret society in one episode, and the initiation ceremony begins with Sponge, Donkey Lips and Pinskey marching and chanting in a manner similar to the Winkie march in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
* SickeninglySweethearts: Ug and Mona, and Dina and Budnick for all of five minutes.
* TheSmartGuy: Sponge.
* SoapBoxSadie: Z.Z. In most episodes this is mild to the degree it is present at all -- she is usually among the nicer and more easygoing campers, as well as a bit of a dreamy CloudCuckoolander. But she makes up for it with a vengeance in "The Environmental Party", when she is loudly opinionated, pushy, and harshly judgmental to the point that she comes off as less reasonable and likable than Dina, who actually tries to help her out until Z.Z.'s harshness drives even her away. Her hippie folk song about saving the environment eventually devolves into outright, literal yelling at people.
* SolarPoweredMagnifyingGlass: Done by Donkey Lips and Sponge to get the last merit badge they need (task: start a fire without using matches, lighters, etc.) to go on a camping trip. Z.Z. gets the assist, demonstrating it to the two, with Ug watching.
* SpeechImpediment: "Donkey Lips".
* SpinningPaper: In "The Pinsky-Sponge Gazette".
* SpoiledBrat: Dina.
* TheStrategist: Donkeylips' ambition in "Capture the Flag".
* SummerCampy: The entire premise.
* TeensAreMonsters: Played straight in many instances. Possibly justified, since Annawanna is such a crappy camp.
* ThematicThemeTune: This would be a subversion, as while the song is supposed to be about how ''great'' camp is and how strong the friendships are, the obviously forced and insincere delivery of the sappy lyrics really serve to tell the audience how ''bad'' it is, while hinting at the flaws that are bound to cause friction in individual character relationships.
* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: Mona says that's what everyone calls her in the episode "They Call Me Ms. Tibbs".
* TitleDrop: Sponge does it in the first episode, just before the cut to the theme song.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Telly and Dina.
* TriangRelations:
** "Donkeylips' Crush on Dina" is a type 5: Donkeylips likes Dina, who likes Michael, who isn't interested in anyone.
** "Budnick Loves Dina" also starts as type 5: Z.Z. likes Budnick, who likes Dina, who isn't interested; but becomes a type 4: Budnick and Dina are in a relationship, leaving Z.Z. a HopelessSuitor (who eventually decides she [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy just wants Budnick to be happy]]).
* TroubledButCute: Budnick has had both Dina and Z.Z. crushing on him.
* TVTeen: Played completely straight. Although they evolve/develop a bit during the second season, the characters generally remain married to their respective high school stereotypes.
** Michael is somewhat of a subversion, since he's less easily stereotyped than the others. The downside is that he had no real personality to speak of. So maybe, in this case, it would've been better if he DID have some kind of stereotype attached to him!
*** Probably he's meant to be the "average guy".
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: Seems to have been invoked somewhat unintentionally. A number of episodes of the first season, in particular the [[HighSchoolDance Camp Dance]] episode, indicate Dina is attracted to Michael, while Michael is completely uninterested. But in the "Cinderella Play" episode, Michael is extremely psyched up about getting to kiss Dina and teases her about it constantly, while she acts disgusted by him and has a crush on a boy from another camp.
* TheVoice: Dr. Kahn.
-->[[AC: Dr. Kahn: Man or Myth?]]
* WelcomeEpisode: "Michael Comes to Camp".
* WellDoneSonGuy: Donkeylips' parents are implied to be this. According to him, they only acknowledge him when he brings home wrestling trophies.
* WeWantOurJerkBack: "Budnick Loves Dina."
* WholePlotReference: "The Treasure of Sara Madre" to ''Film/TheTreasureOfTheSierraMadre'' and "Zeke the Plumber" to ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet''.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Budnick is perfectly content to spend an entire night alone in the woods, and laughs loudly and triumphantly at the others' attempts to frighten him. However, he breaks down crying and pleading for help when he stumbles into a large batch of spider webs.
* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: Mona was a mail carrier in season one. She becomes a forest ranger in season 2, because she won't work in a place that put Elvis Presley on a first-class stamp.
-->'''Donkeylips:''' I thought she's the mail lady.
* WillTheyOrWontThey: Budnick had to break up with Dina. But Dina seems to still have feelings for him. He even let Dina keep his Music/SteveVai guitar pick and says they might be back together someday.
* JustForFun/XMeetsY: ''Series/SavedByTheBell'' meets CampRunamuck.
* YouGoGirl: Telly.
-->'''Z.Z.''': ''We hold you in our heart...''
-->'''Donkeylips''': ''And when we think about you-''
-->'''Budnick''': ''It makes me wanna fart!''
-->''[other kids laugh]''
-->'''Ug''': ''It's "I hope we never part"! Now get it right or pay the price!''
--->~''Excerpt from the opening theme''
Airing on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} in the early/mid nineties, ''Salute Your Shorts'' was a network contemporary of such shows as ''Series/ClarissaExplainsItAll'', ''Series/TheAdventuresOfPeteAndPete'', and ''Series/AreYouAfraidOfTheDark'', and like those three tends to be among the more clearly and fondly remembered pieces of the era (making it a prime candidate for the NostalgiaFilter). A sitcom centered around a group of kids at summer camp Annawanna. The title of the show comes from a common prank in initiating new campers. Older, jerkier campers would loot their luggage, steal their underwear, and run them up the nearest flag pole to let them flap in the breeze. Seeing how there's no way to ''un''-steal it, the appropriate response is to "stand at attention, click your heels, and salute your shorts!"
The [[WelcomeEpisode first episode]] introduced Michael Stein, the NaiveNewcomer, to the existing ensemble cast, which was set up as a SixStudentClique. The other campers included:
* Budnick: The {{Schemer}} and resident {{Jerkass}}, Budnick is a [[HonestJohnsDealership con artist]] and more than a bit of a bully, preferring to use {{manipulative|Bastard}} ploys more often than outright coercion, though he has Donkeylips to back him up in that department as well. His attitude initially repulsed most everyone at camp, but as time went by his hostile veneer started to rub off.
* Donkeylips: The muscle ([[StoutStrength Donkeylips is fat, but tough enough to qualify]]) and sometimes Budnick's enforcer, though he is rather amiable in personality otherwise. Openly crushes on Dina, to her disgust... [[DefrostingIceQueen most of the time]].
* Sponge: the quirk, a smart, scrawny kid with occasional hyperactive tendencies.
* Telly: the smart one, although more in a common sense way, Telly is a tomboy obsessed with sports. Also the token black kid.
* Dina: the pretty one - a bit of a BrainlessBeauty, and can be a RichBitch
* Z.Z.: the wild one - GranolaGirl and {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, very conscientious about the environment but less conscious of just about everything else.
The only authority figure in sight is Kevin "Ug" Lee, the dim-witted loser guy counselor. Dr. Kahn, his superior, is only heard through loudspeaker.
In season two Erik [=MacArthur=] left the show and accordingly Michael left camp, ([[RealLifeWritesThePlot ostensibly due to chicken pox]]), and was promptly replaced by Ronnie Pinsky. Pinsky, in his debut episode, is established as a wise-cracking [[HighSchoolHustler Ferris Bueller-like]] character ([[StraightMan Michael's]] polar opposite, really) and immediately becomes the most popular kid in camp (except with Budnick). Later in the season, however, he becomes much more restrained and fallible (though still with his moments of Bueller-like mischief), and his popularity is significantly lower.
----
!!This show contains examples of:
* TheAce: Pinsky in his introductory episode. He's rich, athletic, handsome, immediately popular, continually gets away with pulling stunts, and -- most obnoxiously as far as Budnick is concerned -- almost completely unflappable, easily laughing off all of Budnick's insults and pranks. Clearly, "cheesing Budnick off with his mere existence" is Pinsky's ''greatest'' skill set, which seems to have been the entire point. In later episodes Budnick's dislike of him is completely forgotten, and likewise Pinsky's ace status seems to fade away, leaving him a more ordinary and flawed HighSchoolHustler type.
