This was a fantastic show. It had great characters, snappy dialogue, and wonderful, bittersweet, little plots. Kid shows nowadays seem to be written by psychiatrists who, through lame, preachy, p.c. "lessons" in the story try to tell kids how to live, how to act, and how to treat other people. "Salute Your Shorts" was a classic, politically incorrect, unpretensious wake-up call. The people and experiences of Camp Anawana are things kids can identify with, even if they are very subtle. Like Dr. Kahn, who runs and pretends to love the camp and its spirit while you never see him as all he does is talk over the intercom. Saucy. The kids, Budnick, Michael, ZeeZee, Pinski, Telly, Donkeylips, Sponge, and Dina are caricatures of many different people you meet in your life, and spark conflicts that are a joy to watch, with great writing to boot. And the acting itself was great, too. Kirk Bailey's Ug Lee is played to zany perfection, and the children are actually very funny. The makers managed to find kids that really knew how to deliver lines, and that accounts for 80% of the show's success. I consider this the best children's program ever. It was charming, it was hilarious, and at times, it was touching. But most of all, it aired to entertain, not to enlighten. 10/10
Review of Salute Your Shorts
Salute Your Shorts
(1991–1992)
A live-action kid show that was actually, well, brilliant!
12 July 2003