Smart, funny, and a refreshing take on some old tropes: Letterkenny is a brilliant Canadian comedy that revolves around the community from which the show takes its name. First aired in 2016, there are now 11 seasons of the hilarious series for viewers to indulge in, with U.S watchers able to get most of them on Hulu. With a unique take on small town life, a heck of a lot of brilliant wordplay, and a whole load of Ontario dialect, there are few shows on television like it, and creator and star Jared Keeso has definitely earned the numerous plaudits it’s received, including a Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy.
One of the main characters on the show is veteran small town ice hockey player Shoresy, who is played by Keeso. Aside from a penchant for swearing, Shoresy’s defining characteristic in the series is that the viewer never sees his face, with the show writers using an increasingly hilarious list of methods to ensure the secrecy. While this adds to the humor, there’s actually a very good reason for the obfuscation beyond it being a running gag. If you’ve watched Letterkenny and want to know why Shoresy’s face is always hidden, then read ahead!
What is Letterkenny about?
Letterkenny is about a small town of the same name in rural Ontario, and mostly revolves around the lives of its various quirky residents. The town is mostly populated by Irish settlers who escaped the 19th century famine, and throughout the series we see them deal with day to day life. The show is full of both dark and silly humor, as well as plenty of smart, snappy dialogue that’s laden with wordplay and quick responses. The series initially focused on produce farmers and siblings Wayne and Katy, although over the years the lens has fallen onto the numerous other characters who make up the town.
Each episode has a different plot and theme, although generally speaking they all focus on small-town life, delving into the concerns and feelings of different locals as various events happen around them. Important groups of characters include the farmers (sometimes referred to as “the hicks”), players on the local ice hockey team (who are all outsiders who generally hate how small the town is), the local drug addicts known as “the skids” who are always scheming to get their next fix, and the native First Nation group who live on a reservation that’s close to the eponymous town. There are also the religious Mennonites, the French-speaking Québécois, and the fitness freaks at the local gym, all of whom add to the color of the town and show. The local pastor also plays a big part, preaching a strict brand of religion while being clearly closeted.
The first few episodes of the show revolve around Wayne, who considers himself a hard man, even going so far as to call himself the “toughest man in Letterkenny.” There was also a lot of focus on the failing ice hockey team, the drug addicts attempting to scam money from the local and natives, and Wayne’s floundering love life, left in the lurch after his high school sweetheart cheats on him. He and his sister Katy are also always attempting to keep their farm afloat with the help of their friends.
Letterkenny became a hit for its realism and snappy writing, but was also noted for portraying its small town residents as intelligent instead of falling into stereotypes of them all being dumb hicks. A running joke throughout the series is that even in their isolated spot, the residents have complex views on all manner of social issues, and are as witty as anyone else in all of Canada. It’s also been praised for its rounded portrayal of First Nations characters. Many have compared it favorably to Trailer Park Boys, although it’s fair to say most of the characters are more likable in Letterkenny.
Who is Shoresy on Letterkenny?
Shoresy is an ageing ice hockey legend who plays on the local team in Letterkenny. With a high pitched voice and an uncanny ability to swear in nearly every sentence that comes out of his mouth, he’s a bit rough around the edges, and constantly claims to have slept with people’s mothers. On the ice, he’s clearly incredibly talented, and is often recruited by the local coach to help out when things with the team are at their very worst. Generally speaking he simply helps out around the rink, and occasionally works as a linesman.
We never see Shoresy’s face directly in Letterkenny, with it being obfuscated in a number of hilarious and inventive ways. Sometimes he’s in the shower, turned away from the camera, or relieving himself in the toilet with the door closed. While playing, he wears a tinted face shield on his helmet. The mysterious nature of his face is one of the many running jokes on the show. Although he isn’t a main character per se, he does play an important part in a number of episodes.
Who plays Shoresy on Letterkenny?
Shoresy is played by Letterkenny creator Jared Keeso. It’s the second character Keeso plays on the show after Wayne.
Why does Shoresy on Letterkenny always have his face hidden?
As Keeso plays both Wayne and Shoresy on the show, it was decided to keep Shoresy’s face hidden so that viewers wouldn’t be left too confused. The fact it also works as an inside joke is a bonus, as the show is full of little Easter Eggs and long-running gags like that, so it really fits with the vibe and aesthetic. So, not too much of a mystery when you have the whole picture!
Does Shoresy have his own television show?
Yes! You may have heard of the character Shoresy despite never seeing Letterkenny as the former ice hockey pro has a spin-off of his own, named after him, in which you very much do see his face. The first season of the series dropped in 2022, and a second has been greenlit, meaning that fans of the new show have something to look forward to.
Shoresy once again stars Keeso as the foul-mouthed sporting legend. However, he’s been taken away from the town of Letterkenny for a job that seems impossible: leading the Sudbury Bulldogs to victory. The Bulldogs, based in the small town of Sudbury, have lost 20 straight games and are propping up the table in the four-team Triple A-Level Northern Ontario Senior Hocky Organization (NOSHO). Full of confidence in his own abilities, Shoresy makes a bet with the general manager of the team that he can make sure they never loses again, but only if he’s given full control.
What follows is Shoresy using all his contacts to put together a management structure that can help him win his bet. He gets a new coach named Sanguinet, as well as an entirely new roster of players, and with the future of the team’s existence on the line, the man from Letterkenny tries to show that he can get the Bulldogs playing brilliant hockey, increase crowd sizes once more, and possibly even make national news.
Shoresy was chosen as the character to base a spin-off on as he is considered one of the most popular characters on Letterkenny, and the fact his character returned for season 11 of the show further proves this. Although there have only been six episodes of Shoresy so far, critics have been heaping praise on the series, noting that Keeso has managed to transfer the magic and smart writing of Letterkenny to Shoresy while building something that feels unique. Although the dialogue is still at the heart of all the jokes, there is more of a focus on visual gags, as well as plenty of satirical comments on the nature of small town life and semi-professional sports teams. The overarching plot is also more obvious, compared to the more episodic nature of Letterkenny. Most importantly, it’s simply a hilarious watch.
