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''Schitt's Creek'' (stylized as ''Schitt$ Creek'') is a Canadian television
sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
created by Dan Levy and his father,
Eugene Levy Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian actor and comedian. Known for portraying flustered and unconventional figures, Levy has won multiple accolades throughout his career including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and ...
, that aired on
CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...
from 2015 to 2020. It consists of 80 episodes spread over six seasons. Produced by Not a Real Company Productions and the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is the Canadian Public broadcasting, public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a Crown corporation that serves as the national public broadcaster, with its E ...
, it follows the trials and tribulations of the formerly wealthy Rose family. After their business manager embezzles the family business, Rose Video, the family loses its fortune and relocates to Schitt's Creek, a town they once purchased as a joke. Now living in a motel,
Johnny Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John (given name), John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly ...
(Eugene Levy) and Moira (
Catherine O'Hara Catherine Anne O'Hara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian and American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She started her career in sketch comedy, sketch and improvisational comedy in film and television before expanding her career taking dra ...
)—along with their adult offspring,
David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
(Dan Levy) and
Alexis Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946– ...
(
Annie Murphy Anne Frances Murphy (born December 19, 1986) is a Canadian actress. She rose to recognition for her starring role as Alexis Rose in the sitcom ''Schitt's Creek'' (2015–2020), for which she garnered acclaim and won a Primetime Emmy Award and a ...
)—must adjust to life without wealth. The series concept came from Dan Levy who wondered how wealthy families, as frequently depicted on American
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
, would react if they lost all their money. He developed the series with his father Eugene before pitching it to several Canadian and American networks. It was first sold to CBC Television in Canada and secured final funding to start production in its sale to
Pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
in the United States. Although limited in popularity for its first few seasons, its regional appearances on
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
after its third season is credited for its rise in stature (the "Netflix bump") and a dynamic social media presence. ''Schitt's Creek'' received critical acclaim and garnered a cult following, particularly for its writing, humour and acting. It has won various prizes, including two
ACTRA Award The ACTRA Awards are Canadian accolades presented since 1972 to celebrate excellence in cinema, television and radio industries.Canadian Screen Awards The Canadian Screen Awards () are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media ( web series) productions. Given annually by the Academy ...
. It is the first Canadian comedy series to be nominated for a
Critics' Choice Television Award The Critics' Choice Television Awards were accolades that were presented annually by the Critics Choice Association (CCA). They were established in 2011, and the first ceremony was held on June 20, 2011, and streamed live on VH1.com. The fou ...
for Best Comedy Series. It also received two
Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
, including Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and a total of 19
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series twice. It received 15 of these nominations for its sixth and final season, setting a record for most Emmy nominations for a comedy series's final season. For its portrayal of
LGBTQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group i ...
people, it received three nominations for a
GLAAD Media Award The GLAAD Media Award is a US accolade bestowed by GLAAD to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding portrayals of LGBTQ people and the issues that affect their lives. In addition to film and television, the Awards ...
for Outstanding Comedy Series, winning twice. At the
72nd Primetime Emmy Awards The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in American prime time television programming from June 1, 2019, until May 31, 2020, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was originally to be held at the Microsof ...
, the series's final season swept all seven major comedy awards. It was the first time a comedy or drama series received all seven awards; Dan Levy notably received Outstanding Comedy Series,
Writing Writing is the act of creating a persistent representation of language. A writing system includes a particular set of symbols called a ''script'', as well as the rules by which they encode a particular spoken language. Every written language ...
and Directing for a Comedy Series (sharing the last with
Andrew Cividino Andrew Cividino (born 1983) is a Canadian film director and screenwriter."Big buzz at Cannes for Canadian auteur's coming-of-age yarn". ''Montreal Gazette'', May 22, 2015. He is best known for his feature film directorial debut '' Sleeping Giant' ...
). It set records for winning all four major acting categories (
Lead Actor A leading actor, leading actress, or leading man or lady or simply lead (), plays a main role in a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person w ...
/
Actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
and
Supporting Actor A supporting actor or supporting actress is an actor who performs a role in a play or film below that of the leading actor(s), and above that of a bit part. In recognition of important nature of this work, the theater and film industries give ...
/
Actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
) for O'Hara, Murphy and both Levys—a first for a comedy or drama series; for most Emmy wins by a comedy series in a single season (beating '' The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'' 2018 record), and for most Emmy nominations and wins by a comedy series in its final season.


Synopsis

The wealthy Rose family —
video store A video rental shop/store is a physical retail business that rents home videos such as movies, prerecorded TV shows, video game cartridges/discs and other media content. Typically, a rental shop conducts business with customers under condit ...
magnate
Johnny Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John (given name), John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly ...
(
Eugene Levy Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian actor and comedian. Known for portraying flustered and unconventional figures, Levy has won multiple accolades throughout his career including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and ...
), his wife and former soap opera actress Moira (
Catherine O'Hara Catherine Anne O'Hara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian and American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She started her career in sketch comedy, sketch and improvisational comedy in film and television before expanding her career taking dra ...
), and their pampered adult children
David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
( Dan Levy) and
Alexis Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946– ...
(
Annie Murphy Anne Frances Murphy (born December 19, 1986) is a Canadian actress. She rose to recognition for her starring role as Alexis Rose in the sitcom ''Schitt's Creek'' (2015–2020), for which she garnered acclaim and won a Primetime Emmy Award and a ...
) — lose their fortune after being defrauded by their business manager. They move towards rebuilding their lives with their sole remaining asset: a remote town named Schitt's Creek somewhere in Canada, which Johnny bought for David's birthday in 1991 as a joke. The Roses are forced to relocate to Schitt's Creek, moving into two adjacent rooms in a run-down motel. While the family adjusts to their new lives, their well-to-do attitudes conflict with the town's more provincial residents, including mayor Roland Schitt (
Chris Elliott Christopher Nash Elliott (born May 31, 1960) is an American actor, comedian and writer known for his surreal sense of humor. He was a regular performer on ''Late Night with David Letterman'' while working as a writer there (1983–1988), created ...
), his wife Jocelyn ( Jenn Robertson), and their son Mutt (
Tim Rozon Timothy James Rozon (born June 4, 1976) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his roles as Tommy Quincy on the CTV Television Network, CTV teen drama ''Instant Star'', Mutt Schitt in the CBC Television, CBC comedy ''Schitt's Creek'', Doc Hollida ...
), the motel's clerk Stevie Budd (
Emily Hampshire Emily Hampshire is a Canadian-American actress. Her best known roles include Angelina in the 1998 romantic comedy ''Boy Meets Girl (1998 film), Boy Meets Girl'', Vivienne in the 2006 film ''Snow Cake'', Jennifer Goines in the Syfy drama series ' ...
), town council members Ronnie Lee (
Karen Robinson Karen Robinson (born February 29, 1968) is a Canadian actress. She won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance in a Guest Role in a Drama Series at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019 for her appearance on the television series '' Mar ...
) and Bob Currie ( John Hemphill), veterinarian Ted Mullens (
Dustin Milligan Dustin Wallace Milligan (born July 28, 1985) is a Canadian actor best known as Jack Snowman in ''Hot Frosty'', Ted Mullens on ''Schitt's Creek'', Ethan Ward on ''90210 (TV series), 90210'', Tom Cummings in ''X Company'', and Josh Carter on ''Ruth ...
), and Jazzagal member and Café Tropical waitress Twyla Sands ( Sarah Levy).


