Season 6 of Schitt’s Creek finally aired on Netflix earlier this month to an eager audience that had been waiting months for the final season.
The Netflix drop came less than a month after the show won 5 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. While excited, I wasn’t surprised to hear about the show’s well-deserved success, considering its cult following and refreshing themes.
Schitt’s Creek is written, produced and directed by the father-and-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, also father and son in the series. Annie Murphy and Catherine O’Hara round out the main cast.
The series follows the Rose family, who were millionaires thanks to father Johnny’s business empire until they weren’t. When they abruptly lose their fortune, thanks to their accountant’s shady practices, they are forced to move to the one asset they were allowed to keep: a small town in rural Canada called Schitt’s Creek.
Johnny Rose is a savvy but traditional businessman, always looking for an opportunity to grow. He’s a stark contrast to his wife, Moira, an actress past her prime who’s known for her Edward Scissorhands-esque outfits, crazy wigs, and not-quite-British accent.
Former socialite Alexis constantly recounts wild stories about her far-flung trips with the A-list celebrities she name drops a few times per episode. Known for her quick wit and the way she says “David,” she starts off completely out-of-touch with reality and ends up a determined businesswoman with her own public relations firm.
Meanwhile, David is grumpy but lovable and inherits his dad’s business savvy. In many ways, he feels like the main character of the show, struggling with his past and self-realization in Schitt’s Creek. He has a few relationships with both men and women, but I appreciated that his sexuality wasn’t his only character trait, and there are more original plotlines for him than a coming-out story.
It’s a strange premise and not one you would think would appeal to most viewers today. It takes place somewhere that could be considered boring and it focuses on a rich, white, traditional family of four, something that most sitcoms are avoiding in favor of more diverse stories. Which is great and absolutely necessary, but not the strong suit of this show.
Instead, the show focuses on what it does best: presenting its cast of quirky characters in unexpected scenarios making a hysterical combination. It’s almost impossible to pick a favorite scene, but one I can’t forget is Moira and David attempting to cook enchiladas. Of course, this doesn’t go as planned, and the scene devolves into them yelling at each other to “Fold in the cheese!” before David stomps off and Moira burns the enchiladas.
We see the gradual transition from arriving at Schitt’s Creek and resisting any type of acclimation, to slowly establishing connections with the residents of Schitt’s Creek. Moira joins the all-female acapella group and the town council, Johnny goes into business with the owner of the motel the Roses stay at and both Alexis and David find love in the most heartwarming relationships of the show.
One of my favorite moments of the show, without spoiling too much, was David’s partner serenading him to “Simply the Best” at an open mic night, leaving him mortified but reluctantly fond. Season six came full circle, ending with the same song playing at a milestone event that I won’t give away.
On top of the friendships, the Roses found in the town, they made bonds between them that they had always lacked in their previous, luxurious lives. For the first time, they couldn’t escape each other, and in the loss of their fortune, they rediscovered their family.
The Rose family was the centerpiece of the show, but the supporting characters were what brought Schitt’s Creek, both the town and the series, to life. Stevie, the receptionist and later the owner of the motel, starts as a pessimist. Yet, through the Roses, discovers meaning in her small-town life. Patrick, David’s business partner, is the constant, dependable positive force, there to give David the stability he was always missing.
The end of Season 6 left me in tears, partly with sadness at the story ending and partly with joy at the send-off that my favorite TV family had. I plan to keep rewatching because Schitt’s Creek is home to so many other viewers and myself.