Camp Victory is equal parts military academy, affirmation circle and angst-riddled teen getaway. Contraband food is treated with the same secrecy and scorn as hardcore drugs. The counselors vary between insane drill sergeant, and fairy-like cheerleader. The kids fall everywhere along the overweight spectrum (except skinny) and they have all come for different reasons. Some come to Camp Victory because dieting is the only thing they know. Some come because they had no choice. Some come because it’s the only place they really fit in. Some come because it’s a chance to finally meet people fatter than them. And some come because this is their last chance to get thin. What it makes for is an odd mix for a teen drama.
No matter the character and their motivation, it is tough to not feel for all everyone who comes on screen in Huge. Whether it’s Wiliamina who is too afraid of failure over not ever losing weight that she rebels against the whole notion of fat camp from the very beginning. Or Amber, the skinniest fat girl at the camp, who’s the envy of everyone and still a shame to herself. Or Will, the lonely musician who, like many other kids his age, wants what he just can’t have. The writers have gone out of their way to make us sympathize with the characters because of their body while giving many of them noticeable personality flaws that muddy the whole landscape.
What Huge does well in “Hello, I Must Be Going” is establish the idea that in the end, these kids are just regular teenagers that happen to have weight problems. Their basic teenagerness, hovers in every interaction, fight, jealous act, faux-confidence and act of caring. They are just confused kids who have an extra burden built in to their everyday lives.
The story follows Willamina in her first few days at Camp Victory, complete with opening striptease, smuggling junk food in her suitcase, working out with the trainers, becoming the sugar dealer, sniping with the other girls, becoming interested in boys, and basically eschewing any opportunity to actually lose weight. Willamina is likable in her honesty and maddening in her youthful defiance. Hell, she’s just a punk kid after all, even running away from camp to make a point.
Sure it was a bit convenient that Willamina would overhear and run into Doctor Rand at the diner, or that Amber would bond with the hot young counselor (more on that later), or that Will turns pimped out food-dealer with almost no repercussion. It’s moments like those that remind us we’re watching an ABC Family drama. But Huge, to its credit, doesn’t take the easy way out with its story lines. Having Will explain her non-desire to get thin, and stand up to Rand (another character just trying to do right) illustrates this. Having Amber not instantly warm to Willimina in the end sets up tension going forward. Huge, while convenient in parts, didn’t search too hard for the happy ending. It’s unclear after this first episode, if there will be a happy ending.
Will’s defiance towards thinness is almost as admirable as it is stupid. But it’s typical of a girl who is probably more afraid of failure to get thin than she is about the ramifications of staying overweight. “Hello, I Must Be Going” does well to establish this inner fight as a crux of a strong new show.
Other thoughts
- I know it’s a teen drama, but the opening music had me thinking more Salute Your Shorts than say Friday Night Lights
- Good move, though tough one, to have a kid get kicked out for making herself throw up. I can only imagine this is all too common at places like Camp Victory.
- What to make of Amber? (played well by Hayley Hasselhoff.) Is she a bitch? Misunderstood? Using fat camp as a way to feel better about herself as the skinniest one there?
- I would have found it a bit tough to swallow had Amber ended up hooking up with the young trainer. It’s something that doesn’t need to happen.
- I loved the Poppy counselor character. Thought she was the kind of person who thinks ust being bubbly and smiley is the solution to all of life’s problems.
- Did anyone else watch Huge? What did you think?