Cast and characters

Main *
Eugene Levy Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian actor and comedian. Known for portraying flustered and unconventional figures, Levy has won multiple accolades throughout his career including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and ...
as
Johnny Rose Jonathan Michael Rose is a fictional character in the Canadian sitcom ''Schitt's Creek,'' which aired on the CBC Television, CBC and Pop (American TV channel), Pop TV from 2015 to 2020. Johnny is introduced as the patriarch of the central Rose fa ...
, a former video store chain magnate who has to find what it means to be a father and husband after the loss of the family’s wealth and income. *
Catherine O'Hara Catherine Anne O'Hara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian and American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She started her career in sketch comedy, sketch and improvisational comedy in film and television before expanding her career taking dra ...
as
Moira Rose Moira Rose is a fictional character in the Canadian sitcom ''Schitt's Creek,'' which aired on CBC and Pop from 2015 to 2020. Moira is introduced as the eccentric former soap opera star wife of Johnny Rose and mother of their adult children, David ...
, the eccentric former star of the soap opera ''Sunrise Bay'', with a commitment to glamour, a fierce belief in her own celebrity, and who often uses an extensive vocabulary with an unrecognizable accent. * Daniel Levy as David Rose, the art and fashion-obsessed pansexual son of Johnny and Moira yearning to return to his urban single life in New York City. *
Annie Murphy Anne Frances Murphy (born December 19, 1986) is a Canadian actress. She rose to recognition for her starring role as Alexis Rose in the sitcom ''Schitt's Creek'' (2015–2020), for which she garnered acclaim and won a Primetime Emmy Award and a ...
as
Alexis Rose Alexis Claire Rose is a fictional character in the Canadian sitcom ''Schitt's Creek,'' which aired on CBC and Pop TV Pop TV is a Slovenian generalist television channel operated by Pro Plus d.o.o., a subsidiary of Central European Media Ent ...
, the flighty socialite and former reality television aspirant daughter of Johnny and Moira who has survived several outrageous and, at times, dangerous encounters in multiple foreign countries. *
Emily Hampshire Emily Hampshire is a Canadian-American actress. Her best known roles include Angelina in the 1998 romantic comedy ''Boy Meets Girl (1998 film), Boy Meets Girl'', Vivienne in the 2006 film ''Snow Cake'', Jennifer Goines in the Syfy drama series ' ...
as Stevie Budd, the sardonic clerk and later owner of the motel where the Roses reside, who becomes David's best friend and briefly friend-with-benefits. *
Chris Elliott Christopher Nash Elliott (born May 31, 1960) is an American actor, comedian and writer known for his surreal sense of humor. He was a regular performer on ''Late Night with David Letterman'' while working as a writer there (1983–1988), created ...
as Roland Schitt, the posturing, nosy, and often irksome mayor of Schitt’s Creek who eventually starts working at the motel with Johnny and Stevie. * Jennifer Robertson as Jocelyn Schitt, the mayor's perky, cheerful, optimistic, but surprisingly down-to-earth wife, who is also a local schoolteacher, and leader of the women’s a cappella group The Jazzagals. * Noah Reid as Patrick Brewer (seasons 3–6), David's earnest yet warmhearted business partner and later husband who, before meeting David and realizing he was gay, was in an on-again/off-again relationship with his high school sweetheart, Rachel. *
Tim Rozon Timothy James Rozon (born June 4, 1976) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his roles as Tommy Quincy on the CTV Television Network, CTV teen drama ''Instant Star'', Mutt Schitt in the CBC Television, CBC comedy ''Schitt's Creek'', Doc Hollida ...
as Mutt Schitt (seasons 1–2; guest seasons 3–4), Roland and Jocelyn's unambitious, contented son, and Alexis's love interest. *
Dustin Milligan Dustin Wallace Milligan (born July 28, 1985) is a Canadian actor best known as Jack Snowman in ''Hot Frosty'', Ted Mullens on ''Schitt's Creek'', Ethan Ward on ''90210 (TV series), 90210'', Tom Cummings in ''X Company'', and Josh Carter on ''Ruth ...
as Ted Mullens, the town's handsome veterinarian and Alexis's sweet and sensitive love interest who enjoys using puns and wordplay in most conversations. Recurring *
Karen Robinson Karen Robinson (born February 29, 1968) is a Canadian actress. She won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance in a Guest Role in a Drama Series at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019 for her appearance on the television series '' Mar ...
as Veronica "Ronnie" Lee, a member of the town council and a leading member of the Jazzagals who frequently butts heads with Patrick. * Sarah Levy as Twyla Sands, the unwaveringly cheerful yet knowing Café Tropical waitress and later owner who often tells rather tragic and upsetting stories about her childhood in a concernedly upbeat manner. * John Hemphill as Bob Currie (seasons 1–4, recurring seasons 5–6), proprietor of Bob's Garage and a member of the town council who often talks about his wife (later ex-wife) Gwen. *
Rizwan Manji Rizwan Manji (born October 17, 1974) is a Canadian actor. He is known best for his portrayals of Ray Butani on ''Schitt's Creek'', Tick Pickwick on '' The Magicians'', Rajiv Gidwani in the NBC sitcom '' Outsourced'', and Jamil in the DC Extended ...
as Ray Butani, the town's only real estate agent and a former town council member, who has a variety of other businesses. *
Robin Duke Robin Duke (born March 13, 1954) is a Canadian actress, comedian, and voice actress. Duke may be best known for her work on the television comedy series '' SCTV'' and, later, ''Saturday Night Live''. She co-founded ''Women Fully Clothed'', a ske ...
as Wendy Kurtz (recurring season 2; guest season 5), dress shop owner and David's former employer. *
Steve Lund Steve Lund (born January 9, 1989) is a Canadian actor, best known for playing the roles of Nick Sorrentino in ''Bitten (TV series), Bitten'' (2014–2016) and Jake in ''Schitt's Creek'' (2016–2020). Before acting, he played in the Quebec Majo ...
as Jake (recurring season 3; guest seasons 2, 4 and 6), a polyamorous furniture maker and love interest for both David and Stevie. * Marilyn Bellfontaine as Gwen Currie, Bob's wife.