* AdultsAreUseless: Well, only ''one'', really...Camp counselor Kevin "Ug" Lee. But he's still useless.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Dina doesn't like Budnick ''unless'' he's a bad boy.
* AlliterativeList: Ug's "Four F's of Leadership": Fearlessness, Fairness, Firmness and Control.
-->'''Telly''': Control isn't an F.\\
'''Ug''': Well then it's three F's and a C.\\
'''Telly''': Sounds like Donkeylips' report card.
* AlliterativeName: Z.Z. Ziff.
* AlphaBitch: Dina, more or less.
* AmusingInjuries: Nine times out of ten, Ug, but "Budnick Loves Dina" had so many characters suffer accidents that by episode's end those two were the ''only'' people not on crutches.
* AnticipatoryBreathSpray: Michael does this repeatedly in the "Cinderella Play" episode when he's cast as the male lead (who thus gets to kiss Dina). When the actual moment does come, however, he winds up chickening out and shaking Cinderella's hand instead.
* BadassBookworm: Sponge, occasionally.
* BeautifulAllAlong: Telly has one of these moments when she loses her glasses in favor of contact lenses.
* BigGuyLittleGuy: Donkeylips and Sponge
* [[BigManOnCampus Big Girl on Campus]]: Telly.
* ButtMonkey: Ug.
* CallBack:
** Pinsky's introductory episode is one CallBack after another to Michael's, right down to the pranks. However, events don't play out the same way a second time, a few outcomes being reversed entirely.
** "The Wrath of Kahn, Jr." references the "Awful Waffle" from the first episode. Also the music used when the girls' trap was tripped plays when Kahn's niece gets her just desserts.
* CaptureTheFlag: Episode of the same title.
* CatchPhrase:
** "Roasted, toasted, and burnt to a crisp."
** "Tough nuggets."
* CavalierConsumption: Pinsky nonchalantly continues to munch on his smuggled-in sausage even as the bed he's lying in is collapsed by Budnick, who'd rigged it to fall ([[CallBack the same prank he'd pulled on Michael, who was a lot more obviously irritated by it]]).
* ChainedToARailway: A model train rail, in this case.
* TheChewToy: Ug.
* CloudCuckoolander: Z.Z.
* ComedicSociopathy: Often.
* ControlFreak: Ug.
* ContinuityNod: Michael's "wuss hat" is Harry the Hippo.
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: Punishments have included:
** Having to fill the swimming pool with water, one bucket at time
** Ringing a bell with your nose while doing push-ups
** Having to clean entire rooms with your own toothbrush (a perennial favorite)
** Hugging a tree ([[FauxHorrific this is apparently terrifying]])
** Forced to hold out buckets of water at arm's length (similar to StandingInTheHall)
* CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority: The reason for Pinsky's enormous popularity in his debut episode (see also: TheAce). Of course, throughout the remainder of the series, this attitude backfires on him at least as often as not.
* CrosscastRole: Almost happens in-universe with the Cinderella play. When Dina claims she lost her voice (she really got stage fright), Cinderella is nearly played by the only other person that knows all the lines: Sponge, who is briefly shown in costume.
* CurseCutShort
-->'''Budnick''': Right now we gotta swear to each other.\\
'''Donkeylips''': Ok! You're a big dripping piece...\\
'''Budnick''': I'm not talking swear like that. I mean, swear that whatever we find, we'll split 50/50.
* DartboardOfHate: Budnick has one for Pinsky in the latter's introductory episode, but it's just a piece of paper with Pinsky's name written on it.
* DeadpanSnarker: Pretty much everybody (including Ug himself).
* TheDitz: Both Z.Z. and Dina have exhibited ditzy traits.
