Get ready for the highly anticipated fifth season of the unique Canadian comedy, ‘Shoresy,’ making its U.S. debut this Saturday on Hulu. This time around, audiences are sure to sit up and take notice!
Why the buzz? ‘Shoresy’ shares a deep creative connection with the wildly popular HBO Max hockey drama, ‘Heated Rivalry.’ Both series sprung from the Canadian streaming platform, Crave, and boast Jacob Tierney as a key creative force. Tierney, the mind behind ‘Heated Rivalry,’ has been a long-time collaborator with Jared Keeso, the creator of ‘Shoresy’ and its even quirkier predecessor, ‘Letterkenny,’ contributing as a writer, director, producer, and actor across all three.
While many draw parallels between ‘Shoresy’ and ‘Heated Rivalry’ due to their shared hockey theme, the sport itself is often just a stage. ‘Shoresy’ brilliantly skewers the delicate egos and exaggerated masculinity of a semi-pro hockey team. It’s often seen as the heterosexual foil to ‘Heated Rivalry’s’ romantic tale of two gay professional players. Yet, at their core, both narratives delve into the complexities of male affection and relationships.
Despite the immense popularity of ‘Heated Rivalry,’ with its captivating romance-novel drama and explicit themes, ‘Shoresy’ offers a refreshingly unconventional take. While it might have mellowed slightly in its comedic ferocity over time, its playful and often audacious exploration of brotherly bonds remains incredibly engaging.
The new season kicks off with Shoresy (Jared Keeso), now coaching the Triple-A Sudbury Bulldogs, returning home to an unexpected sight: his three housemates, each engrossed in their own private moments. Far from a mere slapstick setup, this scene sparks a surprisingly candid discussion on ‘proper methods,’ positions, and sources of inspiration. Shoresy’s astonishment when one teammate admits to *not* using pornography leads to the hilarious query, ‘You just think of something?’ he asks. ‘Are we on the [expletive] Mayflower?’
This opening scene, while delightfully crude, perfectly establishes the dynamic: a group of older adult men, living together, seemingly without any female presence. While these aging athletes often cling to a traditional, even hyper-masculine image – frequently discussing and pursuing women – the show cleverly subverts these machismo displays. Their genuine comfort and deep bond with each other serve as their redeeming quality. Beneath their rough-and-tumble exteriors, a softer, more innocent camaraderie always shines through.
While satirizing the ‘bro-mance’ among tough guys isn’t novel, ‘Shoresy’ truly distinguishes itself through its portrayal of female characters. Unlike typical sports or male-centric action narratives where women are often disruptive romantic interests, here they are powerful, almost intimidating figures. They’re the shrewd pragmatists in charge of hockey franchises, ice rinks, and sports media, forcing the more sensitive male characters to unite in efforts to appease or outsmart them. Even Shoresy, the epitome of Canadian resilience, reveals a tender side, though his romantic scenes with Camille Sullivan’s journalist character sometimes feel a bit flat.
Jared Keeso, the sole writer for every ‘Shoresy’ episode, masterfully crafts unconventional dialogue. However, the show truly shines in his rapid-fire, almost obsessive, comedic routines, and the initial four episodes of Season 5 (out of six reviewed) deliver plenty. While there’s less on-ice action and typical trash talk this season, one continuous two-minute barrage of insults feels like a hilarious ‘your mama’ opera. Keeso’s clever use of repetition is also on full display with an exhaustive list of seemingly fabricated, yet entirely real, Dutch names (a delightful callback to Season 1).
Even the sharpest, darkest, or most vulgar satire often needs a touch of sentimentality for broad appeal, and ‘Shoresy’ is no different. The fate of northern Ontario hockey once again hangs on a crucial game. This time, Shoresy and his teammates face the formidable ‘E.U.’ – a barnstorming European team whose brutally physical play (a joke with both sports and political undertones) proves challenging for their Canadian and American opponents.
Rest assured, the Bulldogs’ real test won’t just be defeating these European toughs, but rather uniting as a team. This means demonstrating their deep affection for each other and, by extension, for their distinct Canadian identity. While perhaps not as overtly provocative as the hidden romance in ‘Heated Rivalry,’ ‘Shoresy’ promises to deliver an equally resonant and touching experience.