Episodes


Development


Conception

Dan Levy came up with the idea for the show while watching reality television. "I had been watching some reality TV at the time and was concentrating on what would happen if one of these wealthy families would lose everything. Would the Kardashians still be the Kardashians without their money?" He turned to his father Eugene to help develop the show, who came up with the series title. Dan decided to make the location of Schitt's Creek vague, but has said that it is in Canada. The premise of being forced to move to a town they once bought as a joke was inspired by actress
Kim Basinger Kimila Ann Basinger ( ; born December 8, 1953) is an American actress. She has garnered acclaim for her work in film, for which she has received various accolades including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a ...
's $20 million purchase of the town of
Braselton, Georgia Braselton ( ) is a town in Jackson County, Georgia, Jackson, Barrow County, Georgia, Barrow, Gwinnett County, Georgia, Gwinnett, and Hall County, Georgia, Hall counties in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, approximately northeast o ...
in 1989. Eugene Levy said, "My wife had an idea for a television show about
boomers Baby boomers, often shortened to boomers, are the demographic cohort preceded by the Silent Generation and followed by Generation X. The generation is often defined as people born from 1946 to 1964 during the mid-20th century baby boom that fol ...
not having money or moving in with their kids. Their situation was described as being up sh–'s creek . It just made us laugh. Then my son Daniel came in with an article one day about an actress,
Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor and film producer. He is known for his leading and supporting roles in a variety of genres, from comedy to drama. He has received List of awards and nominations received by A ...
's ex-wife (Basinger), who bought a town. She was hoping that film people would come to the town to use it as a location area and she lost a lot of money. The idea of wealthy people buying a town went back to the ''Schitt's Creek'' idea." The Levys initially pitched the show to several networks in Canada and the United States. Cable networks
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
and
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
passed on the series, while a broadcast network in America and the
CBC CBC may refer to: Media * Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster ** CBC Television ** CBC Radio One ** CBC Music ** ...
in Canada expressed interest. The show was first sold to the CBC, but the Levys decided against major U.S. broadcasters after getting nervous about their reputation for creative interference. ''Schitt's Creek'' eventually found a U.S. home on Pop TV after striking a deal with network head Brad Schwartz, who had previously hired Dan on
MTV Canada MTV was a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel formerly owned by Bell Media subsidiary of BCE Inc. with the name and branding used under a licensing agreement with Paramount Global. Originally devoted to talk, lifestyle, d ...
. During the early stages of development, various networks suggested the title of the show be changed to avoid the vulgar word. The Levys resisted these suggestions and argued "Schitt" was a legitimate last name. To prove their point, they brought pages copied from a phone book to the CBC showing listings for individuals with the "Schitt" surname. The CBC agreed and allowed the Levys to keep the original title. Dan Levy initially envisioned the series ending with season five, but agreed to a sixth season after receiving a two-year renewal following the show's fourth season.


