Competition Series ‘Karma’ and Magical ‘Summer Camp Island’ (Season 2) Debut on HBO Max
The eight-episode “Karma,” a new competition series on HBO Max, premieres today. The unscripted show takes 16 kids, ranging in age from 12 to 15, and presents them with a series of physical and mental challenges.
The kids live together, but without home comforts or technology.
“Karma” has pairs compete against each other, testing physical and metal endurance. While the kids want to win, the competition is one aspect of the enterprise. The other is how they treat each other, exhibiting traits of fairness, patience and understanding.
The goal is to secure good karma, en route to become Karma Champion.
“What made this challenge very hard is that you want to put out good energy, and at the same time win. The karma was just always around, either in the challenges or just at camp and the tension and the drama going around,” contestant Huck Flanagan, 16, told the CT Post. “You don’t want to stir the pot too much because that puts a target on your back.”
Michelle Khare is the show’s host, and casting for a second season is already underway. Its co-creators are J.D. Roth, former actor-children’s game show presenter, and music producer Scooter Braun.
In addition, season two of the animated “Summer Camp Island,” debuts on the streamer today. Created by Julia Pott (“Adventure Time”), and based on a short screened at the Sundance Film Festival, season one originally aired on Cartoon Network in 2018.
But the second season of the wacky adventures of Oscar and Hedgehog moved to HBO Max. The duo attends camp on an island where magic is everywhere. Their counselors are witches and their cabins were built by aliens.
Separately, HBO Max has greenlit a new adult animated series called “10-Year-Old-Tom.” It concerns a young boy surrounded by adults who are often ethically challenged. According to the streamer, Tim “grapples with being corrupted by the grownups around him each day just by leaving his house.” Steve Dilarian (“The Life and Times of Tim”) is the writer-executive producer, and Nick Weidenfeld (“Rick and Morty”) will also executive produce.