Musing on Schitt’s Creek

Some time back while randomly checking the TV shows in Netflix classified under comedy I came across a show called Schitt’s Creek (2015 – 2020). The process of my random checking involves watching season 1 episode 1 from beginning for five minutes. If the show can impress me in five minutes then I keep on going.

The first five minutes of Schitt’s Creek is about super duper rich Rose family’s downfall. They are duped by their business manager, who siphoned off all their money including the tax the Roses owed to IRS (Internal Revenue Service). As a result IRS took away almost all they had owned. It immediately clicked with me because as the next person, me too love seeing super duper rich people getting harassed (I guess there’s a Communist hiding in all of us).

Among the very little left with the Roses there is a county called Schitt’s Creek. It was bought long back by the father Rose, as a joke because of the name of course. So the Roses wind up in that God forsaken place. It is like Ambanis getting evicted from their Paddar Road address and ending up in Phulbani. Have you heard of Phulbani district of Odisha? “Yes” or “No” both answers should explain the situation.

Rose family consists of 4 members – the father Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) was a self made successful businessman and now trying desperately to keep his family afloat. Moira Rose (Catherine O’Hara) is an actress, most specifically she was in a long running day time soap opera which has brushed on her persona. The son David Rose (Daniel Levy) has dabbled in many things, mostly related to selling arts. The daughter Alexis Rose (Annie Murphy) is an airhead heiress in the line of Paris Hilton who seems to have had most absurdly spectacular escapades all over the world but now she has to settle down to a dull life. But sometimes apparently dull life can become most exciting chapter of one’s life.

Canadian father and son team Eugene Levy and Daniel Levy are the makers of the show. They also play father and Son Roses in the show. Location of Schitt’s Creek is supposed to be Canada but from show, from the mentioned habits, choices of food, health insurance and popular culture it feels as if the characters live in USA. Anyway the story is universal so the set up hardly matters.

In Schitt’s Creek the Mayor of the city put them in a motel. The motel is managed by cynical Stevie Budd (Emily Hampshire). The mayor Roland Schitt (Chris Elliott) is a creep with heart of sort-of-gold. He and his wife Jocelyn Schitt (Jenn Robertson) became good friends with the Roses gradually. And gradually Roses made many other friends in the city and became involved in the local people and local affairs.

The best thing about the show is every main character has an arc. The series shows us when one hits the rock bottom it is only natural to be in denial for some time. But suddenly they will accept the situation one fine day and get it together and reach for their potentials. This is the ultimate feel good factor of the show. And it is relevant now more than ever.

The Rose children never had to do anything worthwhile because of the family money. They may have been shallow too. But they have the capacity to rise to the occasion.

The ex-tycoon Johnny Rose never loses determination and hope. He takes on the facelift of the motel while being a father figure to the new motel owner Stevie.

The drama queen Moira becomes involved in local administration, choir and in her children’s lives.

David uses his good taste in things to build up a small local business. And he gets a life partner in in his business partner Patrick. Patrick is this grounded person who can manage David’s dramas skillfully. Patrick coming out to his parents is one of the sweetest moments between parents and children I have seen on screen.

Alexis goes through the biggest transformation, from an airhead to a career focused woman who understands true love some time means letting go. The do-gooder veterinary Ted (Dustin Milligan) has a little to do with it.

And they changed the lives of people around them too. Among others Stevie became practically a part of the Rose family from being a cynical loner. The sad lonely diner manager Twyla (played by Sarah Levy, the female member of the Levy family) turns into a successful business woman.

The second thing I love about the show is the way David’s sexuality is presented without any drama. Most simplistically using wine analogies he tells us he is pansexual. And things just gets wrapped up there as a part of life not something for which other people who are not David should create lots of drama.

The sweetest part of the show is the strong sibling bond David and Alexis share in spite of driving each other crazy always.

The show has many supporting characters and each of them has a unique personality, which works as a premise for comedy. The character construction and writing are just brilliant. Every actor, whether minor or major, fit in their character and has given flawless performance. The comedy is mostly situational. A large part of it is about the cluelessness of the ex-super rich people.

Thankfully there is no laugh track.

I can’t end my musing without mentioning Moira’s wigs and the bombastic words she uses. Wigs are independent characters on their own adding to Moira’s overall persona.

Using the most bafflingly tough words in everyday conversation was Catherine O’Hara’s idea. I came to know many words thanks to her (if I still remember them and use them OR not is another matter). I use “Bebe” some time though.

It is the ultimate feel good binge in tough time.