‘Schitt’s Creek’ Continues As the Best Show You’re Not Watching

Schitt’s Creek returned Wednesday night to Pop. It’s the best television show that you – and the Television Academy – are not watching.

Pop’s Schitt’s Creek goes woefully unrecognized in nearly every circle. Don’t blame us. We’ve been talking about it for four years now. Persistently raving about it. Constantly singing its praises here at ADTV or on the Water Cooler Podcast. Their rebirth on Netflix helped spread the word for sure. Suddenly, a burst of enthusiastic tweets proclaimed a handful discovered the show on their own, and that’s great. We were there first, though. Remember that. Ok, that’s a lot bratty. Still, even with a larger, binge-friendly platform on Netflix, Schitt’s Creek failed to warrant any attention in last year’s Emmy race. It felt like the right time, too, with co-star Catherine O’Hara delivering one epic performance after another. And… nothing.

So, Schitt’s Creek returned this week to Pop in its forth season. It’s just as consistently great as it always was. This is a cast as comfortable with each other as they are in their own skin. They understand the rhythms of their comedy. They understand what each actor brings to the proceedings and how it all blends seamlessly. Schitt’s Creek offers one of the best ensembles on television, and yet, the Television Academy completely ignores it year after year.

The Emmy-worthy Cast

Catherine O’Hara continues finding charmingly bizarre ways to express completely standard English words. But that’s just a trick. Her greatest strength lies within her ability to wring pathos out of such a clueless figure. She thinks she’s the greatest mother in the world. She’s decidedly not so. Dan Levy continues his trailblazing character arc by finding love in the most unexpected of unexpected places. My favorite moments of the series are in the interactions between the two actors. Season 4 brings “Asbestos Fest,” which completely ranks as some of their best material to date. Or is it “RIP Moira Rose?” You tell me.

Annie Murphy, Eugene Levy, and Emily Hampshire continue their very solid work through Season 4. Murphy, in particular, finds new depths of feeling within the perpetually shallow Alexis Rose. The “will they or won’t they” storyline is certainly one of the whoriest sitcom plot lines in history. Yet, here, Murphy and on-screen paramour Dustin Milligan (Ted) make it work with depth and grace. Seeing Alexis silently suffer in heartbreak on the sidelines is one of the new season’s best surprises.

But Will It Take?

I’d love to write this is Schitt’s Creek‘s year to break out. With Veep and Master of None out of the picture this season, maybe there’s a chance this snappy upstart finally breaks in. I’d love to put 2018 Emmy nominee Catherine O’Hara into print. Or Dan Levy. Or literally the whole cast. I’d love to speak that into existence. Will it happen? Well, if it didn’t happen last year… With a highly publicized launch on Netflix, Schitt’s Creek seemed to be poised for success, but the Television Academy didn’t bite. The show is still consistently great, so what changes this year? Very few (if any) shows break into the awards race into their fourth season, and almost none of those are sitcoms.

Ultimately, the legacy of Schitt’s Creek may be a sense of Emmy I.O.U. on their next projects. Particularly Dan Levy whose expert writing, producing, and performing on the series should be duplicated on his next great work.

And Schitt’s Creek will forever be the best show you failed to watch.

Until you found it three years later on Netflix. But whatever. Don’t say we didn’t tell you so.

Wishful Emmy Thinking

Comedy Series
Catherine O’Hara – Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Eugene Levy – Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Dan Levy – Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Annie Murphy – Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Emily Hampshire – Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Writing