Star Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Stars: Matt Oberg, Natasha Leggero, Kurt Metzger and Randy Pearlstein

The Big Idea: Ugly Americans is back with an entertaining hat tip to cult classic flick Wet Hot American Summer (just in time for Summer‘s ten year anniversary). Here, the earnest, clueless Mark Lilly becomes a pawn in a chess game he’s unaware is in play, courtesy of his half-demon succubus supervisor/booty call Callie Maggotbone, her father (The Devil) and his plans for world domination, and the terminal sloth of coworker/wizard Leonard Powers.

Leonard is retiring, and has joined with his fellow wizards and their replacements at the “Magic Mountain” fortress for the succession ceremony. The Devil senses an opportunity for demons to strike hard at their mortal wizard enemies, providing they can get inside the mountain.  Their way in is Mark, who is initially resistant at a trip to see Leonard, until it’s bundled with an offer to be head counselor at the non-existent Camp Friendship.

Cue 1980s-style road trip – van, assembled losers (Lt. Grimes, Koala Man, Fish Man, Eric the Robot) and some deft comedy jabs. Sex obsessed zombie Randall is in the driver’s seat, figuratively and literally, because, as he says, “If ’80s cinema has taught us anything, it’s that summer camp counselors are horny teen girls up for anything.” The pace of the premiere quickens significantly here, with homage paid to the quintessential ’80s teen movie scene and Wet Hot American Summer‘s battle versus a rival camp, and then comes to a satisfying conclusion with Leonard earning the “eggnancy” wages of sloth.

To Watch or Not to Watch: A parody of a parody of a self-parodying genre is ambitious, and. it turns out here, too much fun to miss.

TV Screener Tidbit: Funny guys John Mulaney and Nick Kroll helped shepherd Ugly Americans through its hilarious first season … as producers, not writers or voice artists.

Ugly Americans, season two, premieres Thursday, June 30, at 10:30PM ET on Comedy Central

— JE Maher