Family Values

Our columnist wades into Schitt’s Creek

- Emily Hirshey

ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE TELEVISION GENRES IS WHAT I call “Rude Rich People” (out-of). out-of is essentially a subgroup of fish-outof-water stories but with way better clothes, a lot of shade-throwing, and usually at least one British person. Or, in this case, multiple Canadians.

Schitt’s Creek is out-of at its finest. The show centers around the wealthy Rose family—comprised of patriarch Johnny (Eugene Levy), matriarch Moira (Catherine O’Hara), son David (Dan Levy; yes, Eugene’s actual son), and daughter Alexis (Annie Murphy)—who suddenly find themselves completely broke, aside from a singular remaining asset: a small town called … take your best guess. Thus the tuxedoed albacore (fancy fish) reluctantly swim out of their alkaline infinity pool (fancy water). The family moves into a seedy motel in a tiny creek-adjacent town and struggle to adapt to their impoverished new way of life. In an early episode, David sums up their situation quite nicely: “My sister texted me ‘help’ and my mind went straight to Deliverance, so I wasn’t too far off.” I am so on board with these RRPs.

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