I’ve had this hit Canadian comedy on my watch-list for quite some time, and given that I’ve worked my way through a lot of long-running comedies, I figured now was the best time to start Letterkenny.
The show follows a brother and sister, Wayne and Katy, and their two best friends, Daryl and Dan, just living their lives in their small, rural Ontario town and all of the strangeness that goes on in it. The small cast of characters that surround the main bunch certainly adds a lot of color to the story line, but perhaps most prominent in the group’s lives are leader of the town “skids,” Stewart, and major dude-bros and hockey players Reilly and Jonsey. All three of those dudes have the hots for Katy and she does indeed date them all at one point within the first two seasons. She’s smarter than them though, and gets bored of their ridiculousness quickly.
Wayne is the certified leader of the group and his squinty gaze and outlook on life is no-nonsense; he just sort of says it like it is. Daryl is his awkward best friend, and then “Squirrely” Dan rounds out the trio. They are often seen hanging out with drinks and cigarettes in their hands, mainly in front of their produce stand, which I assume is their main source of income. Wayne’s also got a soft spot for his German Shepard, Stormy. I think my favorite interaction with Wayne and Daryl so far have been with local gay pastor, Glen, and how uncomfortable they get when he hits on them.
As I said, they get into all sorts of situations. Some pretty fun ones are when Wayne runs to be president of the Agricultural Hall, when Dan comes up with the idea for Fartbook, and their St. Patrick’ Day special. All characters, main or supporting, have really had their moments to shine throughout the series, and I think each has managed to get a pretty big cackle out of me. I can’t imagine how long it takes these people to get through a scene. Another thing that sets this show apart is that it takes place in a rural Ontario town. That means they have a real particular way of speaking. One which, I have a hell of a time understanding, so that means my trusty subtitles are on at all times. They also spew out catch phrases like “pitter-patter, let’s get at ‘er,” and “figure it out” often.
When I first started Letterkenny, I wasn’t sure I was going to ride it out, but as it’s gone on, I find myself excited to watch more episodes. I’m sure I’ll be sad when I’m all caught up, but luckily they’ve got renewed for several more season and a spin-off show in the works! This comedy might not be for everyone – it’s definitely not PG – but it’s filling my comedy gap at the moment.