Letterkenny goes Irish
This past Sunday was a redletter day for Letterkenny, CraveTV’s sharp comedy about the dull events in the titular fictional Ontario town.
Of its eight nominations, the series bagged three Canadian Screen Awards — best comedy program or series, best writing in a comedy program or series, and best direction in a comedy. Co-creators Jared Keeso and Jacob Tierney should be right proud. Their ode to hicks, skids and hockey players started in 2013 as a short web series created by Keeso. Now, as the first original series commissioned by CraveTV, it has two seasons under its reasonably priced belt and a third is in production in Sudbury, Ont.
To tide fans over, CraveTV will start streaming a St. Patrick’s Day special — or a St. Perfect Day special — on Friday. There’s an epic all-nighter, interplanetary hijinks and all the regular hooliganry you can expect from a Letterkenny episode. In Toronto, a Letterkennythemed pop-up shop will sell T-shirts, hoodies, toques and a hockey jerseys from March 17-19. Dylan Playfair and Andrew Herr, who play hockey players Reilly and Jonesy, will be on hand to sign autographs. Alternatively, a pantload of Letterkenny merchandise is available on the show’s website, including shirts and caps celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Hooliganry not included.
MARVEL’S IRON FIST
Of all the metals you can use to toughen something up, iron has to be one of the most imposing. Think about it: a maiden, a butterfly and a man — unremarkable. Bucolic, even. But Iron Maiden, Iron Butterfly and Iron Man? Start cowering in the corner, buddy. Marvel Comics and Netflix have teamed up for the brutal-sounding new series Marvel’s Iron Fist, which starts streaming Friday. It centres on martial arts expert Danny Rand (Finn Jones), who resurfaces 15 years after being presumed dead. Danny can summon the power of the Iron Fist, and with it he seeks to reclaim his past and fulfil his destiny.
This is the fourth joint effort from Marvel and Netflix, following Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. A fifth, The Defenders, will debut later this year. In Iron Fist, Jessica Henwick co-stars as Danny’s ally Colleen Wing, David Wenham plays ruthless corporate leader Harold Meachum, and Jessica Stroup and Tom Pelphrey play Harold’s children Joy and Ward.
STRIKING OUT
Also hitting the web this Friday is the first season of the popular Irish drama Striking Out. The series stars Amy Huberman as successful Dublin lawyer Tara Rafferty, who starts a private practice after learning that her fiancé is cheating on her. Striking Out, available on AcornTV, was recently nominated for two Irish Film & Television Academy awards and has a second season on the way. Neil Morrissey co-stars.