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| Image courtesy of Crave |
Some shows know exactly when to end, and they don’t stay around longer than needed. Showrunners have an end in mind and plot an exit strategy with a satisfying conclusion. Other shows don’t know when to quit and drag things on interminably; fans lose interest and gain a yearning for things to be as good as they were back in the old days.
Letterkenny, which finished up its final season right before Christmas, is somewhere in the middle. It began as some stand-up bits and Internet sketches, but then began its Canadian TV broadcast in 2016. Over its twelve, six-episode seasons, it covered the lives of small-town Canadian occupants and trafficked in puns, portmanteaus, and dad jokes, all played out a little too long. Or just the right amount, depending on your sense of humor.
The show’s humor could be divisive, with language lovers appreciating the ridiculous alliteration and pop culture jokes, while others find the mix of scatological and Canadian humor not their plate of poutine. Showrunner and writer Jared Keeso is a master of the callback and of Canadian slang, some of which might require a dictionary. But none of the episodes are so undecipherable that non-Canadians could keep up. (Keeso would save the ultra-Canadian and hockey-specific slang for his spinoff, Shoresy.)
One of the show’s strengths was the recurring cast of side characters, which includes skids (drug addicts and ravers living in a basement), not-so-smart hockey players, an Amish family named Dyck, Native Americans from a nearby reservation, a ridiculously flamboyant pastor, and so many others. In later seasons, the show’s radical inclusivity upped the ante by adding new recurring characters Ron and Dax, a gay couple whose wedding provided the backdrop for one of the series’ best episodes. In the penultimate episode, the gay slur ‘f**’ was bleeped when thrown at the couple. And the fact that this slur, but not a single other scatological term or insult (and there were an infinite number) was bleeped, speaks volumes.
Later seasons saw more episodes with some good bits (like when main character Katy orders some Swedish furniture and brother Wayne (a farm hick) decides to give the Swedish delivery guys a hard time) that were the only highlight. Perhaps the final 4 seasons became more hit or miss with the quality of the episodes, and viewers would have to wade through bits that just were not that entertaining.
What carried the subplots and bits throughout the 81 episodes (many seasons had an extra holiday episode tacked on) was a strong emotional core and sense of community. Even though all characters would chirp back and forth, there was an underlying commitment to each other. So, ‘when a friend asks for help, you help.’ So when the Amish Dyck family needed help choring, the farm hicks, and even a couple skids, came over to help (and were subsequently exposed to some of the driest innuendo from the oblivious Noah and Anita Dyck).
So if a viewer wanted to check out the highlight reel from those twelve seasons, someone should put together a top 11 list that could provide them with the best of the best. So, pitter-patter, let’s get at ‘er.
Top 11 episodes
S1 E 2 – Super Soft Birthday Party – The perfect episode to demonstrate lead hick Wayne’s status as the toughest guy in Letterkenny who also throws a ‘super soft birthday’ party for his best friend, Daryl.
S4 E 2 – A Fuss At The Golf Course – One of the more consistently funny episodes that features nearly all the supporting cast either defending Canadian geese on a golf course or having a dance off for rights to rave in the parking lot of a convenience store.
S5 E 1 – We Don’t Fight at Weddings – Of the many needle drops in this show, the one in the finale of gay couple Ron and Dax’s wedding is perfection. As is all of Letterkenny attending the first gay wedding in the small town.
S5 E 4 – Letterkenny Spelling Bee – The best episodes are those that take advantage of the show’s amazing supporting cast. The town’s annual Spelling Bee brings in everyone, including Joint Boy, Tyson, and McMurray, who all get to shine while attempting to spell out a word.
S6 E4 – Dyck’s Slip Out – The Dyck’s daughters, Charity and Chastity, have been away longer than normal for Rumspringa, causing their parents to talk to nearly everyone in town. The resulting ‘innocent’ innuendo from the Dycks, and all other characters attempts to not reveal those innuendos to the Amish parents, is a thing of beauty.
S7 E2 – Red Card Yellow Card – When Wayne comes into some money to invest, he takes pitches from the Hockey Players, pastor Glen, bar owner Gail, and Ron and Dax as to where to invest. He uses a red and yellow penalty card as warnings during all the pitches, which is one funniest bits in the series.
S8 E6 – Holy Sheet – This show is at its best whenever the Dycks are in on screen. When the Amish need help choring and offer up their own barbeque as a reward, the jokes and innuendos flow abundantly.
S8 E 7 – Day Beers Day – Occasional episodes conclude a plotline from either that or a previous season. This episode wraps up a storyline about the possibly shady guy Katy is dating, and unites all the characters in a climax that packs an emotional whallop.
S11 E 2 – Okoya – Another of the most consistently funny episodes features a bake sale theft at pastor Glen’s church that leads to a review of every of Agatha Christie’s Poirot novels.
S12 E 5 – Stuck – Existential crises are in the air in the penultimate episode that trades laughs for plot and a moving portrayal of friendship.
S12 E 6 – Over and Out – One could say that things stay the same after everyone’s crises are resolved. But the final episode returns to what makes the show great in the first place: ridiculous chirping between the hicks and a supportive community for all the various characters.
All episodes of Letterkenny are streaming on Hulu.
- EB