The kids being served "Krusty Brand Imitation Gruel" while Mr. Black and the bullies enjoy a banquet is a reference to the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist and its film adaptation.
When Kearney beats a drum to make the kids in the sweatshop work harder, it's a reference to the slave galley scene from the movie Ben-Hur.
The scene where Lisa gives a liquor flask to a man on horseback as payment for delivering a letter is a reference to the film The French Lieutenant's Woman. Lisa is also dressed much like Meryl Streep's character was in the film scene.
The sequence where Bart leads a revolt and the kids take over the camp is reminiscent of Lord of the Flies.
The 1991 fall of the Soviet Union is referenced when the rebelling campers uproot a totem pole of Krusty, parodying rioting Russians tearing down statues of Lenin, Stalin, and other Soviet leaders.
The post-revolt Kamp Krusty (where Bart is in charge and the camp has been renamed to "Camp Bart") strongly resembles Colonel Kurtz's camp in Apocalypse Now.
Krusty saying: "I don't know her name, but she held up a liquor store last year" is a reference to troubled Diff'rent Strokes sitcom star Dana Plato. The actress infamously held up a video store in February 1991 after developing drug and alcohol problems. She died of a lethal overdose in May 1999.
This is the first episode where we learn Dolph's name, even though he has been seen since season 1.
When Dolph serves the "Krusty Brand Imitation Gruel" to the kids, he is wearing a hairnet, making it one of the few times both his eyes are visible.
Bart's remark of "No way would I lend my name to a crummy product" is an ironic one; a likely reference to the Butterfinger commercials Bart has starred in.
The episode was inspired by a staff member who worked as a teenager as a counselor in a summer camp and saw exposed live wires and other hazards. The producers said this episode was meant to relate to those who went to summer camps or took jobs in one.
Homer points out to Marge that now the kids are away, he has grown two more hairs, making it four on the top of his head. Later when they are reading Lisa's letter, he has two hairs again. But later still when they are watching TV, he has four again. Two of them fall out when he sees that Bart is the ringleader, leaving him with his original two.
When the kids rip Krusty's shirt to see if is the real him he buttons his shirt up then in the next shot his shirt is still torn.
In the shot where Kearney is reading the letter sent to Marge whilst he is eating the jellybean cookies, there is a quick shot of Kearney's hand going in his mouth with the cookie to eat it. Note that there is nothing on his wrist. In the next shot where it is revealed that Kearney is reading the letter rather than Bart or Lisa, he has spiky, black collars on his wrist.
When Lisa was looking at her report card, the writing appears to be pointed away from her for a couple of seconds.
As Marge packs Bart's clothes, a brief mirror image of Bart is shown. However, the image was poorly drawn - his leg should have been reversed.
The Krusty doll Bart clutches while muttering, "Krusty is coming, Krusty is coming, Krusty is coming..." has a black nose instead of a red one.
Bart loses his left shoe in a storm, but regains it when he takes over the camp.
Right before Mr. Black takes questions from the kids, he appears to mouth "now" but no sound is heard.
In Bart's dream, when Mrs. Krabappel changes his grade to a C in all subjects, "Art" appears to be spelled as "Arl".
