Canadian actor, writer, and producer Jared Keeso has produced two of the most universally-acclaimed comedies of the last decade in Letterkenny and Shoresy, and naturally, that invites conversation about which is the superior show. Both of the off-beat comedies feature casts of relative unknowns (less so now, given the two shows’ popularity), and over the course of their runs have established a unique style of humor. Both shows are inherently rewatchable thanks to the rapid-fire jokes and outstanding quotes; in laughing at one, a viewer likely misses the next one or two.
Shoresy is actually a spinoff of Letterkenny, which debuted in 2016 to rave reviews and lasted for 12 seasons (and multiple specials). Shoresy has a number of connections to original Letterkenny characters, and Shoresy himself appears in many episodes of Letterkenny, although his face is never shown. With so many direct ties, the two shows are often compared based on their humor and heartwarming stories, but one show outshines the other in some of the most significant ways.
Related
What’s Shoresy’s First Name In Jared Keeso’s Letterkenny Spinoff?
The foul-mouthed captain of the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs is known by all as “Shoresy”, but that isn’t Jared Keeso’s character’s actual name.
How Shoresy’s Reviews Compare To Letterkenny
Both Shows Are Critically Acclaimed
It will come as a surprise to those who don’t already know about the two shows, but the reviews for Letterkenny and Shoresy are similar in how exceptional they are. While Rotten Tomatoes reviews are limited due to a sheer lack of volume, other sources have the two shows almost neck-and-neck in positive reviews. Letterkenny boasts an incredibly high 8.6/10 on IMDB, while Shoresy sits at 8.5/10; Letterkenny has a 91% favorable rating with Google users, while Shoresy has an 89%. It’s indisputable that the two shows are among the highest-rated comedies of the last decade.
Shoresy Has Season-Long Arcs, Unlike Letterkenny
Many Letterkenny Episodes Feature One-Off Plots
While Letterkenny has some continuing plots and character arcs, the show is by and large an episodic comedy with few major plot lines connecting all the episodes of a season. The main through-line between each season (and the show as a whole) is the consistent and oftentimes repetitive jokes. For example, Shoresy tormenting The Hockey Players is consistent throughout the run of the show, but there isn’t much of a plot surrounding the three.
Shoresy and Letterkenny – Key Details | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Show | Debut | Seasons | IMDB Rating | Google User Approval Rating | Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score |
Letterkenny | 2016 | 12 | 8.6/10 | 91% favorable | 100% |
Shoresy | 2022 | 3 | 8.5/10 | 89% favorable | 100% |
Each season of Shoresy, on the other hand, features a cohesive and ever-evolving storyline. Moreover, Shoresy’s plot has built upon itself over its three seasons, culminating with a major plot shift at the end of season 3. The avalanche of jokes is similar to Letterkenny, but they’re framed around season-long arcs related to the men’s semi-pro hockey team that Shoresy plays on, and the various members of the team.
Jared Keeso Perfected His Comedy Show Skills By Shoresy
10 Seasons Of Letterkenny Aired Before Shoresy Started
Jared Keeso’s unique comedy style was honed over 10 full 6-7-episode seasons of Letterkenny by the time Shoresy ever made it to air, which is part of the reason that the jokes tie so seamlessly into the ongoing plots. Many of the hallmarks of Keeso’s humor are present, and in some cases, are shameless continuations of bits that began on Letterkenny. The best example would be Shoresy, now a youth league ref, continuing to insult the mothers of two hockey players, although he’s swapped out Reilly and Jonesy for Liam and Cory, two of the local high school players.
Like many of the stars of
Shoresy
, Jared Keeso is a former amateur hockey player at the national level; Keeso played in both the Western Ontario Hockey League and Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League before he broke out as a writer and producer.
In many ways, the gags and bits that worked best for Letterkenny were simply reworked for Shoresy. To be clear, that’s a feature, not a bug; some of the funniest jokes from Letterkenny were improved and perfected by Shoresy. That’s why it manages to match the overall quality of Letterkenny, and somehow feels fresh and new despite being derivative of the original show in many ways.
Shoresy & Letterkenny Still Share The Same Classic Jared Keeso Humor
Repetitive Jokes, Insults, And Wordplay Are Hallmarks Of Both Shows
The most impressive element of Jared Keeso’s two shows is how he and the cast who execute the jokes manage to make repetitive gags stay entertaining across multiple episodes, and sometimes multiple seasons. Many of the best jokes can be simplified to Jared Keeso riffing a bunch of variations on the same general concept, but Keeso is so clever and the cast is often so pitch-perfect in their delivery that the jokes land time after time.
Running gags like the double entendre-speaking Mennonites or Shoresy’s attempts to woo reporter Laura Mohr never come across as repetitive. On the contrary, they often become highlights of their respective shows that people look forward to. Keeso is also a master of diversification, as he always manages to vary the gags enough that no single concept ever feels overdone or exhausted.
He also gives the other cast members plenty of time to shine, further guaranteeing that none of the jokes feel overworked. Some of the absolute best content from the three seasons of Shoresy, for example, are the interviews with teenage reporter Jory Jordan. In those bits, Keeso is little more than the butt of the joke, while Maclean Fish (Jordan) eviscerates Shoresy, his teammates, and their opponents. Both shows ensure that the spotlight never stays on Keeso too long, which is a trap that Shoresy easily could have fallen into.
Shoresy Features More Emotional Storylines & Arcs Than Letterkenny
The Longer Story Arcs Allow For More Emotional Investment
One of the most notable differences between Shoresy and Letterkenny is the emotional depth that Shoresy manages to swim in while still maintaining the gut-busting humor that Letterkenny is so widely recognized for. The entire concept of Shoresy is that of an aging hockey player who knows nothing else in life coping with his own crippling fear of moving on. Most of the comedy is ultimately derived from his desperate attempts to keep the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs team alive so that he can keep playing.
Both
Letterkenny
and
Shoresy
were shot in the real city of Sudbury, Ontario in Canada, and Shoresy is set in that city. The latter features and mentions many real landmarks in Sudbury, such as the Sudbury Big Nickel and the Peppi Panini restaurant that the Bulldogs frequent.
That concept goes even further when concussions force Shoresy into retirement, and broaches the uncomfortable reality of the danger of pro sports. Along the way, Tasya Teles’ Nat wrestles with the decision between continuing to run a team that consistently loses money and preserving her family’s legacy by running that very same team. Letterkenny is still an outstanding comedy, but it never crosses the line into anything more dire than small farm town troubles.
Letterkenny Is Great, But Shoresy Is The Better Jared Keeso Show
It’s A Polished, More Emotionally Engaging Show That Maintains Letterkenny’s Elite Level Of Humor
Thanks to the incredible level of balance between sidesplitting humor and deep emotional human moments, Shoresy is a better overall show than Letterkenny. Both shows might have the same elite level of comedy, and depending on who you ask you might get a different answer about which show is funnier. But there is nothing in Letterkenny that hits as emotionally hard as the intense build to the comeback victory in the final of the National Senior Tournament, or the scene directly after in which Shoresy breaks down completely in the hallway and is comforted by Nat.
Source: IMDB
Shoresy
A foul-mouthed hockey player takes on the challenge of coaching a struggling team, bringing his abrasive humor and relentless determination to the rink. As he pushes his players to their limits, he faces personal and professional obstacles, striving to transform the team into champions while navigating the complex dynamics of small-town life and the sport he loves.
- Release Date
- May 13, 2022
- Seasons
- 1
- Production Company
- New Metric Media, Play Fun Games Pictures, Bell Media, WildBrain Studios