Last night, at the 72nd Emmy Awards, the big story was: SCHITT’S CREEK FINALLY WON! After six seasons, a rapidly growing fan base, and a few years of near misses, the Canadian sitcom created by Dan and Eugene Levy earned nine awards and became the first series in TV history to win in all four acting categories. The internet exploded in unbridled joy as fans celebrated the success of the show, which led many others to ask...what the heck is Schitt's Creek?
The show initially aired on Pop TV in Canada before Netflix bought the international distribution rights and it became a Netflix Original show across the world. It finally ended after six seasons, making the Emmy victory a bittersweet goodbye to a beloved series. And make no mistake: people love Schitt's Creek. Here's why.
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The Premise
The show follows a family who, after some dodgy investments, lose their millions and are forced to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere, the titular Schitt’s Creek. Johnny Rose (played wonderfully by Eugene Levy) bought the town as a joke for his son, David’s (Dan Levy) birthday in 1991. Now, the family, including former daytime soap actress Moria (Catherine O’Hara) and the Paris Hilton-Esque Alexis (Annie Murphey), are left to adjust to this new, penniless, lifestyle in the only place they can afford to live.
This tale of redemption was specifically poignant over the last few years as was the message of kindness, love, and acceptance the show always promoted. As the characters grew and learned that money wasn't everything we saw growth and respect emerge.
Moira Rose Stole the Show
Catherine O’Hara’s performance as Moria Rose has been one of the most critically acclaimed comedy performances of the past decade. Her strange accent, wild costumes, extravagant wigs, and her desire to return to the spotlight all made for comedy gold. In the past few years, the cast and crew have campaigned heavily to get O’Hara an Emmy nomination, and last year, in 2019, she received earned her first for this role but lost out to Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag.
Last night, O’Hara, who signed onto the show as a favor to her pal Eugene Levy when it was in development, won her first Emmy in nearly 40 years after her previous win in 1982 for SCTV. This means her wacky hijinks, her mispronunciation of the word 'baby', and her overdramatic tendencies are no longer overlooked! After all, Moira's favorite season is 'awards'.
‘A Little Bit Alexis’
Alexis Rose went through the most significant transformation during the show's run and fans were super psyched to see Annie Murphy take home an Emmy last night. Initially, she was a spoiled rich girl who continually regaled her family with wild stories of being kidnapped or crossing borders illegally in the name of a good time. By the time the show entered its final season, Alexis had matured into a keen publicist and empathetic woman, but her trademark air-headedness remained.
In the show's fifth season, during an audition for a local production of Cabaret, Alexis performed the theme tune to her short-lived reality TV show A Little Bit Alexis which was AMAZING. The song included the lyrics ‘I’m a Lamborghini / I’m a Hollywood star / I’m a little bit tipsy when I drive my car’ all set to a thumping club beat.
The song went viral when Murphy, as a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, recreated the moment alongside Clarkson in front of the cast of 1917 and, earlier in 2020 Murphy released an official video for the song, too.
Its Inclusive Attitude Toward LGBTQ+ Representation
It became clear early in the shows run that its attitude to LGBTQ+ representation was groundbreaking. In season one, David, who is assumed to be gay, sleeps with his female friend Stevie (Emily Hampshire). When Stevie is confused about what this means for David’s sexuality, she asks him about it while they’re shopping for wine. She only drinks red wine, she says, meaning she only likes men. When David catches onto the analogy, he says, ‘I like the wine and not the label’. Thus, he became one of the first openly pansexual characters on TV.
The show didn’t stop there though, as the Levy intentionally created the world of Schitt’s Creek to counter our own. Instead of featuring any homophobia or violence, Levy decided to set the show in a world where that didn’t exist. This meant the LGBTQ+ characters of Schitt’s Creek could explore life and love without judgment. This allowed queer fans across the globe to escape into a world that was always safe and welcoming.
David and Patrick Are Super Cute
In season three, David met Patrick, a financial advisor played by Noah Reid, when he was applying for a loan to start a new business. As the two work closely, creating a business plan and working out the kinks, they fall in love and, as a couple in the latter three seasons, they gave fans romance, tenderness, and so many swoon-worthy moments including Patrick serenading David with an acoustic cover of Tina Turner’s Simply the Best.
Oh, and Mariah Carey Loves It!
While the show has gained legions of fans across the world, including many famous faces, one of the highest-profile fines is queen Mariah Carey. In 2019, Carey tweeted out her love for the show (in which she was heavily referenced) and in 2020, she appeared alongside the cast in a video dedicated to the graduating class of 2020. Does it gets much cooler than that? Not really.
Schitt's Creek is streaming on Netflix.