Letterkenny may not be the most talked about show currently on streaming, but it is arguably one of the funniest. Letterkenny’s Canadian audience is vast, but its global audience has been growing each year due to streaming and good old-fashioned word of mouth despite some minimal marketing outside of Canada. The show is beloved by fans and continues to grow its audience as each new season comes out, with a new spin-off, Shoresy, recently being released.
If you haven’t heard of Letterkenny you might just have unfunny friends (kidding, maybe). If you have heard of it but haven’t watched it, you have funny friends, but why haven’t you watched Letterkenny? If you’re looking for a reason to watch one of the greatest Canadian comedies ever just keep reading, or don’t, that depends on whether you want to be the cool friend with good show recommendations.
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Letterkenny: Cast and Characters
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It’s hard to watch Letterkenny without falling in love with at least one character. The way the characters in the show are developed is so authentic and real. The characters feel like people you went to high school with or see at the local bar. Sure, the authenticity of the characters is just one element of this great show, but it’s arguably the most important. Since the characters in Letterkenny are so realistic, they are able to deliver these hilarious and random lines that only hit the mark because of who is saying them.
It is hard to laugh at something when you can’t relate to or understand the character delivering that line, so the realism of the characters in Letterkenny is not only beneficial to the comedy of the show but to the audience as well. When the audience sees the characters as people they know or could know, the show becomes much funnier and relatable (to an extent). All of these characters, even the annoying or over-the-top ones, are people you’d like to have a beer with, or at the very least be a fly on the walls of their afternoon. Plus, the actors know these characters; they often participate in the scripts, and actors Jared Keeso and Jacob Tierney co-created Letterkenny.
Letterkenny’s Quotability
Fans adore how specific the comedy of Letterkenny is. The comedy is not only funny, but quotable and repeatable for fans. The lines are hilarious on their own in the context of the show, but fans enjoy taking those lines out of the show and bringing them into their lives. Many of the funniest comedy shows aren’t quotable because the dialogue itself is only funny in the context of the show, and only remain inside jokes.
Letterkenny is the opposite. The lines are funny on their own and stand on their own two feet as universal, practically objective bits of humor, allowing the show to be endlessly quotable. If you’ve never seen Letterkenny but have a friend who has, you have definitely heard a few lines from the show without even knowing it; they’re simply contagious in how quotable they are.
Letterkenny is SO Canadian
Despite often being compared as very similar to America, Canadian jargon can be quite confusing for those who are not from there. While this may lead people away from Letterkenny because they struggle to understand the colloquial phrases and characters, it also makes the show so much funnier for viewers. It gives viewers from all over the world a sneak peek as to what a small town in Canada actually looks like and what its people actually sound like.
The show is unapologetically Canadian, embracing their rural, Great Northern identity. They could have tried to tamp down the accents or the local jargon but instead the creators of Letterkenny chose to lean into it. They chose to celebrate the Canadian instead of putting it on the back burner.
Letterkenny’s Structure
Each episode of Letterkenny can serve as a standalone to some extent. Obviously it is better to watch every show in the order it was written and produced, as there is some great character development and story arcs, but if you were to watch a random episode of Letterkenny you would still find it hilarious. This is why the show as a whole feels like such an easy watch. Each new episode feels like its own short film, but you get to follow the same beloved characters every time.
This also makes Letterkenny so easy to pick up at any time. While the humor is strengthened over time as a viewer relates more and more to a character, it’s true that taken on its own, no matter where you are in the show you know you can turn it on and have a good laugh. The ease of the show and its structure is so vital to Letterkenny’s success. Every time a new season comes out fans don’t feel like they have to catch up; instead they feel like they’re coming home to old friends.
The Vulgar, Colloquial Comedy of Letterkenny
It’s hard to think of Letterkenny and not immediately smile, thinking of how funny it is afterwards. The show is known for its organic, natural comedy that flows so well. Fans of the show are large proponents of just how funny this show is. However, it is definitely not for everyone. Some comedy is location specific and if you are not Canadian nor do you understand Canadians (or find the colloquial specificity charming) it could be a bit confusing.
There is also the fact that the comedy of the show is most definitely brash. It is quite vulgar and aggressive but in the best way possible. While it might not be best to watch Letterkenny with your kids, that doesn’t mean it’s not funny. Despite its vulgarity, the jokes are not in the same vein as potty humor. The language is aggressive, but the jokes are not dependent on the language choice, just improved by it. The series almost uses profanity as poetry, and the characters are all so humorously respectful and courteous that even the sexual or scatological humor is weirdly dignified. No one is saying that Letterkenny is the pinnacle of comedy, but there are some jokes that make you think it might be. Originating in Canada, it’s one of the best series to watch on Hulu.
