Jennifer Garner’s comedy series Camping debuting in October
HBO has announced that the upcoming comedy series Camping starring Golden Globe winner Jennifer Garner (Alias, Love, Simon) and David Tennant (Jessica Jones, Doctor Who) will be debuting its eight-episode season on October 14. The series is executive produced by Lena Dunham (Girls), Jenni Konner (Girls), and John Riggi, and is based on the British series of the same name created by Julia Davis.
To celebrate her husband Walt’s 44th birthday, the obsessively organized and aggressively controlling Kathryn gathers together her meek sister, her holier-than-thou ex-best friend, and a free-spirited tagalong — and what was supposed to be a delightful, back-to-nature camping trip quickly becomes a weekend of tested marriages and woman-on-woman crime that won’t soon be forgotten.
Dunham and Konner commented on the series, saying: “When we saw Julia Davis’ hilarious U.K. Camping, we knew this was the most fun concept for writers and actors. We are so excited by our cast. We are so excited by this story. We are so excited to make you never want to go to the woods again.”
Camping follows a group of 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. Other series regulars include Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear), Arturo Del Puerto (Independence Day: Resurgence), Ione Skye (Fever Pitch), Janicza Bravo (Divorce), and Brett Gelman (Stranger Things). The recurring cast includes Bridget Everett (Trainwreck).
Kathryn McSorley-Jodell (Jennifer Garner) is a controlling LA mom who is far less cheerful than her Lululemons imply. She directs the weekend’s proceedings with an iron grip until she’s faced with a woman who undoes all her best-laid plans. Walt (David Tennant) is an obedient husband and a loving father, the reliable lynchpin of his male social group, but below that reality lurks a subtle but growing discontent about what he’s just signed up for.
Jandice (Juliette Lewis) is a woman of many talents: a DJ, a Reiki healer, and a certified public accountant. Her life may seem ideal, but the reality is far less. Smack dab in the middle of a midlife crisis, the recently separated Miguel (Arturo Del Puerto) now expresses his instability through a youthful wardrobe and very strange life choices.
Carleen (Ione Skye) has spent her life in the shadows as Kathryn’s sister. Timid and terrified, she must rely on her own strange passions, such as crocheting, to get her through the lonely days. Nina-Joy (Janicza Bravo) is the friend you go to for everything: best massage, best jeans, best oatmeal. But her tension with Kathryn over a breach of confidence threatens to topple the weekend.
George (Brett Gelman) is loyal, goofy and infinitely game. He’s as obsessed with his best friend, Walt, as he is with his wife, Nina-Joy, and just under the surface of this affable boom operator simmers barely repressed rage that can stop any singalong. Harry (Bridget Everett) is the tough-talking, nature-loving queen of the campsite; her passion for her wife, Nan, is surpassed only by her passion for all other women and an assortment of arms.
Camping is also executive produced by Julia Davis for Hush Ho, Christine Langan for Baby Cow Productions, Ilene S. Landress, Tom Lassally, and co-executive produced by Adam Countee. The pilot will be directed by Jenni Konner.