* TheDogBitesBack: Despite being his friend and enforcer, Donkeylips had no qualms about doing this if Budnick went too far.
* DrunkWithPower
** Happens to Budnick on OppositeDay.
** Also Pinsky in "The Pinsky-Sponge Gazette"
-->'''Pinsky''': Material's no problem. If it's a slow news day, we'll just go out and create it ourselves.\\
'''Donkeylips''': But what will people think of that?\\
'''Pinsky''': [[ShoutOut They'll think what]] [[Film/CitizenKane I tell them to think]]. ([[{{Sting}} Cue evil music]])
* EconomyCast: Now and again there will be some extras milling around, or even an additional speaking role, but for the most part as far as the show was concerned there could have been only seven kids and one counselor in the entire camp. This could be justified as it's repeatedly suggested that Anawanna is a ''really'' crappy camp.
* EEqualsMCHammer: Uttered by Dina during an ImagineSpot of Budnick's.
* EmbarrassingNickname: Michael is "Moosh-Moosh" to his grandparents.
* [[TheEveryman The Everykid]]: Michael.
* EvilRedhead: Budnick.
* FakeOutMakeOut: After sneaking out of camp to go to the theater, Sponge and his date manage to avoid detection from Ug by kissing passionately in the phone booth they'd been trying to hide in. Ug (who's being dragged out the door anyway) reasons it can't be Sponge if he's getting some action... meanwhile, in the booth, Ug has been long since forgotten and the episode ends with them ''still'' kissing.
* FireForgedFriends: Maybe friends is too strong a word, but after "Budnick and Michael Fake Being Sick," the two get along much better and pretty much have each other's respect.
* FiveManBand: Well, not exactly five, but anyway...
** TheHero: Michael Stein, then Ronnie Pinsky
** TheLancer: Bobby Budnick
** TheSmartGuy: Sponge Harris
** TheBigGuy: Telly Radford
** TheChick: Dina Alexander
** TheHeart: ZZ Ziff
** KidAppealCharacter: Donkeylips Gelfan
** TheMentor: Ug Lee
* FoodFight: Of ''course.''
* FreudianExcuse: Budnick comes from a broken home.
* FriendInTheBlackMarket: Budnick sells candy to campers at sizable prices. Given the "No Outside Food" rule, no one complains too much.
* FullHouseMusic: Considering the general tenor of the show otherwise, it can be a bit surprising when this gets played completely straight, most notably in the episode where Budnick and Michael play sick to get out of Instructional Swim, and in the "Budnick Loves Dina" two-parter.
* FunnyForeigner: Z.Z.'s friend Spanakopita.
* {{Gasshole}}: Donkeylips.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Many times.
** In the episode "The Radio Call-in Contest", Eugene "Sponge" Harris quite clearly says "I'm pissed off because I'm not as smart as I thought I was!" The profanity was never removed from the episode. Also, several mentions of flipping the finger are made in "Budnick and Michael Fake Being Sick".
** In "Budnik Loves Dina":
-->'''Pinsky''' (re: Budnick's crush on Dina): I don't know what you're thinking with, but it is certainly not your brain.\\
\\
'''Budnick:''' ''(to Dina)'' You know, before we met the only time I used the word "bull" is followed by another word.
** In "Brownies for Thud Mackie"
--->'''Budnick''' How many fingers am I holding up?\\
'''Michael:''' How many fingers am ''I'' holding up?
** In "Budnik and Michael Fake Being Sick":
--->'''Donkeylips''' (in an outhouse): Hey! There's this thing on the wall that sells balloons!
** In the first episode, Ug offers a milkshake and a pizza every night for the rest of the summer to the person who reveals to him who set up the trap that got him CoveredInGunge and feathers:
--->'''Budnick:''' And rat on our friends? Sorry, Big Bird, go pluck yourself!
** In "Cinderella Play", when auditioning, Budnik sings the "Beans, beans" song (both the "Good for your heart" and "musical fruit" versions) and gets cut off before he can say "fart" or "toot". Which is odd considering the word "fart" was said in the theme song.
