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Schitt's Creek, the well-loved Canadian co-created by Dan Levy and his father Eugene Levy, graced the screens of CBC Television from 2015 to 2020. It revolves around the misfortunes faced by the once-wealthy Rose family. Our Schitt's Creek facts include who was meant to star as Alexis Rose before Annie Murphy, where the Rosebud Motel really is and where Catherine O'Hara got the names for Moira's wigs.
Schitt's Creek, the well-loved Canadian co-created by Dan Levy and his father Eugene Levy, graced the screens of CBC Television from 2015 to 2020. It revolves around the misfortunes faced by the once-wealthy Rose family. Our Schitt's Creek facts include who was meant to star as Alexis Rose before Annie Murphy, where the Rosebud Motel really is and where Catherine O'Hara got the names for Moira's wigs.
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Schitt's Creek, the well-loved Canadian co-created by Dan Levy and his father Eugene Levy, graced the screens of CBC Television from 2015 to 2020. Spanning six seasons and comprising 80 episodes, this memorable series was produced by Not a Real Company Productions and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
It revolves around the misfortunes faced by the once-wealthy Rose family. When their business manager embezzles their fortune from Rose Video, the family is left destitute and forced to seek refuge in Schitt's Creek, a small town they originally bought as a joke! Now residing in a motel, Johnny (Eugene Levy) and Moira (Catherine O'Hara), accompanied by their adult children David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy), must adapt to a life devoid of wealth.
Our Schitt's Creek facts include who was meant to star as Alexis Rose before Annie Murphy, where the Rosebud Motel really is and where Catherine O'Hara got the names for Moira's wigs.
The inception of the series originated from Dan Levy's curiosity about the reactions of affluent families, often portrayed in American reality television, if they were to lose all their wealth. Collaborating with his father Eugene, Dan developed the concept and pitched it to various Canadian and American networks. CBC Television in Canada became the initial buyer, and subsequent funding was secured for production when the series was sold to Pop in the United States.
Despite its initial limited popularity, Schitt's Creek experienced a surge in recognition after its third season due to its availability on Netflix, which led to what is commonly referred to as the "Netflix bump." Additionally, its active presence on social media contributed to its growing fan base.
Schitt's Creek gained widespread critical acclaim and cultivated a devoted following, primarily attributed to its exceptional writing, humor, and performances. It earned numerous accolades, including two ACTRA Awards and 18 Canadian Screen Awards. Notably, it became the first Canadian comedy series to be nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series.
The show also received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, including Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, and amassed a total of 19 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, twice being recognized for Outstanding Comedy Series.
In its final season, the series secured 15 of those nominations, setting a record for the most Emmy nominations received by a comedy series in its farewell season. Its portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters earned it three nominations for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, with two wins.
During the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, the final season of Schitt's Creek triumphed by sweeping all seven major comedy awards. This achievement marked the first time that a comedy or drama series had accomplished such a feat. Notably, Dan Levy received recognition for Outstanding Comedy Series, Writing, and Directing for a Comedy Series (shared with Andrew Cividino).
The show made history by winning all four major acting categories (Lead Actor/Actress and Supporting Actor/Actress) for O'Hara, Murphy, and both Levys, a remarkable achievement for a comedy or drama series.
Furthermore, it set records for the most Emmy wins by a comedy series in a single season, surpassing the previous record held by The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel in 2018, and for the most Emmy nominations and wins by a comedy series in its final season.
Dan Levy deliberately kept the location of Schitt's Creek ambiguous, although he confirmed it is set in Canada.
The concept of the Rose family being compelled to relocate to a town they once purchased as a jest drew inspiration from actress Kim Basinger's acquisition of the town of Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million in 1989.
Eugene Levy explained, "My wife had an idea for a television show about boomers 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'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."
During the early stages of development, different networks suggested changing the show's title to avoid the use of the vulgar word. However, the Levys resisted these suggestions, arguing that "Schitt" was a legitimate surname. To support their case, they presented pages copied from a phone book to the CBC, which listed individuals with the last name "Schitt"! Convinced, the CBC allowed the Levys to retain the original title.
Initially, Dan Levy envisioned the series concluding with its fifth season. However, after receiving a two-year renewal following the fourth season, he agreed to a sixth season.
Catherine O'Hara was the top choice of the series creators to play the eccentric family matriarch, Moira Rose. Having previously worked with Eugene Levy on SCTV and various Christopher Guest films, O'Hara was initially hesitant to accept the role. She cited "laziness" and a reluctance to commit to long-term projects.
In response, Levy approached another actor (whose identity remains undisclosed), but he continued to pursue O'Hara for the role. Eventually, O'Hara agreed to participate in the presentation pilot with no obligation to continue if the show was picked up. However, after Schitt's Creek was ordered to series by the CBC, O'Hara agreed to stay on board.