Casting

Catherine O'Hara Catherine Anne O'Hara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian and American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She started her career in sketch comedy, sketch and improvisational comedy in film and television before expanding her career taking dra ...
was the series creators' first choice for the role of eccentric family matriarch, Moira Rose. O'Hara had previously worked with Eugene Levy on '' SCTV'' and several of
Christopher Guest Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest (born 5 February 1948), known professionally as Christopher Guest, is a British-American actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. Guest has written, directed, and starred in his series of comedy ...
's films. She initially turned down Levy's offer to star, citing "laziness" and an aversion to long-term projects. Levy reached out to another (unnamed) actress, but continued to court O'Hara for the role. O'Hara eventually agreed to participate in the presentation pilot with no obligation to continue in the role after ''Schitt's Creek'' was ordered to series. After the show was picked up by the CBC, O'Hara agreed to continue in the role.
Annie Murphy Anne Frances Murphy (born December 19, 1986) is a Canadian actress. She rose to recognition for her starring role as Alexis Rose in the sitcom ''Schitt's Creek'' (2015–2020), for which she garnered acclaim and won a Primetime Emmy Award and a ...
was offered the role of spoiled socialite Alexis Rose after actress
Abby Elliott Abigail Elliott (born June 16, 1987) is an American actress and comedian. She was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2008 to 2012, and has starred on the Bravo comedy ''Odd Mom Out'', the NBC sitcom '' Ind ...
was unable to continue due to scheduling conflicts. Murphy was on the verge of giving up on acting since she had not worked in over two years when she got an email inviting her to audition for the role. She first auditioned in Los Angeles, where Dan Levy said she stood out due to her "wonderfully natural likability." Eugene Levy was unsure of Murphy's casting because she did not possess the blonde hair he had pictured for the role of Alexis. Murphy was subsequently called back for a second audition for a different role, sarcastic motel clerk Stevie Budd. After this audition, Dan Levy convinced his father that Murphy could dye her hair blonde, and she was officially cast as Alexis Rose.
Emily Hampshire Emily Hampshire is a Canadian-American actress. Her best known roles include Angelina in the 1998 romantic comedy ''Boy Meets Girl (1998 film), Boy Meets Girl'', Vivienne in the 2006 film ''Snow Cake'', Jennifer Goines in the Syfy drama series ' ...
was cast as the deadpan motel clerk, Stevie Budd, after auditioning for the role in Los Angeles. She originally requested to submit a taped audition on account of her nerves and recurring hive breakouts. Hampshire ultimately agreed to audition in person, but states she has no recollection of the experience. According to Daniel Levy, who was present for the process, Hampshire gave a "great" audition, then proceeded to lift her shirt over her head to hide and slowly rocked back and forth. Levy later told Hampshire he found her audition "charming", and she was offered the part of Stevie. Noah Reid was offered the role of David's business partner and love interest, Patrick Brewer, in season three. Dan Levy was socially familiar with Reid and invited him to audition on the suggestion of
Stacey Farber Stacey Farber (born August 25, 1987) is a Canadian actress. She played Ellie Nash in seasons 2 through 8 of the television series '' Degrassi: The Next Generation''. From 2010 to 2011, she starred in the CBC series '' 18 to Life.'' From 2014 t ...
. Reid had never watched the show before he auditioned and was unsure how long the character would be a part of the series. Dan Levy was not present during the audition process and did not "chemistry test" with Reid before he was cast. Other cast regulars
Chris Elliott Christopher Nash Elliott (born May 31, 1960) is an American actor, comedian and writer known for his surreal sense of humor. He was a regular performer on ''Late Night with David Letterman'' while working as a writer there (1983–1988), created ...
and Sarah Levy were given the roles of Roland Schitt and Twyla Sands, respectively, without auditioning. Elliott says when Eugene Levy offered him the role of the town mayor, he thought, "Why would I say no?" Sarah Levy, the daughter of Eugene and sister of Dan, was asked to be a part of the show before it was fully developed. She says she was glad not to be cast as Alexis, as being out of her family's orbit on the show allowed her to "do erown thing."


Production

''Schitt's Creek'' is produced by Not a Real Company Productions in association with the CBC and Pop TV. Pop TV joined the production team in season two after the series' first season was produced solely in association with the CBC. ITV Studios Global Entertainment also partnered with the CBC and Pop to distribute the show worldwide. Eugene Levy, Dan Levy, Fred Levy (Eugene's brother), Andrew Barnsley, and Ben Feigin have served as
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...
s throughout the show's entirety. Other executive producers have included writers Kevin White (seasons two and three) and
David West Read David West Read is a Canadian television writer, playwright, actor and producer. He is known for his work as a writer and executive producer on the television series ''Schitt's Creek'', for which he won an Emmy Award. He is also known for writing ...
(seasons five and six). Eugene Levy served as
showrunner A showrunner is the top-level executive producer of a television series. The position outranks other creative and management personnel, including episode directors, in contrast to feature films, in which the director has creative control over th ...
alongside co-creator and son, Dan Levy, during the series' first season; Dan Levy took over as sole showrunner beginning in season two. ''Schitt's Creek'' was part of a "new direction" in programming taken by both the CBC and Pop TV during the 2014–15 television season. Premiering alongside 12 new primetime shows on the CBC, the series represented one of the network's efforts to produce more "serialized, scripted" content, as well as more "cable-like" shows. The series was also the first original, scripted program to air on Pop TV after its re-branding in January 2015. Formerly known as
TV Guide Network The American cable television, cable and satellite television network Pop (American TV channel), Pop was originally launched in 1981 as a barker channel service providing a display of localized electronic program guide, channel and program listin ...
, Pop TV was re-branded as a channel "filled with optimism, passion, fun and excitement".