* GoldDigger: Budnick's favorite thing about Dina is her rich father.
* GoldFever: "The Treasure of Sara Madre" episode being an obvious {{Homage}} / WholePlotReference.
-->'''Z.Z.''': Look, I found a Junior Park Ranger's badge!\\
'''Michael''': Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!
* GranolaGirl: Z.Z. Or as Telly puts it...:
-->'''Telly:''' Are you out of your granola-munchin', whole-wheat, tie-die, save-the-planet '''''mind'''''?!
* HappyDance: On being told that the winner of the frog jumping contest gets a night on the town, Z.Z. starts to do a peppy little song-and-dance number around the room before Dina interrupts.
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: Dr. Kahn, the camp director, who 'appears' only as a disembodied voice over the loudspeaker.
** Someone once hung a sign on a goat saying "This is Dr. Kahn", and all they got was a loudspeaker request to remove it.
* HiddenDepths:
** Generally Ug is portrayed as dim-witted, kind of lazy, and a bit of a loser, but he has moments of ''[[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass scary]]'' [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass competence]], usually sees through most of the kids' schemes, and is a certified athletic trainer. He may seem a little high-strung sometimes, but dealing with those kids would drive someone to drink.
** Donkeylips showed he had some decent wrestling chops in one episode. He is also a very clever strategist as shown in "Capture the Flag".
* HighSchoolDance and SchoolPlay: despite being set at a summer camp rather than a high school.
* HighSchoolHustler: Pinsky on his better days. His {{Zany Scheme}}s backfire, he often promises more than he can deliver and some of the stuff he gets away with is only by virtue of [[RefugeInAudacity having no shame]], but he ''did'' get Sponge a girlfriend and helped Donkeylips live out his dream of championing a game of "Capture the Flag."
* {{Homage}}:
** More than a few elements of the show harked back to ''{{Series/MASH}}''. The most obvious were the frequent establishing shots of the camp overlaid with some bizarre news or orders from Dr. Kahn's PA. Ug's general character as the erstwhile but hapless authority figure drew inspiration from Colonel Blake, down to wearing the same hat.
** Ug also draws parallels from Frank Burns, Sponge sometimes channels Radar, and Pinsky fills in the Hawkeye role once he comes to camp.
* HypocriticalHumor: Dina in particular supplies a lot.
* IJustWantToBeNormal: When a celebrity kid comes to camp, he just wants to be treated like everyone else, which supremely frustrates Dina.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Poor Z.Z.
-->'''Z.Z.''': I know I'm gonna hate myself for saying this. But if you tell Dina, what you just told me? She'd probably change her mind about you.
* IronicEcho: George Michael's real name in "The Radio Call-In Contest".
-->'''Telly:''' You know what my 3 favorite words are: [[IWarnedYou "told", "you", and "so"]].
* {{Jerkass}}:
** Budnick.
** Ug is also this to some extent.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold:
** ''Also'' Budnick, whose good qualities start coming out more frequently in the second season.
** Really, almost all of the campers tended to fall into this at one point or another.
* JudgmentOfSolomon:
** Spoofed via ShaggyFrogStory in "Bunk Chief Elections", when Z.Z. can't decide between Dina or Telly as bunk chief, and Budnick's initial advice leaves a bit to be desired.
-->'''Budnick''': It's like when Solomon King had to make his decision.\\
'''Z.Z.''': You mean King Solomon when he had to cut the baby in half?\\
'''Budnick''': No, I mean Solomon King. I went to school with the guy. He had front-row tickets to two incredible concerts on the same night, he had to make a decision.\\
'''Z.Z.''': What'd he do?\\
'''Budnick''': Well, he came down with the chicken pox, so he couldn't go to either one of them.\\
'''Z.Z.''': That... doesn't help me much.
