Unarguably, the CBC Television sitcom Schitt’s Creek is one of the top sleeper hit series of the last decade. For much of its original run, many American television audiences had no idea the show existed. Fast-forward to its season finale, and it was dubbed one of the top underrated shows of the decade.
Schitt’s Creek premiered on January 13, 2015, and aired for 6 seasons, with 80 episodes and a special. With an episode runtime of 22 minutes, Schitt’s Creek is binge-worthy and hard to walk away from once you get started. It’s more like those TV series one hopes to watch for leisure, only to discover it gets even better with every episode and season. Here’s more about Schitt’s Creek and what made it iconic.
What Is Schitt’s Creek About?
The series centers around the Rose family, which was introduced as a wealthy, influential family. The main plot happens quickly in the premiere episode (“Our Cup Runneth Over”) as the family loses their fortune after their business manager steals all their money. After the government confiscated every other property, they were left with a remote town (Schitt’s Creek) in Canada, which the father bought as a joke for his son on his birthday in 1991. Left with no choice, the Rose family moved to Schitt’s Creek to save face.
The Rose family consists of the parents, Johnny and Moira, and two adult children, David and Alexis. While the show’s premise isn’t original, Schitt’s Creek excels in how well it fleshes out the story and characters. Besides the quirky main characters, Schitt’s Creek also introduces the eccentric townspeople they encounter. However, the Roses’ stay at Schitt’s Creek is far from just being a redemptive one. It chronicles their struggles to adapt and assimilate with the town and its people. The series finale (“Happy Ending”), aired on April 7, 2020, was a perfect ending to the beautiful, hilarious, and heartwarming TV show.
What Made Schitt’s Creek Instantly Iconic
There’s no denying the brilliance in Schitt’s Creek‘s writing, comedic timing, and natural representation of its LGBTQ+ characters. However, a bulk of the series’ success lies in its cast. From its four primary characters that make up the Rose family to the super-talented supporting characters, each cast performance and delivery helped make it believable. Canadian actor and comedian Eugene Levy played the patriarch of the Rose family. Eugene Levy is famous for playing the embarrassing Jim’s dad, Noah Levenstein, in eight American Pie movies.
In Schitt’s Creek, Levy played the ever-patient husband to Canadian-American actress Catherine O’Hara’s Moira Rose character. O’Hara, known for playing Kevin’s mom in the first two Home Alone installments, is the highlight of Schitt’s Creek. O’Hara hilariously breathed life into the proud, former soap opera star Moira with her had-to-place accent, exotic bags, wigs, and monochrome fashion sense. Daniel Levy also joined his father, playing his on-screen son, David. Daniel Levy’s performance as David, the fashion and art-obsessed pansexual son, garnered great reviews.
Canadian actress Annie Murphy fleshed out Alexis’s character in a relatable manner as the high school dropout and flighty socialite daughter. Then, there’s the weird and wonderful Schitt’s Creek townsfolk played by Emily Hampshire (as Stevie Budd), Chris Elliott (as Roland Schitt), Jennifer Robertson (as Jocelyn Schitt), Dustin Milligan (as Ted Mullens), and Eugene Levy’s daughter, Sarah Levy (as Twyla Sands). The dynamic between the characters and the development of their relationships throughout the series made the six-season series a breathtaking masterpiece. Unsurprisingly, all four lead actors received Emmy nominations and wins for their performances. As such, Schitt’s Creek became the first ever comedy or drama series to win all four acting categories at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards in 2020.
The Inspiration Behind Schitt’s Creek
Daniel Levy and his father, Eugene Levy, were Schitt’s Creek creators. The idea for the show first came to Daniel Levy, who was fascinated with thoughts of a super-wealthy family like the Kardashians having to live in a remote town if they ever became broke. While the idea might seem absurd, buying a remote town as a joke was likened to what American actress Kim Basinger did when she bought Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million in 1989. After Daniel shared the idea with his father, Eugene Levy reportedly named the series Schitt’s Creek.
Besides the name, the Levys had difficulty pitching it to the major United States and Canada cable networks. However, they succeeded with CBC and decided it was best to avoid major US broadcasters. These broadcast networks had earned a reputation for interfering with TV show’s creativity and direction. Undeniably, it is another reason Schitt’s Creek survived for the duration it did and remained successful. However, Pop TV was later given the broadcasting rights in the United States. If you followed Schitt’s Creek‘s success, read about why Mutt disappears in the middle of Schitt’s Creek.