A hockey team in Northern Ontario, Canada, swears to never lose again, or else their team will fold. Shoresy is a spin-off of the Canadian comedy series Letterkenny, starring Jared Keeso as the titular character, Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat as Sanguinet, Tasya Teles, Blair Lamora, Keilani Rose, Jonathan-Ismael Diaby, Terry Ryan, Ryan McDonell, Max Bouffard, and more.
There are plenty of guest stars in the series as well, including Laurence Leboeuf from Transplant, Scott Thomspon from Kids in the Hall, Jonathan Torrens from Trailer Park Boys, and Jacob Tierney from Letterkenny (also serving as the series director).
Keeso’s voice in the writing of the series is recognizable from the very start, filled with heavy chirping and gritty perspective. It doesn’t pull any punches, figuratively and literally as there are plenty of fights, all while building a storyline that viewers can become invested in.
Ahead of its premiere on Hulu on May 27, Tierney and Kytwayhat joined Movieweb to chat about the series.
Hockey Comedy Done Right
“Jared grew up in this environment… we hired a lot of former hockey players and had them consulting. We had an entire stunt department devoted to it… you lean on the resources you have and try to surround yourself with the most effective people you can.” Explained Tierney, discussing the authenticity of the series. “I’m still tripping that this is happening,” added Kytwayhat, “working with Jared and Jacob, it’s really great. I’m a huge fan of Letterkenny myself, and then suddenly here I am on set rocking the boat with them.”
Before working on Shoresy, Kytwayhat played a role in the television series Tribal. Sanguinet marks a more substantial character for him to deliver. Behind the scenes, Keeso shared notes with him, he explained, “We’d go through rehearsal and go over the scenes we’ll be doing just so when we get there on the day, it’s all set and ready to go.”
“It’s pretty scripted… Jared wrote all these… So, this is all from the mind and mouth and heart of Jared. All these chirps and insults, I know he’s got a file on his phone where he loads up on stuff… all from his terrifying, expansive mind.” Joked Tierney.
Separating Shoresy from Letterkenny
Keeso’s character can be seen in both Shoresy and Letterkenny, but Shoresy is unique in how it tells a story, explained Tierney. “They’re different beasts. Shoresy is telling a story… but Letterkenny is designed to be the opposite of that, to be a place you can keep coming back to where we don’t have a big storyline. I don’t think they’re the same or have the same aspirations… there’s a narrative pushing you through unlike on Letterkenny. That’s why I’m really excited for people to see all six episodes and for them to watch in order as we spin the yarn for them.”
Tierney added that there isn’t a confirmation for Season 2 yet, but he is certainly excited about the possibility. “We’re not done. We’d like to do more.” If past success is any indication, there's potential for follow-up seasons. Letterkenny has seen 10 seasons so far and has taken to the road with cast for live performances across the US. With the same creators, perhaps Shoresy will follow suit.