** In "Counselor Budnick," the trope is played straight: Dina and Z.Z. have a dispute over the ownership of "Wartbreath", a frog Dina found (but initially wanted to squash) that Z.Z. had trained into a champion jumper, when it turns out the frog jumping contest actually has a prize for winning. When the old LetHimChoose method fails, Budnick has them both grab the frog and tug-of-war for it. Of course [[FriendToAllLivingThings Z.Z.]] immediately lets go ("are you crazy!?") and Budnick declares her the real owner. The elegance of this solution confirms him as a real counselor to the other campers, but Budnick confesses it had been his own idea -- the counselor's guidebook would have awarded the frog to Dina.
* KarmaHoudini: Dina and Telly in "Bunk Chief Elections". They leave the boys to take blame for the mess left in their personal FoodFight, with nary a qualm of guilt, even knowing Ug's been making their lives hell for some time already and is just ''looking'' for an excuse to dish out more punishment.
* KeepTheReward: Z.Z. can't get the campers to pitch in and help the environment until she creates an incentive to save up for a trip to the water park. At the end of the episode, they decide to surprise her by using the funds to purchase a tree instead.
* LetHimChoose: Unfortunately, the frog TookAThirdOption.
* LimitedSocialCircle
* LockedInARoom: The [[TwoLinesNoWaiting A-plot]] of "Budnick and Michael Fake Being Sick".
** The "Cursed Skull" episode also becomes this, when Telly and Dina (after constantly bickering with each other over who gets to return the skull to where it belongs) find themselves in a cave full of garbage. A thunderstorm begins, so they spend the night in the cave and reconcile their differences.
* {{Metaphorgotten}}:
-->'''Pinsky''': Look, I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I have another foot that you haven't even seen yet! This is the foot of honesty, and that foot spoke to me.
* MoodWhiplash: The gang feeling depressed with Michael gone, only to cheer up when they meet Pinsky who one-up'd Budnick.
* MotionlessMakeover: Ug is in a trance after his girlfriend dumps him. One of the campers puts a danish on his head.
* MouthyKid: Budnick and Pinsky.
* NaiveNewcomer: Michael. Pinsky... not as much, although it is lampshaded once.
-->'''Pinsky:''' ''(to Dina)'' Look, I know you're normally a sweet, wonderful kid without an ounce of meanness in you--\\
'''[[DeadpanSnarker Telly]]''': You ''haven't'' been in camp very long, have you...
* NerdGlasses: Sponge, although Telly had a pair that were never seen past the first episode (she got contacts).
* NoodleImplements: The "Awful Waffle" from the first episode, requiring syrup and a tennis racket. The viewer never gets to see what one looks like, and the ingredients list grows longer and stranger each time it's invoked. It probably started off based on the real-life hazing of a bare-skin paddling with tennis racket applied to leave a "waffle-like" bruise pattern. (It also needs to be said that there's another, much more disgusting version of an awful waffle, that would '''NEVER''' fly on ''any'' show, ever.)
* NotSoAboveItAll: Ug. Sure, he dispenses severe and exaggerated punishment, but in the context of the campers actually breaking the rules. Still, whenever given the chance to prank Budnick, he jumps at the chance.
* OddFriendship: Donkeylips and Sponge.
** Of all the campers Ug is probably the closest to ZZ (probably because she's, usually, the best behaved) and she's one of the few campers who ''likes'' going on his nature hikes.
* OhCrap: The gang groans when they learn that Kahn's niece will be coming back to camp the next summer. And she learned a few tricks from them.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Ug, Donkeylips, Sponge and Z.Z. (Their real names were used ''very'' occasionally; as is mentioned in the intro to this article, Ug's real name is Kevin Lee, while Donkeylips' real name is Eddie Gelfen and Sponge's real name is Eugene Harris.)
* OppositeDay:
** Budnick and Ug switch places as camper and counselor.
** And the girls dressing up as guys and vice-versa. In fact, one of the girls says she looks forward to it because "it's the only time you can see Budnick in a dress." Make of that what you will.
