Bug Juice

**Bug Juice**is a Disney Channel reality series that premiered on February 28, 1998. The series focuses around 20 kids and their experiences at summer camp. Together, the kids work hard to excel in their activities and become friends. The phrase bug juice is a camping slang term for a very sweet juice drink made from powdered mixes, such as Kool-Aid, which are often served at summer camps.

On August 4, 2017, it was announced that Disney Channel will revive the series, slated for an early 2018 premiere.

## History and Production

The series' co-creator Douglas Ross thought that summer camp would be the "perfect setting for a reality-based program geared for 9 to 12-year-olds." Ross, a former camper himself, pitched the idea to the Disney Channel and the then head of programming and production Rich Ross. He was given the green light to create the series without a pilot episode. The location, Camp Waziyatah, was decided a few months before the 1997 camp season started. The producers conducted about 100 phone interviews and 60 home visits before selecting 27 campers. Four camp counsellors were chosen from both the camp's existing group and 350 members of the public in response to an open call on the internet. The first season were filmed for 56 days straight by three film crews. The boys' and girls' cabins had all male and all female crews, led by directors Donald Bull and Laura Zucco respectively.

On July 15, 1999, it was announced that a second season had been ordered, it premiered on March 5, 2000. In June 2000, production began on a third season which was announced on July 12; It began airing on June 3, 2001.

## Season 1

Season 1 takes place at Camp Waziyatah in Waterford, Maine, a camp that has been in operation since 1922. The camp is broken down into two sessions.

### Cast

#### Grove 4: Boys' Cabin

Counsellors

* Rhett Bachner
* Morgan Will

Session 1

* Andrew Johnson
* Asa Korsen
* Connor Shaw
* Everett Boyle
* Andy White
* Hassan A. Omar
* Jon Adler
* Jason Wool
* Malik Sollas

Session 2

* Max
* Asa Korsen
* Andrew Johnson
* Malik Sollas
* Hassan A. Omar
* Jon Adler
* Justin Simon
* Andy #2
* Patrick Milhaupt

#### Hill 4: Girls' Cabin

Counsellors

* Luna Hammond
* Annie

Session 1

* Alison Harding
* Caitlin Welby
* Lauren Plumley
* Martha
* Megan Tarr
* Sarai Abdullah Fife
* LaKisha Barksdale
* Jenny
* Stephanie Etkin

Session 2

* Anna Korsen
* Annie Friedman
* Cammie Delany
* Caitlin
* Sarah Ceglarski
* Stephanie Etkin
* LaKisha Barksdale
* Molly McGuinness

## Season 2

Season 2 takes place at Camp Highlander in Horse Shoe, North Carolina. The camp is broken down into three sessions.

### Cast

Male counsellors for Cabin 28 are Andrew Cohen and Andrew Foti. Female counsellors for Cabin 6 are Amanda Peryln, Nicki K, Tiffany Lydon and Ali Baske.

Female campers in Session A include Libby, Maryanne, Sarah, Jenny, Alex, Simana, Annette, Nikki, Samantha and Michaela. In Session B, Annette and Samantha are joined by Hilary, Michelle, Kelly, Kim, Jennifer, Michelle, Baylor and Jessica. In Session C, Kim, Jennifer, Baylor and Jessica are joined by Jess, Gaby, Dalit, Danielle, Alanna and Jasmyne.

Male campers in Session A include Steven, Kevin, Sam, Alvan, Jared, Austin, Ricky, Brendan, Alex and Chasen. In Session B, Steven, Alvan, Ricky and Chasen are joined by Josh, Steffen, Hunter, Farb, Tyler and Conor. In Session C, Ricky, Josh, Hunter and Farb are joined by Michael, Steven, Marcellus, Brandon, Brendan and Kevin.

## Season 3

### Cast

Male campers in Rustlers include JJ (aka Shade), Lee, Alex, Brendon, Josh, Bryan, Todd, Houston, Alex J. and Jordan in Session 1. Session 2 includes Jake, Aaron, Brendon, Sam, Bryan, Terrance, Will, Mike, Josh and Carl.

Female campers in Indian Creek include Eve La Fountain, Jen, Hallie, Reid, Kelly, Amanda Bustamate, Ali C., Kristen, Megan and Ali B. In Session 1. Session 2 includes Alana, Carrie, Hallie, Alex, Kelly, Amanda Bustamante, Leela, Sarah, Megan, Ellie and Kiersten.

## Broadcast History

Episodes of all three seasons were shown on Disney Channel, ending with a run of Season 3 during the year 2001. Bug Juice was subsequently pulled from the air and was not shown again until the summer of 2004, during which episodes from the first season ran nightly in chronological order. The last episode of Bug Juice aired August 20, 2004, and it has not been shown since.

During the summer of 2006, Disney began posting mini episodes on its website, encouraging viewers of the Disney Channel to log on and view 5-minute short clips from episodes of the first season.

Bug Juice was also broadcast in the UK on Channel 4's The Bigger Breakfast.

## Revival

On August 4, 2017, it was announced that Disney Channel will revive the series, slated for an early 2018 premiere. The first season of the revival will take place at Camp Waziyatah, the same location of the first season of the original series.