When Bruce McCulloch premiered his one-man, autobiographical play, Young Drunk Punk, it received fairly positive reviews. The man, after all, is a comedy legend. Now, he’s got a full cast for a television show with the same name. And Young Drunk Punk is now a high point in the history of Canadian comedy shows.
Featuring classical sitcom scenarios and character types—a bumbling father played by McCulloch himself, a latched-on best friend who never seems to be going anywhere (Shinky, played by Atticus Mitchell, who might look familiar—he once played bully Carlos Martinelli on Canadian teen sitcom How To Be Indie and another bully, Mickey Hess, on Fargo), and the wayward young main character, Ian McKay, played by Tim Carlson—Young Drunk Punk rises out of the ashes of Canadian comedy as something truly fresh and original.
Perhaps it’s the tragically hysterical misadventures Ian and Shinky get themselves into—from meeting the hockey star in their small town to an endless job hunt to the makeshift horror movie as a get-rich-quick scheme. Maybe it’s the terribly-acted, almost-too-camp-to-be-true character of Belinda, Ian’s sister, or the hilarious dedication to punk that both main characters have, but Young Drunk Punk has struck a nerve with viewers, pulled in positive reviews and has already been renewed for a second run. Filmed and taking place in Calgary, which, to Torontonians is basically the butthole of the country (besides, like, Bowmanville), it’s funny, unique and oddly relatable. What makes it Canadian beyond the constant state of winter? The show encourages a small bout of Canadian pride—when The Clash come to Calgary, the shock and surprise exuding from both boys is terrific, and it should be. Even in Toronto, a huge band showing up and blessing the city with their tour can be surprising and exhilarating.
The relatable storylines and characters are key to the show’s success. After hijacking their high school graduation with some punk music and having their diplomas held on to by their guidance counselor, Ian and his strange sidekick, Shinky, decide to enjoy their summer as best they can, until the need for a job comes along. A particularly funny episode features the two in a competition with each other, trying to get fired from as many jobs as they can. Later, a deadpan scene showcases the pile of nametags from each rejected job opportunity. Shinky is having a great time—until Ian finds a job, and, in a disgusting betrayal of anarchy, punk, and their friendship, actually likes it. In another episode, the two get jobs at a construction site owned by Ian’s sister’s ex-boyfriend, who tries to make nice with Ian to get the details on Belinda, while Shinky gets his boots stolen from the other workers and picks up a bad habit or two. Oh, and don’t forget Ian’s debilitating crush on Diane, a story arc that takes several episodes to get to before the two are presented with a “blessing” from Diane’s parents before they have sex for the first time.
They fill familiar roles: Ian is the sensitive, smarter one, and Shinky is his not particularly bright comic sidekick. Often the sidekick becomes the favorite character in a sitcom like this, and it’s not much different here, although Bruce McCulloch’s father character steals the show on a lot of occasions.