Filming style and locations

''Schitt's Creek'' was filmed using a single camera set-up with no live audience or
laugh track A laugh track (or laughter track) is an audio recording consisting of laughter (and other audience reactions) usually used as a separate soundtrack for comedy productions. The laugh track may contain live audience reactions or artificial laught ...
. The interior scenes for the first two seasons were filmed at
Pinewood Toronto Studios Pinewood Toronto Studios (formerly known as ''Filmport'') is a major film and television studio complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is the largest of its kind in Canada. It is the first in Toronto capable of accommodating the production of ...
in the
Port Lands The Port Lands (also known as Portlands) of Toronto, Ontario, Canada are an industrial and recreational neighbourhood located about 5 kilometres south-east of downtown, located on the former Don River delta and most of Ashbridge's Bay. Appro ...
area of Toronto, while interior scenes for season three were shot at Dufferin Gate Studios in (
Etobicoke Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district and former city within Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west end, Etobicoke is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the east by the Humber River (Ontario), Humber River, on the ...
) Toronto. Interior scenes were also filmed at Revival Studios in (
Leslieville Leslieville is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated east of the Don River. It is bounded by the Canadian National railway line and Gerrard Street to the north, McGee Street to the west, Eastern Avenue to south, and Coxwell ...
) Toronto for an unknown number of seasons. The remainder of the series is filmed on location in Goodwood, the
Regional Municipality of Durham The Regional Municipality of Durham (), informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada. Located east of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York, it forms the east end of the Greater Toronto A ...
in the
Greater Toronto Area The Greater Toronto Area, commonly referred to as the GTA, includes the Toronto, City of Toronto and the regional municipality, regional municipalities of Regional Municipality of Durham, Durham, Regional Municipality of Halton, Halton, Regional ...
,
Brantford Brantford ( 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by Brant County but is politically separate with a municipal government of its own that is fully indep ...
and
Mono Mono may refer to: Biology * Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease" * Monocyte, a type of leukocyte (white blood cell) * Monodactylidae, members of which are referred to as monos Technology and computing * Mono (audio), single-c ...
, where the motel scenes are filmed. Goodwood was one of 30 towns scouted for the fictional location of Schitt's Creek before production of the series began in 2014.
The Canadian Press The Canadian Press (CP; , ) is a Canadian national news agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1917 as a vehicle for Canadian newspapers to exchange news and information, The Canadian Press has been a privately-held company, pr ...
wrote June 27, 2019, that Goodwood had become a "tourist hot spot" as filming for the current season concluded. The series was filmed in several additional locations during its run. The opening shot of the first season features
Lisa Vanderpump Lisa Jane Vanderpump (born 15 September 1960) is an English television personality and actress. She initially gained fame as a main cast member on ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'' from 2010 until 2019. Vanderpump parlayed her ''Housewiv ...
’s former
Beverly Park Beverly Park, divided into North Beverly Park and South Beverly Park, is a gated community in Los Angeles, California primarily known for its large houses and famous residents. It is between Mulholland Drive and Sunset Boulevard and Coldw ...
estate in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
as the facade of the Rose family estate. Interior shots of the Rose family estate were filmed on location in a
Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel ( ; ; ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the ''Cappella Magna'' ('Great Chapel'), it takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and ...
-inspired mansion in Toronto (30 Fifeshire Road near Bayview Avenue and York Mills Road). Main Street
Stouffville Stouffville () is the primary urban area within the town of Whitchurch-Stouffville in York Region, Ontario, Canada. It is situated within the Greater Toronto Area and the inner ring of the Golden Horseshoe. The urban area is centred at the inte ...
served as a filming location for an unspecified number of scenes (Thicketwood Veterinary Hospital) in the series' first two seasons. Applewood Farm and Winery in Stouffville was also used. Scenes involving the fictional retailer, Blouse Barn, in seasons two and three were filmed on location on
Main Street Unionville Main Street Unionville is a collector route that runs through the historical suburban community of Unionville, Ontario, Unionville, in Markham, Ontario, Markham, Ontario, Canada. Like most other Main Streets, the street serves as an important roa ...
in
Markham Markham may refer to: Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * Markham's grass mouse (''Abrothrix olivaceus markhami''), a rodent subspecies found on Wellington Island and the ne ...
. In the season four episode " The Jazzaguy," scenes involving a spa retreat were filmed on location at Monte Carlo Inn in
Vaughan, Ontario Vaughan ( ) (2022 population 344,412) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Regional Municipality of York, just north of Toronto. Vaughan was the fastest-growing municipality in Canada between 1996 and 2006 with its population increa ...
. Exterior filming also took place at Rattlesnake Point in Milton for season five's " The Hike". In season six's "
Smoke Signals The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication. It is a form of visual communication used over a long distance. In general smoke signals are used to transmit news, signal danger, or to gather people to a common area. ...
", the series shot on location at Graydon Hall Manor, a wedding venue in Toronto. The series also filmed in Bay-Adelaide Centre and
Toronto-Dominion Centre The Toronto-Dominion Centre, or TD Centre, is an office complex of six skyscrapers in the Financial District, Toronto, Financial District of downtown Toronto owned by Cadillac Fairview. It serves as the global headquarters for its anchor tenant, ...
for the season six episode " The Pitch". Additional filming for several season six episodes took place at a local motel in Brantford. The former Hockley Motel in Mono, where the exterior shots of the Rosebud Motel were filmed, was marketed for sale by its owners in November 2020.


