NEWS BLIPS
HBO & REI's New Comedy Series Gets Mixed Reviews
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through CNN Entertainment's website.
REI Co-op, the specialty outdoor retailer, in partnership with HBO, has released of the premium network's new, original comedy series CAMPING, starring Jennifer Garner, which debuted Sunday October 14th. Earlier this month, advance screenings of CAMPING were held in the REI flagship Seattle store on October 8th, Denver on October 12th and Washington, D.C. on October 16th. Now that the show has premiered and gone through its first couple of episodes, CNN reporter Brian Lowry feels it is not worth staying indoors to watch.
According to the CNN article, "Adapted by the "Girls" team of Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner along with John Riggi, the eight-episode series delivers some amusing moments through the four previewed episodes, but feels too much like a "Portlandia" sketch awkwardly stretched into limited-series form." CAMPING follows a group of old friends as they arrive at the underwhelming Brown Bear Lake campsite to celebrate a landmark birthday, sparking heightened emotions, latent tensions (sexual and otherwise) and memories they’d rather forget. Brian continues, "The writing does zero in on a particular kind of self-analytical voice, basically migrating the nagging concerns that dominated "Girls," articulated by characters in their 20s, into the arena of motherhood and encroaching middle age. The inherent truth of the theme, and the casting, ultimately don't provide enough incentive to muster much enthusiasm to go camping."
For the full initial review, go to the CNN website.