* PetTheDog: Both the kids and Ug have (rare) moments where they show they actually ''do'' care about each other somewhat.
* PlayingCyrano: Pinsky does this for Sponge, creating a new persona for him to get him with a girl from another nearby camp that's way out of his league. It later turns out that the girl in question was just as geeky, and her fellow campers also were pulling the same stunt.
* PlayingSick: A popular ploy for getting out of instructional swim. Budnick has a killer recipe for realistic-looking vomit.
* PleaseDumpMe: Dina employs this to break up with Budnick, who ceased being bad boy while they were a couple ([[AllGirlsWantBadBoys and thus ceased to be interesting]]).
* PoorlyDisguisedPilot: The pilot aired on another Nickelodeon program called ''SpecialDelivery''.
* PositiveDiscrimination: Telly is the most athletic camper, and frequently the most honest and level-headed one as well.
* PreviouslyOn: At the beginning of "Budnick Loves Dina, Part 2". Donkeylips uses flag signals explaining what happened in the previous episode as Sponge writes them down while cutting to scenes from the last episode. In-Universe: they do this so they can get another merit badge. However, a bee was on Donkeylips and he tries to swat it with his flags, confusing Sponge.
* PublicDomainSoundtrack: Used a lot, though not exclusively. Tchiakovsky's "March Slav" is frequently used.
** The show's famous classical music soundtrack is used a bit less often in Season 2, with generic stock music being the norm by that time.
* PunnyName: Ug Lee. From the first episode, when he introduces himself as "Kevin Lee" only to have the kids start chanting "Ug Lee, Ug Lee, Ug Lee," one might get the impression the nickname "Ug" was actually picked by the kids for exactly this reason, although it's never stated outright.
* RadioContest: An entire episode.
* RealWomenNeverWearDresses: As an in-universe example, Telly is ''pathological'' about this.
* RichBitch: Dina, although she tends to be shallow and ditzy more often than outright bitchy.
* RightThroughTheWall: Subverted in "Park Ranger Mona" when Ug and Mona start to fight. But they notice they're being watched, so Ug closed the door on the campers, but the door has glass so they can still see.
-->'''Z.Z.''': I can't believe they're fighting! This is terrible!\\
'''Donkeylips''': I know! I can't hear a word they're saying!
* RomanticRunnerUp: Near the end of "Budnick Loves Dina, Part One," Budnick tells Z.Z. he might have been interested in her if he didn't currently have a thing for Dina.
* RunningGag:
** If a food fight breaks out Ug is always the one to blow the whistle to stop it and always gets hit with something ''immediately'' after he blows the whistle.
** In "Budnick Loves Dina, Part 1", someone gets their leg broken and ends up in crutches.
* ScarilyCompetentTracker: Donkeylips can not only track people but determine the kind of sandwich they were eating at the time. Dina, meanwhile, is not good at tracking most of the time but is a crack expert at following ''limo'' tracks.
* SecondPersonAttack: In the first season finale, Michael is leaving to avoid a large and very aggressive bully. In the episode's climax, Michael decides to face the bully down. The camera switches to Michael's POV for the confrontation just before [[spoiler:the bully delivers an anticlimactic OneHitKO]] and the screen goes black.
* ShoutOut:
** At the start of "They Call Me Ms. Tibbs", Telly finds a [[Franchise/FridayThe13th hockey mask and a machette]], which [[OhCrap worries her]].
** Budnick forms a secret society in one episode, and the initiation ceremony begins with Sponge, Donkey Lips and Pinskey marching and chanting in a manner similar to the Winkie march in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
* SickeninglySweethearts: Ug and Mona, and Dina and Budnick for all of five minutes.
* TheSmartGuy: Sponge.
* SoapBoxSadie: Z.Z. In most episodes this is mild to the degree it is present at all -- she is usually among the nicer and more easygoing campers, as well as a bit of a dreamy CloudCuckoolander. But she makes up for it with a vengeance in "The Environmental Party", when she is loudly opinionated, pushy, and harshly judgmental to the point that she comes off as less reasonable and likable than Dina, who actually tries to help her out until Z.Z.'s harshness drives even her away. Her hippie folk song about saving the environment eventually devolves into outright, literal yelling at people.