Music

The ''Schitt's Creek'' soundtrack is composed by Canadian film and television composer/songwriter Maribeth Solomon. The show features several musical performances from its main and supporting characters. The majority of these performances feature the town singing group, the Jazzagals. The Jazzagals' main members are Moira Rose, Jocelyn Schitt, Twyla Sands, Ronnie Lee, and Gwen Currie. Throughout the series, they covered " It's Raining Men"; " Baby, I'm Yours"; "Takin' It Home"; "
Silent Night "Silent Night" () is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO The United Nations Educati ...
"; and " Islands in the Stream". In season one's " Carl's Funeral", Moira sings an unaccompanied version of "
Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a folk song with lyrics written by English lawyer Frederic Weatherly in 1910, and set to the traditional Irish melody of " Londonderry Air" in 1913. History In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, England, the English lawyer and lyricist ...
" as a distraction when Johnny's eulogy goes awry. She performs the same song a second time later in the episode. In season two's " The Motel Guest", Schitt's Creek's mayor Roland Schitt stays for the night next door to the Roses and plays the song " Don't Cry Out Loud" sung by
Melissa Manchester Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Since the 1970s, her songs have been played by adult contemporary radio stations. She has also appeared on television, in films, and on stage. Early li ...
loud continually, annoying Johnny and Moira. In season four's " Asbestos Fest", David and Moira perform a duet known as "The Number". This medley of holiday songs was regularly performed at the annual Rose Christmas party and included " Oh Come, All Ye Faithful", "
Deck the Halls "Deck the Halls" is a traditional Christmas carol. The melody is Welsh, dating back to the sixteenth century, and belongs to a winter carol, " Nos Galan", while the English lyrics, written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant, date to 1862. ...
", and "
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", also known as "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen", is an English traditional Christmas carol. It is in the Roxburghe Collection (iii. 452), and is listed as no. 394 in the Roud Folk Song Index. It is also known as "T ...
". The song was arranged by Moira's portrayer, Catherine O’Hara. In season four's "
Open Mic An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse, nightclub, comedy club, strip club, or pub, often taking place at night (an open mic night), in which audience members may perform on ...
", Patrick sings an acoustic cover of
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
's "
The Best Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...
" as a declaration of love to David. The song was arranged and performed by Patrick's portrayer, Noah Reid. After airing on ''Schitt's Creek'', Reid's version of the song was released on
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...
and
iTunes iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
, where it reached No. 1 on the Canadian charts. All proceeds from the single were donated to the Ontario charity, LGBT Youth Line. In season five's " The Hospies", Alexis auditions for a community theatre production by singing " A Little Bit Alexis", the theme song from her "critically reviewed, limited reality series" of the same name. Alexis's portrayer, Annie Murphy, who wrote and performed the song for the show, says she drew inspiration from the pop songs of
Paris Hilton Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, and socialite. Hilton was born in New York City and raised there partially; shuttling between Los Angeles and New York City; she is a great-grandda ...
and
Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Dee Lohan ( ; born July 2, 1986) is an American actress, singer, producer, and businesswoman. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Lohan was signed to Ford Models at age three. She appeared as a regular on the soap opera ' ...
. Menno Versteeg and Nixon Boyd of the Canadian band
Hollerado Hollerado are a Canadian indie rock band from Ottawa, Ontario. Formed in 2007, the band consists of Menno Versteeg (lead vocals, guitar), Nixon Boyd (lead guitar, backing vocals), Dean Baxter (bass, backing vocals) and Jake Boyd (drums, backing vo ...
also helped produce the song. "A Little Bit Alexis" was released as a single on Spotify and iTunes, where it reached No. 28 on the Canadian charts. Partial proceeds from the single were donated to MusiCounts, a Canadian organization providing music resources to schools in need. In season five's " Life Is a Cabaret", several main characters perform "
Willkommen "Willkommen" is a song from the 1966 musical ''Cabaret''. It is performed by The Emcee. The music was written by John Kander; the lyrics by Fred Ebb. Production John Kander explained "With Cabaret, we were trying to find the piece, to write our w ...
" from the musical ''
Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
''. Stevie also sings a second number, " Maybe This Time", as her ''Cabaret'' character,
Sally Bowles Sally Bowles () is a fictional character created by English-American novelist Christopher Isherwood and based upon 19-year-old cabaret singer Jean Ross. The character debuted in Isherwood's 1937 novella ''Sally Bowles'' published by Hogarth Pre ...
, in the same episode. Both songs were performed in front of a live audience during filming. In season six's "
Happy Ending A happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which there is a positive outcome for the protagonist or protagonists, and in which this is to be considered a favourable outcome. In storylines where the protagonists are in phy ...
", the series finale, the Jazzagals sing a cappella versions of James Morrison's "Precious Love" and
Tina Turner's Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifying stage presence broke the racial ba ...
"
The Best Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...
" at David and Patrick's wedding. Noah Reid's Patrick also sings a portion of Mariah Carey's "
Always Be My Baby "Always Be My Baby" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995). Written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal, and produced by Carey and Dupri, It was released by Columbia Records o ...
" as part of his wedding vows to David in the same episode.


Broadcast


Original broadcast

''Schitt's Creek'' has been co-broadcast in Canada and the United States since 2015. It premiered on the CBC in Canada on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, at 9:00 pm/9:30 pm NT with back-to-back episodes. It made its United States debut on Pop TV on Wednesday, February 11, 2015, at 10:00 pm ET/PT. Pop moved the series to an 8:00 pm ET/PT time slot with an encore broadcast at 11:00 pm ET/PT for seasons two through four; then returned it to its original 10:00 pm ET/PT time slot for season five. The series maintained staggered premieres throughout its first five seasons, with new episodes debuting in Canada before being broadcast in the US. This changed in the final season, with new episodes broadcast simultaneously in Canada and the US. The series finale aired on April 7, 2020, at 8:00 pm ET; followed by a one-hour behind-the-scenes retrospective documentary, ''Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell''. In the US, the series finale was ''Schitt's Creek''s highest-rated episode ever and was simulcast on
Logo TV Logo TV (often shortened to Logo, and stylized as Logo.) is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. Launched in 2005, Logo was originally dedicated to lifestyle and entertainment progra ...
and
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...
, which had recently become sibling networks to Pop TV through the
ViacomCBS Paramount Global (Trade name, d/b/a Paramount) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate controlled by National Amusements and Headquarters, headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Times Square, ...
merger.


Other broadcasts

As of 2019, the series was also airing on
4Music 4Music was a British music television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. Launched on 15 August 2008, the original incarnation, replacing The Hits television channel, showed a mix of music and entertainment pr ...
in the UK;
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...
in India; FX Asia; and
ABC Comedy ABC Family is an Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and part of its ABC Television network. The channel broadcasts a range of family and teen entertainment programming. The channel oper ...
in Australia. It was previously broadcast in New Zealand by TV2 and
TVNZ Television New Zealand (, "Te Reo Tātaki" meaning "The Leading Voice"), more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a New Zealand state-owned media company and Crown entity. The company operates a television network, streaming service, and news se ...
on Demand, in Australia by
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
and its iView streaming service, and on
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...
in India. The five seasons appeared, though not always together, on different streaming television services worldwide. Netflix carried the first five seasons and later six for viewers in the U.S., UK, Ireland, France, Japan, Australia and South Africa. IMDb TV, a streaming service available through
IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...
, and CW Seed, a streaming service for the American CW network, also carries the first five seasons for viewers in the U.S. The series first season is available from July 14, 2021, in Italy, through the streaming platform
Mediaset Infinity Mediaset Infinity (formerly Mediaset Play, then Mediaset Play Infinity) is an Italian streaming platform for viewing streaming content via the Internet, both live and on demand. The platform is published by RTI and owned by Mediaset. It is al ...
+. In December 2019, fans on social media accused UK television station 4Music of censoring some scenes featuring "intimate dialogue" and kissing between the show's LGBTQ characters. Co-creator and star, Dan Levy, also addressed the alleged
censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governmen ...
on social media calling it "highly disturbing" and "dangerous". 4Music responded to the allegations of censored kissing with an apology, stating that the removal of a kiss between two male characters was "human error" and would be restored for future broadcasts. The station did not specifically respond to the allegations of censored dialogue between LGBTQ characters. Additional accusations of censorship were made in October 2020 when co-creator and star, Dan Levy, called out Comedy Central India for editing a same-sex kiss between two male characters in a promotional clip posted to Comedy Central India's Twitter account. Levy noted via social media that ''Schitt's Creek'' is "a show about the power of inclusivity" and censoring gay intimacy was a "harmful statement against that message". In April 2022,
Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
acquired the U.S. streaming rights to ''Schitt's Creek''. All six seasons of the series began streaming exclusively on the service starting on October 3. In April 2024, 3Cat acquired the streaming rights to ''Schitt's Creek''. First and second seasons of the series began streaming for the catalan audience.


