“Letterkenny” Review by Josh Davis
October 21, 2019 3:32 pm |
When I first read the Hulu premise of the critically acclaimed television series “Letterkenny,” it was a pass for me. A show about Canadian rednecks, goths and hockey players? Hard no.
Several weeks later, I broke down and conceded to try one episode. I was hooked within the first minute, as Wayne (series creator Jared Keeso), Daryl (Nathan Dales) and Squirrely Dan (stand-up comedian K. Trevor Wilson) verbally assault a pair of miscreant hockey players who drop off Wayne’s little sister Katy (Michelle Mylett) at the family farm.
The rapid-fire dialog and grab-bag of pop culture references instantly reminded me of movies like “Clerks” and shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” or even the underappreciated “Gilmore Girls.” Sure, they were rednecks (here referred to as “hicks”). Sure, they were Canadian. But they were smart, well versed, fast paced, snappy, and funny as shit. They were rural Rosencrantz and Guildenstern by way of Kevin Smith, with deadpan deliveries that would have made Steven Wright blush. It was right up my alley, and I binged the first six seasons within a week or two and eagerly awaited Season 7.
The show originated in 2016 on the Crave television network and was based on a series of YouTube shorts called “Letterkenny Problems,” about a fictional small town in Ontario and its colorful cast of characters. Keeso and Jacob Tierney (Glen in the show) are the primary writers, with Tierney also directing more than half of the show’s 47 episodes. “Letterkenny” collected several notable Canadian television and comedy awards before moving to Hulu in 2018.
Season 7 opens with a recap, not of notable show moments, but of notable farts that occurred in previous seasons. We instantly move into a punny bit on the local pastor stopping by the produce stand for Azaleas:
“You could always go down a side road and get ‘em on the honor system at the end of the lane way to the Mennonapper’s house.”
“Yeah, there’s a Dutch napper, Iggy. He’s got ‘em.”
“Oh, that’s right! Iggy Azaleas.”
“Yup. Used to have a shop in St. Jacob’s, too. Named it after his son, Brandon’s.”
“That’s right! Brandon Flowers.”
Moments later, Wayne comes in and realizes he’s late for steak night. Katy suggests microwaving the cold meal, and the four main cast members move into a series of loose impressions of Gordon Ramsay. It’s instant pop culture overload, but by now the cast has such an expert rhythm that it’s like watching free jazz, minus all that pesky pretension and cigarette smoke.
In the main plotline of Season 7, the gang starts a cable access TV show called “Crack N Ag,” where locals call in with problems related to farming or other agricultural endeavors. Wayne, Daryl and Squirrely Dan answer questions while drinking beers, but are never stumped. The plot merely serves as another delivery device for rapid dialog, arcane references to rural Canada, and even more pop culture goodness.
“Letterkenny” also has a secret language that makes it insanely quotable, and there’s a great meta riff later in the season where Glen pitches a series of t-shirt fails related to the show’s most famous sayings, from “Puppers” (code for beer) to “Pitter patter, let’s get at ‘er” (translation: quit wasting my fucking time).
There’s also a great side plot about reuniting the Letterkenny Irish hockey team, giving ditzy Reilly (Dylan Playfair) and Jonesy (Andrew Herr) plenty of screen time, along with the excellent Mark Forward as the abusive “Coach.”
The series premiere ended on a scene where Wayne reluctantly returns to his brawling ways and proves he’s still the toughest guy in Letterkenny, so it’s fitting that the Season 7 finale ends with a brawl as the gang travels to contentious Quebec to face off against a rival gang of French-speaking natives. The episode also cues up a fantastic cliff-hanger involving Wayne that could bring a former flame back into the mix for future seasons.
For fans of the show, Season 7 is more of what makes “Letterkenny” so good: fantastic writing, impeccable delivery, and some of the best chemistry of any cast on television. The show also packs a hell of a lot of heart into what has essentially become series after series of wacky premises affecting a misfit family in rural Canada.
My only complaint is that it was too damned short. Only six episodes? Bring on Season 8! Pitter. Patter.
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Tags: Josh Davis, Letterkenny Hulu 2019, pop culture leftovers
Categorised in: Television Reviews
This post was written by Leftover Brian
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