* SolarPoweredMagnifyingGlass: Done by Donkey Lips and Sponge to get the last merit badge they need (task: start a fire without using matches, lighters, etc.) to go on a camping trip. Z.Z. gets the assist, demonstrating it to the two, with Ug watching.
* SpeechImpediment: "Donkey Lips".
* SpinningPaper: In "The Pinsky-Sponge Gazette".
* SpoiledBrat: Dina.
* TheStrategist: Donkeylips' ambition in "Capture the Flag".
* SummerCampy: The entire premise.
* TeensAreMonsters: Played straight in many instances. Possibly justified, since Annawanna is such a crappy camp.
* ThematicThemeTune: This would be a subversion, as while the song is supposed to be about how ''great'' camp is and how strong the friendships are, the obviously forced and insincere delivery of the sappy lyrics really serve to tell the audience how ''bad'' it is, while hinting at the flaws that are bound to cause friction in individual character relationships.
* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: Mona says that's what everyone calls her in the episode "They Call Me Ms. Tibbs".
* TitleDrop: Sponge does it in the first episode, just before the cut to the theme song.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Telly and Dina.
* TriangRelations:
** "Donkeylips' Crush on Dina" is a type 5: Donkeylips likes Dina, who likes Michael, who isn't interested in anyone.
** "Budnick Loves Dina" also starts as type 5: Z.Z. likes Budnick, who likes Dina, who isn't interested; but becomes a type 4: Budnick and Dina are in a relationship, leaving Z.Z. a HopelessSuitor (who eventually decides she [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy just wants Budnick to be happy]]).
* TroubledButCute: Budnick has had both Dina and Z.Z. crushing on him.
* TVTeen: Played completely straight. Although they evolve/develop a bit during the second season, the characters generally remain married to their respective high school stereotypes.
** Michael is somewhat of a subversion, since he's less easily stereotyped than the others. The downside is that he had no real personality to speak of. So maybe, in this case, it would've been better if he DID have some kind of stereotype attached to him!
*** Probably he's meant to be the "average guy".
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: Seems to have been invoked somewhat unintentionally. A number of episodes of the first season, in particular the [[HighSchoolDance Camp Dance]] episode, indicate Dina is attracted to Michael, while Michael is completely uninterested. But in the "Cinderella Play" episode, Michael is extremely psyched up about getting to kiss Dina and teases her about it constantly, while she acts disgusted by him and has a crush on a boy from another camp.
* TheVoice: Dr. Kahn.
-->[[AC: Dr. Kahn: Man or Myth?]]
* WelcomeEpisode: "Michael Comes to Camp".
* WellDoneSonGuy: Donkeylips' parents are implied to be this. According to him, they only acknowledge him when he brings home wrestling trophies.
* WeWantOurJerkBack: "Budnick Loves Dina."
* WholePlotReference: "The Treasure of Sara Madre" to ''Film/TheTreasureOfTheSierraMadre'' and "Zeke the Plumber" to ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet''.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Budnick is perfectly content to spend an entire night alone in the woods, and laughs loudly and triumphantly at the others' attempts to frighten him. However, he breaks down crying and pleading for help when he stumbles into a large batch of spider webs.
* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: Mona was a mail carrier in season one. She becomes a forest ranger in season 2, because she won't work in a place that put Elvis Presley on a first-class stamp.
-->'''Donkeylips:''' I thought she's the mail lady.
* WillTheyOrWontThey: Budnick had to break up with Dina. But Dina seems to still have feelings for him. He even let Dina keep his Music/SteveVai guitar pick and says they might be back together someday.
* JustForFun/XMeetsY: ''Series/SavedByTheBell'' meets CampRunamuck.
* YouGoGirl: Telly.
