In both the spirit of the ’80s and the end of summer, the Mutants went back to the often-overlooked Mark Harmon cult classic Summer School for a look at what lower education looks like when it’s foisted on teens in the middle of the hottest days of the year. How does this movie hold up? And what are Dave and Chainsaw up to these days?

Josh: I just watched Summer School thinking I was doing a re-watch and it turns out I had no memory of this movie. I had never seen it! Overall, it landed in the middle of the road for me. I got a few laughs here and there. The biggest thing holding it back is Harmon’s association with the show NCIS. My wife loves that show and, though I have never sat through a whole episode, I can’t see him as anyone but Gibbs. I will say this movie has the best practical horror effects of any ’80s teen comedy I have seen recently!

Justin: I’m kind of late to the Summer School party. I only first was aware of and watched this back in 2023, and that was a delightful discovery. It’s not the best comedy the ’80s produced, but it’s certainly a quality product that should get more recognition. I think “easy going” is the label I’d put on this. Its lead is easy going, the plot is easy to watch, and there are enough laughs and likeable characters to encourage repeat viewings.

Drake: When I saw this one back in the late ’80s, I had a friend who was doing some very nice work with both liquid and foam latex. He liked the FX, but was still saying, “Yeah, that’s just way beyond what a pair of high school kids could do.” Which is true, and it takes me out of the movie because the horror FX are obviously professional-level. If they were cruder, and more along the lines of what a couple of teenagers could have done back then, I think that would have worked better for me.

Mike: I feel like it’s the type of movie that’s gonna go over-the-top rather than go for realism as far as the practical effects. Chainsaw and Dave are my spirit animals.

Justin: I mean, the ’80s were shameless about defying realism in its comedies. How many people fit inside Bill and Ted’s phone booth? That thing held more people than the TARDIS! So I’m not going to get hung up on the horror prosthetics. In fact, I think it’s an unexpectedly fun element of this movie, because you don’t come to a teen summer comedy thinking that it’s going to delve deep into horror movie culture. But here we are.

Drake: Still, though, and I hate to say this, but I find Chainsaw just frustratingly unlikable. I’ve even described him in the past as “very punchable.” I keep wanting former UCLA QB Mark Harmon to wad him up and go for a deep shot down the field. Fabiana Udenio is very cute, though, so there is that. But, yeah, I realize that I’m in the minority with my Chainsaw hate. Dave was OK, though. For some reason he didn’t get on my nerves.

Justin: I think I would have fallen in love with Courtney Thorne Smith if I had seen this as a teen. Just sayin’.

Mike: Honestly, if you haven’t been nearly convinced that Leatherface was actually the protagonist of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, did you even experience the ’80s? Tip of the hat as well to Richard Steven Horvitz who played Eakian and went on to a career as one of the most prolific voice actors alive, including the voice of Invader Zim.

Drake: Ah, man, we should really frustrate Justin right now and just talk about the wonderfulness that is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Unhinged Tobe Hooper is the BEST Tobe Hooper. You know, I’d forgotten Summer School was a Carl Reiner film. Although I think he’s a very good filmmaker, his movies are very hit and miss with me. My wife really likes Summer School, though. I should have had her do this roundtable.

Justin: You have to sleep on the Summer School couch of shame now.

Drake: Ma-aaannnn…. AGAIN?! OK, let me think of something positive about Summer School. Um… well, Mark Harmon has charisma, although I do think he’s better suited to the small screen. He and Kirstie Alley play off of each other well, they were both well cast here. Harmon is totally believable as the slacker who only became a teacher so he could get the summers off. I wish I’d thought of that. It turns out that Mutant Reviewing is a year-round gig.

Justin: It never stops, no.

As for Summer School, I don’t have a good feeling for how much of a cult movie this is. I don’t see it talked about a lot in comparison to a lot of other ’80s comedies, but I know it does have a following. I think I have a soft spot for comedies with a wide ensemble and a lead who isn’t a sarcastic jerk masquerading as the hero.