Originally published in print November 2020.

Illustration by Maeve Breathnach.

I’ve watched many comedy shows in my time, usually for the purpose of distracting me from something stressful going on in my life, maybe even eliciting a genuine laugh or two if I’m lucky. Faced with a second lockdown and an increasing college workload, I decided to give the comedy on everyone’s lips, Schitt’s Creek, a try, with admittedly low expectations. However, what I discovered was so much more than just a comedy show. In just six short seasons, Schitt’s Creek encapsulates what it means to love, and to be loved, in all its various forms.

This core message seems obvious in retrospect when you realise the show’s origin is grounded in familial love. Creator Daniel Levy sought the help of his esteemed father, American Pie alum Eugene Levy, to get his idea off the ground, with the two ending up as both co-creators and co-stars. The family connections don’t end there, with Daniel’s sister Sarah also playing a main role in the series. Additionally, Eugene recruited his long-time comedy collaborator Catherine O’Hara onboard to play his wife, firmly cementing the cast’s strong bonds from the get-go, giving a genuine foundation to the stories to come.

Throughout the show we follow the formerly wealthy Rose family; businessman Johnny (Eugene Levy), his dramatic wife Moira (O’Hara), and their two children David (Daniel Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy), as they try to get their lives back on track after relocating to Schitt’s Creek, a small town they once purchased as a joke. At the start of the series we can see these relationships are strained, with the family forced into close quarters living in two adjoining motel rooms after spending years jet-setting as far away from each other as they could. It’s clear they don’t even know that much about each other, illustrated best by Moira not even knowing her own daughter’s middle name. However, as the show progresses, we see these bonds begin to grow, slowly but surely. Moira and Johnny support their children’s personal endeavours, such as David’s store opening, not by throwing money at them, but by actually showing up and believing in them enough to get things done without their financial interference. David and Alexis never quite lose their aptitude for bickering (“ew, David,” will be forever ingrained in my brain), but by gradually confiding in each other, they gain insights into their respective romantic relationships and grow as individuals. This all goes to show that, in the end, when you take money out of an equation – money that has been the superficial plaster for deep-rooted problems for far too long – the only thing inevitably left, is love.   

Daniel Levy takes this love one step further by extending it to include the LGBTQ community. Levy’s character David comes out as pansexual in one of the most nuanced ways I’ve seen on screen; no fanfare, no debates, just a clever metaphor – “I like the wine and not the label”. In what is portrayed as a relatively backwards, rural town, their ideals are anything but, with everyone accepting David and all his eccentricities as is. His romance with business partner Patrick (Noah Reid) is a joy to watch – and one of the best on-screen relationships I’ve ever seen, LGBTQ or otherwise. Unlike many other shows featuring same-sex relationships, there are no shocking twists or painful betrayals shoe-horned in, just some realistic drama that is drowned out by a myriad of sweet moments (you’ll never be able to listen to Tina Turner’s ‘Simply the Best’ without crying ever again). Levy cleverly uses his own experiences to inform his storytelling, never letting LGBTQ suffering take the reins over the characters, who are so much more than the opinions and actions of those who would discriminate against them. This fresh perspective uplifts the community, allowing those unfamiliar or previously prejudiced to view LGBTQ people as fully rounded members of society rather than martyrs. This can be attested by the countless letters Levy reports to receive from viewers thanking him for opening both their minds and their hearts, which has in turn earned him a Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award.

All in all, Schitt’s Creek is a salve for the turbulent times we find ourselves in, and is guaranteed to warm even the iciest of hearts. Unexpectedly, I found that this unassuming comedy show has the most genuine heartfelt moments I’ve ever seen on screen. It’s a show that clearly loves its cast, characters and fans – completely deserving of their Emmys sweep this year, where the show won a total of nine awards, including all seven comedy-related trophies, the most ever for a comedy in a single year. Evidently, no matter how bleak the world around us gets, in Schitt’s Creek, love always wins.