Quick-witted, sarcastic and emotional are just a few words that come to mind when describing the hit Canadian comedy show “Schitt’s Creek.” Despite being a comedic television success, the program was relatively unheard of during its first three seasons until it became available to stream on Netflix in 2017. The show premiered in 2015 and aired on CBC in Canada and on Pop in the U.S.
“Schitt’s Creek” follows the formerly wealthy, high-status Rose family after they lose their possessions, house and most of their wealth because of their corrupt business manager. The family is left with no choice but to move to the town they purchased in the 1990s as a joke, named Schitt’s Creek.
Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy), a former video rental chain CEO, and his ex-soap-opera-star wife, Moira (Catherine O’Hara), live with their two adult children, David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy), in a small, outdated two-room suite at a motel managed by Stevie (Emily Hampshire), a Schitt’s Creek native.
As time passes, the family starts building relationships in the town and find it difficult to leave. Johnny and Moira befriend Mayor Schitt and his wife, Jocelyn, while David finds an odd but comforting companionship with Stevie.
The quirky characters are the heart of the show
From the very first episode, the viewer is immediately drawn to the sarcastic banter of the Rose family. The characters are all a breath of fresh air with multiple layers to their personality unraveling throughout the six seasons. Johnny Rose is reluctant to get involved in the community, but he soon finds himself managing the Rosebud Motel and attending town soirees.
Moira, once a big soap star, is a one-of-a-kind character with multiple wigs and a fabulous wardrobe. The Roses may have lost their home and priceless possessions, but they certainly have not lost their sense of style. She does not fear wearing bold monochrome outfits with multiple layers, excessive jewelry and a matching wig, which makes her seem completely out of place.
David emulates his mother’s sense of style and is never afraid to give his opinion. His sarcastic line delivery, social awkwardness and hysterical catchphrases never fail to make viewers laugh. And although his sister Alexis is often very self-centered, she often goes out of her way for others.
The Rose Family make Schitt’s Creek home as the show progresses
The majority of Season 1 is spent on the Roses establishing a foundation at Schitt’s Creek and adjusting to their new way of life. In Seasons 2 and 3, the characters all find a path for themselves in this small town.
Johnny gets involved in the motel’s operations while Moira runs for town council. Alexis and David both start working to contribute to their family and develop multiple romantic relationships. The characters spend the next three seasons going through the ups and downs of their business ventures, town events and relationships.
Jokes and sarcasm aside, “Schitt’s Creek” is a show about a family reinventing themselves from the ground up and making mistakes along the way. Despite being a Canadian show, it also seems to portray the average American family that continuously works to support their household and is never afraid to take risks.
“Schitt’s Creek” is a family affair
“Schitt’s Creek” has a family and community aspect to it, unlike other deadpan or dry humor shows like “The Office” and demonstrates real character development among the four main characters.
Before losing their fortunes, the Roses were not a tight-knit family. David and Alexis lived on their own and barely interacted with their parents. In Season 3, a huge family portrait arrives at the motel and the family reminisces about their high society life. They soon realize that despite having everything from a mansion to the latest designer clothes, they were not truly happy. It took losing everything for the Roses to be grateful for having each other.
“Schitt’s Creek” is truly a family affair with multiple members of the Levy family involved in the show. The real-life father-and-son duo, Eugene and Dan Levy, not only star in this series but are also the creators of the show. Dan Levy also wrote and produced the show as well. They are accompanied by Eugene’s daughter, Sarah Levy, who plays Twyla Sands, a waitress at the Schitt’s Creek Diner and Eugene’s brother Fred Levy who is a producer on the show.
An Unexpected Origin Story
In an interview with Out.com, Dan Levy said the idea for the show came from reality television.
“It really just started with me being in Los Angeles, knowing that I wanted to write. I had been watching some reality TV at the time and was concentrating on what would happen if one of these wealthy families would lose everything. Would the Kardashians still be the Kardashians without their money?” Dan Levy said.
He pitched the idea to his father, and after discussing the show for some time, “Schitt’s Creek” was hatched.
The show’s title was created by Eugene Levy.
“It was actually just out of coincidence really. He was having a dinner conversation a few weeks prior, about this theoretical town of Schitt’s Creek: You would have Schitt Hardware and Schitt Grocers,” said Dan Levy.
“Schitt’s Creek” has received much praise and many nominations and awards over the past five years since it first aired. Most recently, the show had a huge award sweep at the Primetime Emmy Awards. “Schitt’s Creek” broke the record for the most wins in a single season by a comedy series, and had 15 nominations.
Eugene Levy and O’Hara both won outstanding lead actor/actress in a comedy series, and Dan Levy and Annie Murphy won outstanding supporting actor/actress in a comedy series. They won nine awards in total, including all seven possible awards for a comedy series.
During his acceptance speech for best comedy series, Dan Levy said, “Our show, at its core, is about the transformational effects of love and acceptance, and that is something we need more of now than we’ve ever needed before.”
