“Schitt’s Creek” follows the trials and tribulations of the formerly wealthy Rose family when they are forced to relocate to Schitt’s Creek, a small town they once purchased as a joke.
Up until its fifth or sixth season, one would have been hard-pressed to describe Dan and Eugene Levy’s “Schitt’s Creek” as a “hit show.” It certainly had its ardent fan base — a cult following if you will — but it remained firmly within that niche. Then — boom! — the series broke out. Now the winner of nine primetime Emmys, “Schitt’s Creek” has become the little Canadian show that could. And deservedly so.
As the world around us seems to darken by the day, and we are quarantined in our own homes and minds, the tale of a wealthy family losing everything and having to cope with each other in the titular provincial town is bound to resonate with audiences. Talk about binge-worthy. “Schitt’s Creek” provides escapism in heaps. It doesn’t resort to cheap tactics. It’s remarkably warm and sweet but rarely sappy, deeply sarcastic but never condescending, and inclusive without being preachy (“I like the wine and not the label” has become a slogan of sorts for the pansexual (if not the entire LGBTQIA) community). Oh, and it’s fuckin’ uproarious.
The series gathers steam as it chugs along. The early episodes are charming in their earnestness, the actors and creators visibly finding their footing — but when the actors and creators are this witty, the mere process of observing them is, as the flamboyant Moira Rose (Catherine O’Hara) would most likely phrase it, “delectable.” It doesn’t pretend to reinvent the wheel, but it builds one that’s sturdier with each season, as the characters are fleshed out and the storylines improved.
Bought as a joke for his son by the video-store magnate Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy), the town of Schitt’s Creek, in a bitter twist of irony, becomes their home. Much of the humor early on is derived from that dichotomy of the uber-wealthy vs the uber-grounded, as the Roses — Johnny, his wife Moira, and their two offspring, David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) — settle down in a roadside motel run by Stevie (Emily Hampshire), and meet the town’s inhabitants, including the sleazy mayor Roland (Chris Elliot) and his chirpy wife Jocelyn (Jennifer Robertson). Soon, the Roses grow to — maybe not LOVE — but appreciate their new circumstances.
Johnny’s perpetual pursuit of business opportunities, Moira’s escapades (joining the town hall, the Jazzagals, taking over directing “Cabaret,” shooting a film in Eastern Europe, etc.), Alexis’s stormy love life, David’s retail ventures — and his discovery of his life partner — those are just some of the side-splitting/poignant running threads, but it’s the characters that will keep you hooked.
Catherine O’Hara, whose extravagant dresses, mannerisms, and heightened speech have turned her into an icon among the gay community (if she wasn’t one already), absolutely dominates this show. “David, stop acting like a disgruntled pelican!” she enunciates in an accent that’s part British, part French, and 100% O’Hara. The actress, who was initially reluctant to commit to the show (thank God she did), fires on all cylinders here.
Eugene Levy, a comedy stalwart best known for his hapless father role in the “American Pie” series, as well as frequent collaborations with O’Hara on Christopher Guest films (for the best of the best, see “Best in Show”), imbues the show with warmth and class. His pragmatism never clashes with O’Hara’s eccentricities — in fact, they complement each other, proving the idiom that opposites do, indeed, attract. He’s the true patriarch, keeping the family together… sometimes, forcefully.
And then there are David and Alexis. Their repartee is so sharp, so eminently meme-worthy, they transcend caricature and become very real representations of snarky-but-secretly-loving siblings. Dan Levy, who also wrote many of the episodes, shines; an absolute natural at comic delivery, his one-liners have entered the cultural lexicon (“It’s an environment,” “Eat glass!,” “I’m obsessed with this!”). Annie Murphy is a live-wire, literally everything coming out of her mouth worthy of being quoted. Google “A Little Bit Alexis” for a little taste.
And of course, there’s the wonderful Emily Hampshire as Stevie, the motel owner; the legendary Chris Elliot, whose back-and-forth with Eugene Levy are to be treasured; Jennifer Robertson as Jocelyn, his ever-optimistic wife… I don’t have enough space here to give proper kudos to the fabulous ensemble cast of this show.
“Schitt’s Creek” shows that it’s okay to lose everything, as long as you have your family… or even a loved one will suffice. It reiterates that we’re all human beings, no matter our sexuality or character or race, or background. Here’s a show that knew when to quit, on a high note. I can’t lie and say I don’t miss it.
Now available on DVD from Lionsgate