Syndication

In 2018,
Debmar-Mercury Debmar-Mercury, LLC is a television syndication company. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Lionsgate Studios, it was formed from a merger of Debmar Studios and Mercury Entertainment in 2005. History Debmar Studios Debmar-Mercury's history begins on ...
, a division of
Lionsgate Lions Gate, Lion Gate or similar terms may refer to: Gates *Lion Gate at Mycenae in Greece *Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the ancient Hittite city of Hattusa, now in Turkey *Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the gardens of Hampton Court Pala ...
, acquired the U.S. syndication rights to ''Schitt's Creek'', and sister company
Lionsgate Home Entertainment Lionsgate Studios Corp. (simply known as Lionsgate Studios) is a Canadian-American film and television production and distribution conglomerate, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, and primarily based in Santa Monica, California. It was f ...
picked up the U.S. home media rights. The series is scheduled to debut in syndication with the
Fox Television Stations Fox Television Stations, LLC (stylized as FOX TV STATIONS; also known as FTS) is a group of television stations in the United States owned-and-operated by Fox Corporation. It owns LiveNOW from Fox, Fox Local, and Fox Soul. It also oversees ...
serving as the flagship group throughout the U.S. during the fall 2020 television season. The series also began airing reruns of series on Comedy Central on October 2, 2020. In December 2021, Fox Television Stations announced an end of syndication of the show at the close of the 2021–2022 television season.


Reception and accolades


Critical response

The first season of ''Schitt's Creek'' received mixed to positive reviews. It holds an approval rating of 68% on
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
based on 28 ratings averaging 6.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The title is one of the best jokes of ''Schitt's Creek'', but performances from Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara give the writing a comedic boost." On
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, the first season has a score of 64 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Vinay Menon of the ''
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...
'' wrote that the show "is one of the best CBC comedies in years". After being picked up by
Pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
, the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' described the show as "very funny, beautifully played, ndsometimes touching," although Mike Hale of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' called ''Schitt's Creek'' "drab and underwritten". Subsequent seasons of ''Schitt's Creek'' were more positively received, with the show growing in popularity after debuting on Netflix in January 2017. On Rotten Tomatoes, seasons 2, 4, 5 and 6 have approval ratings of 100%, with season 4's consensus reading, "The comedic real estate value rises for ''Schitt's Creek'' in its fourth year, the series gradually maturing into appointment viewing with a big, beating heart beneath its absurdity." The final season's consensus reads: "Witty, warm, and with just the right blend of wisdom and wisecracks, ''Schitt's Creek''s final season is the perfect farewell to the Roses and the town that changed their lives." On Metacritic, the final season has a score of 95 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Bridget Read of ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** '' Vogue Adria'', a fashion magazine for former Yugoslav countries ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ' ...
'' wrote that while the series "started off with typical fish out of water scenarios," it has "fully come into its own, with a whole cast of ''
Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American Surrealist cinema, surrealist Mystery film, mystery-Horror film, horror Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It Pilot (Twin Peaks), premiered on American Broad ...
''-meets- Christopher-Guest-universe characters that are as equally endearing". In ''
New York Magazine ''New York'' is an American biweekly magazine concerned with life, culture, politics, and style generally, with a particular emphasis on New York City. Founded by Clay Felker and Milton Glaser in 1968 as a competitor to ''The New Yorker'' a ...
'', Maggie Fremont wrote that "the show takes a few episodes to get into its groove, but once it does, you'll never want to leave". The series has placed on annual best-of lists published by ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'', ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
'', '' Glamour'', ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'', ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'', and ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
''. In 2019, the series was named "The Best Show on TV Right Now" by ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
''. The series has also been praised for its portrayal of a
pansexual Pansexuality is sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction towards people of all genders, or regardless of their sex or gender identity. Pansexual people may refer to themselves as gender-blind, asserting that gender and sex are not determ ...
character, played by Dan Levy, as well as for how David's sexuality and subsequent relationship with Patrick are simply accepted by the other characters with no expressions of
homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, Gay men, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred, or ant ...
in the storyline.


Awards and nominations

In 2015, ''Schitt's Creek''s first season received two
Directors Guild of Canada The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC; ) is a Canadian labour union representing more than 5,500 professionals from 48 different occupations in the Canadian film and television industry. Founded in 1962, the DGC represents directors, editors, assist ...
awards from three nominations. At the 2016 ceremony, season 1 received nine
Canadian Screen Awards The Canadian Screen Awards () are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media ( web series) productions. Given annually by the Academy ...
from 16 nominations. ''Schitt's Creek'''s second season received 13 nominations at the 5th
Canadian Screen Awards The Canadian Screen Awards () are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media ( web series) productions. Given annually by the Academy ...
. In 2018, the series received nominations from the US-based
MTV Movie & TV Awards The MTV Movie & TV Awards is a film and television awards show previously presented annually on MTV. It began as the MTV Movie Awards in 1992, when its first edition was held, and adopted its current name in 2017, beginning with its 26th editio ...
and the
Critics' Choice Television Award The Critics' Choice Television Awards were accolades that were presented annually by the Critics Choice Association (CCA). They were established in 2011, and the first ceremony was held on June 20, 2011, and streamed live on VH1.com. The fou ...
. In 2019, the series was nominated for 15
Canadian Screen Awards The Canadian Screen Awards () are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media ( web series) productions. Given annually by the Academy ...
and four
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
s, winning the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role (
Catherine O'Hara Catherine Anne O'Hara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian and American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She started her career in sketch comedy, sketch and improvisational comedy in film and television before expanding her career taking dra ...
) and Best Comedy Program or Series at the Canadian Screen Awards. The same year, the series won
Dorian Awards The Dorian Awards are general and LGBTQ-themed accolades for excellence in film, television and Broadway / Off-Broadway, as voted by the members of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. GALECA is an association of professional jour ...
for TV Comedy of the Year and Unsung TV Show of the Year from the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. In 2020, the sixth and final season was nominated for 15
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
s. This broke the record for the most Emmy nominations given to a comedy series in its final season. During the
72nd Primetime Emmy Awards The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in American prime time television programming from June 1, 2019, until May 31, 2020, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was originally to be held at the Microsof ...
, the show became the first ever comedy or drama series to sweep the four acting categories ( Outstanding Lead Actor, Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Supporting Actress) and one of only four live action shows, along with ''
All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American sitcoms in the United States, sitcom television series that aired on CBS for nine seasons from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979, with a total of 205 episodes. It was later produced as ''Archie Bunker's Pla ...
'', ''
The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The show's ensemble cast stars Beatrice Arthur, Betty ...
'', and ''
Will & Grace ''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a Gay men, gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra ...
'' where all the principal actors have won at least one Emmy Award. In 2021, it won the
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.


