How ‘Schitt’s Creek’ evolved into a great TV comedy

Schitt’s Creek thrives on the power of character development. This sweet Canadian comedy wielded the best tool at its disposal — a genius writing team led by co-creators Eugene and Daniel Levy — to transform a fairly unknown show into a warmer, wittier version of itself by the time it reached Season 5, which premiered on POP TV last month. 

The show looks quite different from when it first began in 2015. I know, I know, progression is natural for every television show. Yet the creative powers that be have refined every rough edge from early episodes to deliver a remarkable feat: a near-perfect comedy.

Schitt’s Creek centers on the rich, snobby Rose family who lose their wealth and forcibly settle in the small town they own, called Schitt’s Creek. Initially, they seem saddled with limited descriptors. Johnny (Eugene Levy) is the mild-mannered businessman patriarch of the family. His wife Moira (Catherine O’Hara, a legend) is a dramatic soap-opera star. Their children, David (Daniel Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy, a.k.a. the show’s secret weapon), are alarmingly unaware of how the world operates outside of their fancy, celebrity-filled bubble. 

Leaving their lavish mansion to live in connected rooms at a sleepy motel is their nightmare. But it turns out to be the best thing that could’ve happened to them individually and as a family. The Roses branch out of their boxes and eventually embrace the weirdness of their new town and its residents.

The riches-to-rags trope isn’t new (see Arrested Development), but what sets Schitt’s Creek apart is its ability to let characters grow from their misery. We’re blessed with outlandish, hilarious narratives and situations from the start, stemming from the fact that the Roses are now living in close proximity. Moira and David figuring out what it means to “fold cheese” as they prepare dinner together for the first time might be one of their funniest bits. 

As the Roses bond as a family, they also discover their independent personalities outside of their extravagant lifestyle. That’s what leads Alexis to finally go back to school and get her degree in Season 3. Alexis circa Season 1 was too smug and too busy trying to bang bad boy Mutt to worry about self-care. Her growth chart contains multitudes. She retains her frivolousness and silliness but is now introspective and kind. Her slow building romance with veterinarian Ted (Dustin Milligan) became one of the best parts of the show without pulling focus from her own development.

A sizable difference between the earlier and later seasons is how much the Roses’ loathing of the town has transformed into a weird, deep appreciation of it. We see this in small but remarkable scenes over the course of the show, most notably when Johnny and Moira stand up for new friends Roland and Jocelyn Schitt while dining with their old rich pals in the Season 2 finale.

It might seem jarring when, at the start of a recent Season 5 episode, Moira casually brings up her belief that the family’s future still lies outside of the town. It contradicts her own actions. She’s a town councilwoman, she’s a part of the local a cappella group Jazzagals, and she’s visibly improved her relationship with her own children. But by the end of this episode, she’s given up that dream to help out her family. It’s the most basic thing but also a reminder of how she’s actually come to embrace her modest life.

In fact, the four of them realizing the benefits of living as a close-knit family, as opposed to a rich yet distant one, has given Schitt’s Creek its evolution. That this happens through crisp, excellent writing is just a sublime gift.

It did take a little while for them to find their groove, though. Early jokes seemed too dry and on the nose. Chris Elliott’s town mayor Roland was unlikeable because of his seemingly creepy personality.

We were also geared up for two major couples in the making: David and motel receptionist Stevie (Emily Hampshire), and Alexis and Mutt (Tim Rozon). Fortunately, the creators realized David and Stevie worked better as platonic best friends. Rozon left the show two years in to join Wynonna Earp, which turned into an opportunity for Alexis to progress via heartbreak.

Once the writers found what clicked and what didn’t, that was it. We were strapped in for a truly amusing ride, with jokes and pop culture references churned out at a mile a minute (Alexis’s first kiss was Jared Leto! Anderson Cooper broke up with David while parasailing!). 

It helps that the entire ensemble is top-notch. Second City Television stars Eugene Levy and O’Hara bring their delightful chemistry to the show and they don’t miss a beat. O’Hara’s pronunciations and dialogues are both incredible and unbelievable. Moira and her beloved wigs also make a great case for the most fashionable TV character to ever exist. 

Eugene Levy’s strength lies in Johnny’s expressions each time he hears something ridiculous, which happens often, especially from his daughter. This entire milk saga from Season 2’s eighth episode is proof:

Unlike the more experienced Eugene Levy and O’Hara, Daniel Levy and Murphy had the burden of proving their talent. Luckily, they’re more than up to the task. Murphy has outshone her peers as a scene-stealer as she nails down the animated mannerisms of the archetypal rich girl while also displaying vulnerability over time.

They’ve managed to do the unthinkable — bring nuance to David and Alexis. Both of them find true love, become entrepreneurs, and evolve into overall more stable and grounded human beings.

It’s hard to imagine a world in which we didn’t have the now-iconic David and Patrick (Noah Reid) romance. Now I am just grateful we got to witness David and Patrick’s elevation, which included A+ usage of Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best.” Twice.

Schitt’s Creek has morphed into that rare comedy which does everything — family dynamics, workplace humor, rom-com — well. It didn’t happen overnight. It was a notable and organic effort by the team to double down on their strengths and let go of story arcs that weren’t working. That’s why it succeeded and is now finally at the forefront of well-deserved pop culture praise. I can’t wait to see where the current and hopefully many more seasons go from here.

Schitt’s Creek airs every Wednesday at 10 p.m. on POP TV. Seasons 1-4 are available to stream on Netflix.