Schitt's Creek: A Must-Watch in Quarantine

With shutdowns in place, grocery stores bare, and faces clad in medical masks, it feels like our entire reality was robbed and overtaken by the producers of Black Mirror. Campuses are closed, students are left wandering about their homes with nowhere to go—needless to say, we’ve basically endured a year-long punch to the gut. And within the chaos, it seems a second pandemic has arisen: unrelenting, neverending, wet blanket boredom. However, we’ve got the fix! Here’s your newest Netflix obsession: Schitt’s Creek. Amidst the 20 car pile-up that was 2020, this show not only offers snort-ridden belly laughs but also teaches us to make the most of any unfortunate situation.

Wrapping up its final season in April, Schitt’s Creek tells the ridiculous tale of the Rose family’s financial demise. After falling victim to a fraudulent business manager, the filthy-rich Roses must exchange their pockets of gold for the barest necessities, which forces them to bid a sudden farewell to their lavish mansion life. When all seems bleak, one treasure remains in their midst: the run-down town of Schitt’s Creek, where they’re forced to set up camp in a lowly motel. Once purchased by the formerly-wealthy family as a joke, this backwater bumpkin town becomes an unlikely home to parents Johnny and Moira Rose (Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara) and their spoiled children David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy). The Rose family struggles to mesh with the town’s unsophisticated members is a dramatic yet wonderful disaster, and it’s certainly no easy feat for them—but absolutely hilarious to us!

However, what begins as sheer comedy quickly transitions into a rich blend of love, family and resilience that will leave you switching between laughter and tears. Throughout the thirteen episodes of season 1, we watch the Rose crew whine to no end over motel nuisances—the most colorful commentary coming from the wonderfully theatrical Moira in her bizarre, unidentifiable accent. Imagine if the Kardashians were forced to live in a cardboard box, because that’s pretty much what it's like. However, the show’s occasional crass humor soon merges with heartwarming stories of friendship, community and romance as the Roses assimilate in season 2. We get to watch them grow from selfish and superficial to selfless and satisfied with whatever they’ve got. As the seasons progress, each of the Roses blossom into strong, determined individuals, all while coming together as a family. Couldn’t we all use a bit of community and comedy these days? Schitt’s Creek and its beautiful harmony of laughter and heart makes it the perfect show to cure your COVID-19 blues.

The show has also been commended for its uniquely warm and sensitive portrayals of LGBT characters. The once-spoiled son David Rose has become an icon of pansexual pride through his delightfully clever explanation of his sexuality to friend Stevie Budd (Emily Hampshire). In his famous liquor metaphor, David explains that he drinks both red and white wine, beer, rosé—really anything. But the specific line that gained a swarm of positive recognition from the LGBT community was the summation of his identity: “I like the wine and not the label.” The show depicts a kindhearted family dynamic of encouragement and acceptance in a heartwarming yet humorous way that will tug at your heartstrings. Better get those tissues ready.

All in all, if you need a good laugh at the end of a stressful day, or even just a midday treat, this show is simply the perfect escape. So, if you’re having a schitt day, turn to Schitt’s Creek. You’re guaranteed a smile—or possibly twenty.