Annie Murphy was offered the role of the spoiled socialite Alexis Rose after Abby Elliott had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts. Murphy, who was on the brink of giving up on acting after a two-year dry spell, received an email inviting her to audition for the role. Her audition in Los Angeles stood out to Dan Levy due to her natural likability.
Eugene Levy initially had reservations about Murphy's casting since she didn't fit his envisioned image of a blonde Alexis. However, after a callback audition for another role, Dan convinced his father that Murphy could dye her hair blonde, and she was officially cast as Alexis Rose.
Emily Hampshire landed the role of the deadpan motel clerk, Stevie Budd, after auditioning in Los Angeles. Initially, Hampshire requested to submit a taped audition due to nerves and recurring hive breakouts. Eventually, she agreed to audition in person, although she has no recollection of the experience. According to Daniel Levy, who was present during the audition, Hampshire gave a "great" performance and then proceeded to cover her face with her shirt and rock back and forth. Levy found her audition charming and offered her the role of Stevie.
Noah Reid was offered the role of David's business partner and love interest, Patrick Brewer, in the show's third season. Dan Levy, already acquainted with Reid socially, invited him to audition based on a recommendation from Stacey Farber. Reid had never watched Schitt's Creek before auditioning and was uncertain about the character's longevity on the series. Dan Levy did not participate in the audition process or conduct a chemistry test with Reid before his casting.
Chris Elliott and Sarah Levy, who portray Roland Schitt and Twyla Sands respectively, were cast without auditions. Elliott eagerly accepted the role of the town mayor when offered by Eugene Levy, reasoning, "Why would I say no?"
Sarah Levy, Eugene's daughter and Dan's sister, was invited to join the show before it was fully developed. She expressed gratitude for not being cast as Alexis, as being outside of her family's orbit on the show allowed her to explore her own character.
Throughout the entire series, Eugene Levy, Dan Levy, Fred Levy (Eugene's brother), Andrew Barnsley, and Ben Feigin have served as executive producers. Additional executive producers included writers Kevin White (seasons two and three) and David West Read (seasons five and six).
Eugene Levy initially served as showrunner alongside his co-creator and son, Dan Levy, during the first season, but Dan Levy took over as the sole showrunner starting from the second season.
Schitt's Creek was part of a "new direction" in programming embraced by both CBC and Pop TV during the 2014–15 television season. The show premiered among 12 new primetime series on CBC, representing the network's commitment to producing more serialised and scripted content, as well as adopting a "cable-like" approach.
Furthermore, Schitt's Creek was the first original scripted program to be aired on Pop TV after the network's rebranding in January 2015. Formerly known as TV Guide Network, Pop TV underwent a transformation into a channel that embodied optimism, passion, humour, and excitement.
Schitt's Creek was filmed using a single-camera setup, without a live audience or laugh track.
The interior scenes for the first two seasons were shot at Pinewood Toronto Studios in the Port Lands area of Toronto, while the interior scenes for season three were filmed at Dufferin Gate Studios in Etobicoke, Toronto.
Revival Studios in Leslieville, Toronto, was also used for interior scenes during an undisclosed number of seasons.
The remaining episodes were primarily filmed on location in various areas including Goodwood in the Regional Municipality of Durham in the Greater Toronto Area, Brantford, and Mono, where the motel scenes were filmed.
Before production of the series began in 2014, Goodwood was one of 30 towns considered for the fictional location of Schitt's Creek.
According to The Canadian Press, by June 27, 2019, Goodwood had become a "tourist hot spot" as filming for the current season concluded.
In November 2020, the former Hockley Motel in Mono, where the exterior shots of the Rosebud Motel were filmed, was put up for sale by its owners.
The Schitt's Creek soundtrack is composed by Maribeth Solomon, a Canadian film and television composer/songwriter.
Throughout Schitt’s Creek, there are several musical performances by the main and supporting characters. One prominent musical group featured is the Jazzagals, a singing group in the town. The Jazzagals include Moira Rose, Jocelyn Schitt, Twyla Sands, Ronnie Lee, and Gwen Currie. They perform various songs throughout the series, including covers of "It's Raining Men," "Baby, I'm Yours," "Takin' It Home," "Silent Night," and "Islands in the Stream".
In the episode "Carl's Funeral" in season one of Schitt’s Creek, Moira sings an unaccompanied version of "Danny Boy" as a distraction when Johnny's eulogy goes off track. She later performs the same song again in the episode.
Also in season four's "Asbestos Fest," David and Moira perform a duet called "The Number." This medley of holiday songs was a regular feature at the annual Rose Christmas party and included "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," "Deck the Halls," and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." The arrangement of the song was done by Catherine O'Hara, who plays Moira.
