Little Person Dale Kristensen tackles new jobs, adventures and makes new friends as AMI’s Underdog Inc. returns June 26 on AMI-tv and AMI+

TORONTO, June 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After a first season that saw docuseries Underdog Inc. become the No. 1 most-watched program ever on AMI-tv and AMI+, AMI—in partnership with Big Time Decent Productions (Rust Valley Restorers)—is thrilled to announce the Season 2 return on Friday, June 26, at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv and AMI+.

Navigating the brutal terrain and unforgiving weather of the Western Canadian mountains, star Dale Kristensen—who is a Little Person—battles blizzards, breakdowns and backbreaking labour to prove skill and determination matter more than size. From wrangling livestock on his dad’s farm, to high-risk deliveries and near impossible backroad recoveries, Dale proves that no job is too big or too small.

In Season 2, Dale is undergoing major back surgery to alleviate the increased pain he faces every step, every breath, every day. With physical limitations forcing Dale to step back from the front lines, the season shifts its focus to the emotional and logistical realities of recovery: relearning how to lead, how to ask for help from his family and friends and how to show strength without doing it all alone.

Season 2 is about more than business; it’s about rebuilding lives. Gritty, honest and full of heart, Underdog Inc. champions the people Canada too often overlooks: those who fall, get up and figure it out together.

“Season 2 of Underdog Inc. raises the stakes in every way, with Dale Kristensen returning from major back surgery and proving once again that resilience is at the heart of this series,” says Executive Producer Matthew Shewchuk. “With AMI’s trust and support—and after driving record viewership with over 200,000 in Live +7—Underdog Inc. is being built into a long-running series in the spirit of Rust Valley Restorers, grounded in real stakes, real people and stories that stick.”

“When Underdog Inc. became one of AMI’s most-watched original series in our history, it confirmed what we already knew; that our audience is hungry for stories that are gritty, real and unfiltered,” says Cara Nye, Director, Content Development and Production at AMI. “Dale, Gripp, Mike and the whole crew don’t just represent disability, they’re telling a story that hasn't been told before. Season 2 goes deeper and the stakes are higher. AMI is proud to be the home of Underdog Inc.”

Dale Kristensen
Dale Kristensen is a trucker, heavy equipment operator, mechanic and salvage hand based in Barrière, B.C. Three months after major back surgery linked to complications from achondroplasia, Dale is determined to get off pain medication, get a clear head and start working again. Driven, stubborn and resourceful, Dale is trying to rebuild his business and confidence while showing his son, Cooper, what resilience looks like.

Cooper
Cooper is Dale’s nine-year-old son and constant sidekick. He rides along on jobs, helps in the yard, learns strap tricks from Mike Hall and pitches in when Dale starts fixing trucks at home. Whether he is bringing Dale a morning coffee, reacting to a new machine or heading to his first hockey game with the family, Cooper is woven into Dale’s work and life.

Caden
Caden is a friend of Dale’s from Vancouver Island who re-enters his orbit just as business starts to pick up. A fellow Little Person, he previously teamed up with Dale on a backroads recovery and underwent the same spinal fusion surgery a few years earlier, giving them an instant connection and mutual respect. Dale takes Caden under his wing during a month-long stay in Barrière during his semester off from university, showing him the ropes of backroad recoveries.

Mike Hall
Mike Hall is Dale’s longtime friend and a seasoned restoration expert with a yard full of vintage vehicles. Blunt, funny, and practical, he’s as quick to help Dale land a deal as he is to call out mistakes during a tough tow. Mike plays a key role in getting Dale back on track, helping him reclaim his F550 hotshot truck, driving him to Pemberton, B.C., to check out a new tow rig and fabricating a custom bumper when needed.

Gripp
Gripp is one of Dale’s key guys on the road. Born missing seven fingers, he’s undergone more than 80 corrective surgeries and spent much of his early life in hospitals, an experience that’s given him a deep understanding of pain, recovery and adaptation. He brings that resilience to every job, from hauling a stranded tent trailer out of the mountains to helping restoration expert Mike Hall transport vintage vehicles over punishing logging roads.

Want to learn even more about Dale and the stars of Underdog Inc.? Check out exclusive content on AMI’s YouTube channel.

Underdog Inc. airs Fridays at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv. Stream Season 1 anytime, for free, on AMI+.

About Big Time Decent Productions  
Founded in 2017 by award-winning producer-director Matthew Shewchuk, Big Time Decent Productions is a Vancouver-based production company that produces unscripted and scripted series, feature films, and digital content from development through post-production and global distribution via its in-house facilities and distribution arm, Big Time Decent International. The company is known for hit series including Rust Valley Restorers (History, Netflix), The Last Captains (Bell), and Yukon Rescue (Hulu), and its upcoming drama series Adapting, premiering on AMI this summer. For more information, visit bigtimedecent.com or @bigtimedecent.  

About AMI
AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services—AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French—and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

For media inquiries and information, please contact:

Greg David
Communications Specialist
Accessible Media Inc.
Greg.David@ami.ca
647.417.0631

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c1a329a2-50e8-43a6-a26f-fcad622499ed

Underdog Inc.

Cooper and Dale Kristensen

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