ON THE SCREEN: ‘Schitt’s Creek’ TV Review

After six full seasons, the beloved Canadian sitcom, “Schitt’s Creek” has come to a tragic end, leaving half a decade of critically-acclaimed comedy behind. 

You haven’t heard of it? This is more than common for this low-budget comedy created by father-son duo, Eugene Levy (“American Pie” franchise) and Daniel Levy. But that’s why you should hear about it now: The sitcom is completely binge-worthy and available on Netflix for streaming, with the final season that just ended coming soon to the platform.

The show, for the many people who do not know about it, made its American debut on the Pop Tv channel in 2015, but originally aired in Canada on CBC Television (The Canadian “CBS”). The show follows the extremely rich “Rose” family consisting of video store magnate, Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy), his soap opera star wife, Moira (Catherine O’Hara), and their two dependent, 30-something-year-old kids, David (Daniel Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) who lose every bit of their wealth within five seconds. The family has to start their spoiled, rich life over broke and poor in their one remaining asset: a tiny town called “Schitt’s Creek” that the Roses bought earlier in their lives as a “joke.”  

The spoiled family must live in a ratty hotel and figure out their new, poor life in a small town in the middle of nowhere.

If you ask me, the plot itself is already a comedic punchline, and the characters are no exception. In fact, the vibrant, hilariously different characters are what make the show what it is: one of the greatest shows on television. The idea is fun, which helps, but the writing and quick-witted humor give this show its eccentric, one-of-a-kind vibe that keeps audiences wanting more. 

I will admit, I am one of the television fanatics who has fallen victim to not knowing about this gem of a show. I originally found out about the show by word of mouth, and of course, this past awards season’s Emmy love toward to it, and ever since then, I have rewatched the first five seasons twice on Netflix and cannot stop talking about the new season and its abrupt end. Due to its low-budget and lack of American advertisement due to it being a Canadian show, “Schitt’s Creek” never received the audience hype and recognition it deserved. But now, all of the world is stuck in their households, was there ever really a better time to discover the series than now?

With all of this being said, now is a better time than ever to start your television journey into “Schitt’s Creek.” It is authentic without trying too hard, inclusive without shoving it in your face, and clever without forcing you to learn a lesson. Sure, the plot is simple, and the episodes are only 22 minutes long. But the characters are complex, and after just a few episodes, audiences start to feel as if they know these people and as if they know “Schitt’s Creek.” 

If you do not believe me, you will just have to watch for yourself, because let’s face it: what else do you have to do right now? I give the show as a whole a 10 out of 10.