In season four's "Open Mic," Patrick sings an acoustic cover of Tina Turner's "The Best" as a declaration of love to David. The arrangement and performance of the song were done by Noah Reid, who portrays Patrick.
After the song aired on Schitt's Creek, Reid's version was released on Spotify and iTunes, reaching No. 1 on the Canadian charts. The 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.
Annie Murphy, who plays Alexis, wrote and performed the song for the show, drawing inspiration from the pop songs of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
Menno Versteeg and Nixon Boyd of the Canadian band Hollerado also assisted in producing the song. "A Little Bit Alexis" was released as a single on Spotify and iTunes, reaching No. 28 on the Canadian charts. Partial proceeds from the single were donated to MusiCounts, an organisation providing music resources to schools in need in Canada.
In season five's "Life Is a Cabaret," several main characters perform "Willkommen" from the musical Cabaret. Stevie sings "Maybe This Time" as her Cabaret character, Sally Bowles, in the same episode. Both songs were performed in front of a live audience during filming.
The series finale aired on April 7, 2020, at 8:00 pm ET, followed by a one-hour behind-the-scenes retrospective documentary called Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell.
In the US, the series finale was Schitt's Creek's highest-rated episode and was simulcast on Logo TV and Comedy Central, which had recently become sibling networks to Pop TV through the ViacomCBS merger.
In December 2019, there were accusations on social media that UK television station 4Music had censored scenes featuring "intimate dialogue" and kissing between LGBTQ characters.
Co-creator and star Dan Levy addressed the alleged censorship, calling it "highly disturbing" and "dangerous" on social media.
4Music responded with an apology, stating that the removal of a kiss between two male characters was due to "human error" and would be restored in future broadcasts, but they did not specifically address the allegations of censored dialogue between LGBTQ characters.
Further accusations of censorship arose in October 2020 when Dan Levy called out Comedy Central India for editing a same-sex kiss between two male characters in a promotional clip posted on their Twitter account. Levy noted that Schitt's Creek is "a show about the power of inclusivity" and that censoring gay intimacy was a "harmful statement against that message."
The first season of Schitt's Creek received mixed to positive reviews. It holds an approval rating of 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 26 reviews with an average rating of 6.38/10.
The critical consensus on the website states, "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."
After being picked up by Pop, the Los Angeles Times praised the show as "very funny, beautifully played, [and] sometimes touching." However, Mike Hale of The New York Times criticised Schitt's Creek as "drab and underwritten."
During the later seasons of the show, the main cast of Schitt's Creek engaged in a series of interactive fan events.
One of these events was Schitt's Creek: Up Close & Personal, a live audience promotional tour that premiered in September 2018 in Los Angeles. Cast members Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Levy, Annie Murphy, Emily Hampshire, and Noah Reid participated in the tour, which featured behind-the-scenes stories, a live Q&A session with the cast, and an audience participation trivia game. The tour was a success, leading to additional stops in several US and Canadian cities in 2019.
Daniel Levy expressed that the purpose of the tour was to promote the show and express gratitude to the fans for their support.
To promote the sixth and final season in January 2020, CBC and Pop TV commissioned "groundbreaking" billboards featuring a same-sex kiss between David and Patrick, the show's engaged couple. Series creator Dan Levy emphasised the importance of showcasing the characters' kiss on a billboard, considering it to be a representation that is not commonly seen and is even banned in multiple countries.
In June 2020, the cast of Schitt's Creek participated in the "Dear Class of 2020" event on YouTube, performing Mariah Carey's song "Hero." The performance included a surprise appearance by Mariah Carey herself.
Toronto mayor John Tory announced that on Monday, September 21, 2020, the CN Tower would be illuminated in gold to celebrate Schitt's Creek's historic sweep of every top comedy award at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards.
After the conclusion of the series, Daniel Levy was questioned about the potential for a Schitt's Creek feature film. Although he did not make any definitive commitments, he expressed his interest in the possibility if a compelling idea were to arise. Levy stated that ending the show in its current form was the ideal way to bid farewell, but he remained open to the idea of continuing the story if a truly remarkable concept emerged. He expressed his desire to collaborate with the talented cast and crew again and expressed hope for an exciting idea to come to fruition in the future.
According to Annie Murphy, Eugene Levy expressed great enthusiasm about working with his children. Off-screen, he would silently mouth their lines alongside them, showing his support and involvement.
After experiencing the devastation of her house burning down and being left with only $3 in her bank account, Annie Murphy contemplated quitting acting altogether. However, her fortunes turned around when she landed the audition for "Schitt's Creek" and ultimately secured the role of Alexis.
Both Eugene Levy (Johnny Rose) and Catherine O'Hara (Moira Rose) were part of the renowned Second City Comedy Troupe in Toronto and appeared on "Second City Television" (1976).
