Watch Cock'd Gunns

Cock'd Gunns is a critically acclaimed Canadian mockumentary television series that originally aired in 2007, produced by Tricon Films. This standalone satirical series follows the misadventures of a fictitious indie rock band trio desperately trying to make their mark in the highly competitive music business. The show draws from elements of popular culture, rock music insurrection, and blends it with humorous elements, making it a unique blend of rockumentary and situation comedy.

The Cock'd Gunns trio, which comprises of two brothers Reggie Van Gunn (played by Morgan Waters) and Dick Van Gunn (played by Andy King), along with their cousin Barry Van Gunn (played by Leo Scherman) form a band that they naïvely assume will set the music world on fire. Their deluded visions of success sets the tone for an amusingly off-kilter series of music-based capers and misfortunes. Set in Toronto, the series brilliantly portrays how the trio's wildly overestimated self-perception collides with the reality of their minimal talent and lack of recognition in the music industry.

The show is designed in a way that would lead the audiences into thinking it's a genuine documentary at first glance. A shaky, handheld camera, the absence of a laugh track, and relatively unknown actors all contributed towards achieving this realistic portrayal. The humor often derives from the clash between the Van Gunns' inflated view of their rock-star status and the harsh reality of their marginal position in the music world.

One of the unique features of Cock'd Gunns is its use of actual figures from the music world who appear as themselves, adding a dose of reality to the faux documentary. The show's authenticity is bolstered by guest appearances from renowned rock icons and other personalities such as Geddy Lee from Rush, Alex Lifeson, Elijah Wood, and many others. These cameos and guest appearances not only add compelling twists to the narrative, but they also comically showcase how these expert musicians handle the ambitious but somewhat talentless trio.

The 13-episode series offers a truly hilarious account of each character's endeavours and a profound exploration of their fraught dynamics in and out of the band scenario. The audience watches Reggie, the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, who is effortlessly romantic about their musical journey. At the same time, he is mostly ignored by potential fans and other band members who have their unique yet perplexing characters to portray. Dick Van Gunn, the bassist of the band and Reggie's perennially annoyed brother, displays his constant displeasure towards Reggie's optimistic portrayal of their situation in the band. And then there's cousin Barry Van Gunn, the nominal drummer who comically swings between hysterical anxiety and deranged laughter, further establishing the show's humor quotient.

Woven with biting satire, unfiltered humor, and the grit of the indie rock scene, Cock'd Gunns also explores the themes of friendship, brotherhood, rivalry, and perseverance. The experiences of the lead characters are filled with angst, jealousy, cocky self-belief, and the will to persist against all odds in the pursuit of rock 'n' roll glory. Underneath all the sardonic humor, the show manages to depict the darker yet authentic side of the music industry.

Despite its humorous outlook, the show serves as a biting critique of the fame-obsessed culture and the difficulties within the music industry with a delicate balance of humor and poignancy. As the Van Gunn's blunder their way up — or more correctly, sideways — through the music scene, what emerges is a comically heartwarming snapshot of the bizarre world of rock and roll, where hopes and realities often get intertwined in the most unexpected ways.

In conclusion, Cock'd Gunns encompassed a brilliant blend of indie rock decadence and situational comedy, brought to life by charismatic performances and ingenious scripting, making it a unique viewing experience.

Cock'd Gunns is a series that ran for 1 seasons (13 episodes) between December 1, 2007 and on Tricon