Other media


Home media

''Schitt's Creek'' has been distributed on DVD in the United States via
Lionsgate Home Entertainment Lionsgate Studios Corp. (simply known as Lionsgate Studios) is a Canadian-American film and television production and distribution conglomerate, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, and primarily based in Santa Monica, California. It was f ...
, and in Canada by
Entertainment One Lionsgate Canada is a Canadian entertainment company and a subsidiary of Lionsgate Studios. Based in Toronto, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition and production of films and television series. The company began on June 1, 1973 ...
(under license from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). In the United Kingdom, the series was released in it entirety through
ITV Studios ITV Studios Limited is a British multinational television media company owned by British television broadcaster ITV plc. It handles production and distribution of programmes broadcast on the ITV network and third-party broadcasters, and is ba ...
. It has also been made available in Australia and New Zealand from
Acorn DVD RLJE International Ltd, d/b/a Acorn Media, a British company that publishes and distributes DVDs, as well as selling home-video products and streaming videos with a particular focus on British television. History Launched in 1997, Acorn Media ...
.


Promotional

During the show's later seasons, the main cast participated in a series of interactive fan events. A live audience promotional tour known as ''Schitt's Creek'': Up Close & Personal featuring cast members Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Levy, Annie Murphy, Emily Hampshire, and Noah Reid premiered in September 2018 in Los Angeles. The event included behind-the-scenes stories; a live question and answer session with the cast; and an audience participation trivia game. Following the initial event's success, the tour was expanded to include stops in several additional US and Canadian cities in 2019. Daniel Levy stated that the tour was meant to both promote the show and thank fans for their support. In November and December 2019, ''Schitt's Creek'''s US broadcaster, Pop TV, staged two immersive fan events in Los Angeles and New York City. These events allowed participants to visit the titular town via a series of "reimagined" sets featured on the show. To promote the series' sixth and final season in January 2020, the CBC and Pop TV commissioned "groundbreaking" billboards featuring a same-sex kiss between the show's engaged couple, David and Patrick. Series creator Dan Levy said it felt "irresponsible" not to put the characters kissing on a billboard, as it isn't "something we see every day" and is "banned in multiple countries." In June 2020, the cast of the show was featured in the
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
"
Dear Class of 2020 ''Dear Class of 2020'' was a 2020 online event streamed live on June 7, 2020 on YouTube. It was a virtual commencement event that features speeches and performances from prominent personalities aimed at graduating students of all levels whose act ...
" event performing the
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
song "
Hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...
", with Carey herself making a surprise appearance. Toronto mayor
John Tory John Howard Tory (born May 28, 1954) is a Canadian lawyer, broadcaster, businessman, and former politician who served as the 65th mayor of Toronto from 2014 to 2023. He served as leader of the Official Opposition in Ontario from 2005 to 2007 ...
announced that on Monday, September 21, 2020, the
CN Tower The CN Tower () is a communications and observation tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Completed in 1976, it is located in downtown Toronto, built on the former Railway Lands. Its name "CN" referred to Canadian National, the railway co ...
would be lit up in gold to celebrate the ''Schitt's Creek'' record-breaking sweep of every top comedy award at the
72nd Primetime Emmy Awards The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in American prime time television programming from June 1, 2019, until May 31, 2020, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was originally to be held at the Microsof ...
. In conjunction with the series finale, the one-hour documentary special ''Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell'' was also broadcast by both the CBC and Pop.


Possible film

Following the series finale, Daniel Levy was asked about the possibility of a feature film. While not committed to an idea at the time, he has expressed interest should such an idea materialize. "To be honest, this is the best way we could have ever ended the show. If there is an idea that pops into my head, it has to be really freaking good because this is a nice way to say goodbye. Fingers crossed we get a nice idea popping into our head soon. I would love to work with these people again."


References


External links

* at
CBC CBC may refer to: Media * Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster ** CBC Television ** CBC Radio One ** CBC Music ** ...
* * {{Authority control 2015 Canadian television series debuts 2020 Canadian television series endings 2010s Canadian LGBTQ-related comedy television series 2010s Canadian sitcoms 2010s Canadian satirical television series 2020s Canadian LGBTQ-related comedy television series 2020s Canadian sitcoms 2020s Canadian satirical television series Best Musical or Comedy Series Golden Globe winners Canadian LGBTQ-related sitcoms CBC Television original programming British English-language television shows Fictional populated places in Ontario Gay-related television shows Gemini and Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series winners GLAAD Media Award–winning shows Jewish comedy and humor Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series winners Primetime Emmy Award–winning television series Single-camera television sitcoms Television series about actors Television series about families Television series by ITV Studios Television series by Lionsgate Television Television shows filmed in Ontario Television shows set in Ontario Works about social class Works set in motels 2015 LGBTQ-related television