Eugene Levy always emphasised the importance of shielding his children, Dan Levy and Sarah Levy, from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, striving to raise them as normally as possible.
Catherine O'Hara's character, Moira Rose, frequently wears black and white stripes as an homage to her role as Delia Deetz in the film "Beetlejuice" (1988). Interestingly, the production designer of "Beetlejuice," Bo Welch, and O'Hara began dating during the film's production and got married in 1992. They have two sons together.
Among the main cast, Chris Elliott is the sole American actor, while the rest of the cast members are Canadian.
Dan Levy, in his role as David, kept the four gold engagement rings featured on the show and even wore them to the 2019 Emmy Awards.
In the Schitt’s Creek series finale, Dan Levy donned a skirted tuxedo designed by Thom Browne. He had previously worn a similar gray outfit to the 2020 Emmy Awards.
Dan Levy's dog, Redmond, serves as the logo for Red's beer, a beverage frequently consumed by the characters in the show.
On the last day of shooting Schitt's Creek, Eugene Levy gifted Dan Levy a framed photo of themselves. In a heartfelt message, Eugene wrote, "Daniel, it was an honor being your partner, son. Dad xo."
Despite spanning six seasons, the show's storyline only covers a total of three years, as confirmed by Ronnie in the season six episode "The Bachelor Party" (2020).
In December 2019, a couple got engaged at a Schitt's Creek pop-up event, recreating the atmosphere of Rose Apothecary. They cited David and Patrick's relationship as an inspiration for their own love story.
In the unaired pilot of the show, the role of Alexis Rose was originally played by Abby Elliott, the daughter of comedian Chris Elliott, who portrays Roland Schitt. However, Abby was unavailable when the show was picked up for production, leading to Annie Murphy being cast in the role.
Despite Jennifer Robertson (Jocelyn) playing the mother of Tim Rozon's character, Mutt, in the show, she is actually only five years older than him.
Jennifer Robertson and Chris Elliott, who portray husband and wife on the show, both come from comedy lineage. Jennifer is the daughter of a member of the comedy duo Double Exposure, while Chris is the son of one half of the comedy duo Bob & Ray.
Two characters in the town are named Bob & Ray, reminiscent of Chris Elliott's father, Bob Elliott, who was one half of the comedy duo "Bob & Ray."
Patrick, the character, often wears shirts in various shades of blue. In the episode "Meet the Parents" (2019), his father sports a blue sweater, while his mother wears a blue cardigan.
The names of the Schitt family members, such as Roland Schitt and Horace Schitt, are wordplay and phonetically resemble phrases like "roll in" Schitt and "horse" Schitt, respectively. Similarly, "Mutt Schitt" plays on the word "dog" Schitt, and "Jocelyn Schitt" sounds like "jostlin'" Schitt.
Salvatore Antonio not only portrayed the character of Antonio, but he also wrote 14 episodes of the show. Antonio served as the business partner of Wendy, who was David's former boss at the Blouse Barn.
Schitt's Creek (2015), All in the Family (1971), The Golden Girls (1985), and Will & Grace (1998) are the only comedy series to have won Emmys for all four of their principal actors.
Moira Rose's character bears resemblance to Daphne Guinness, the heiress of the Guinness fortune, known for her eccentric and glamorous fashion. Catherine O'Hara drew inspiration from Daphne Guinness while envisioning the character of Moira.
The lobby used for the Motel pitch scene is the same one that appeared in "Suits" (2011).
The motel where the Rose family resides is situated in Orangeville, Ontario, while Bob's Garage, the Tropical Diner, and the Schitt's Creek General Store are located in Goodwood, Ontario. These three establishments are all found at the same intersection.
The pink dress that Alexis pulls out of the bag in the final episode is the same one she wore in the pilot, marking a significant callback.
The ponytail-mullet hairpiece worn by Chris Elliott as Mayor Schitt has an interesting history. The top part of the same hairpiece was previously worn by him in the film "Cabin Boy" (1994).
The premise of the show, particularly in the first season, draws inspiration from "Gilligan's Island" (1964), which featured a group of privileged individuals trapped in an environment from which they couldn't escape. Similarly, the Rose family in "Schitt's Creek" struggles to find ways to leave their predicament, mirroring the castaways in the beloved sitcom.
The episode "Town for Sale" (2015) embodies this concept, as the Rose family joyfully prepares to leave, only to have their dreams shattered shortly after.
Moira often assigns names of women to the various wigs in her extensive collection. Some of the names used include Krista, Robin, Maureen, Lorna, and Cindy. Catherine O'Hara revealed in a June 2020 Variety interview that she uses the names of her friends to label the wigs. O'Hara was also inspired by a dinner party she attended, where the hostess would excuse herself and return wearing a different wig every half-hour or so.
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