With SCTV’s Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara and, to a lesser extent, Chris Elliott on board, Canadian import Schitt’s Creek is a must for comedy fans. It’s well-written, nicely acted and directed and overcomes any trepidation you might have about the title. (Each episode is preceded by a warning from Pop, the former TVGN, about “scenes with coarse language.”) Levy’s son, Daniel, co-stars, and they are co-creators.
The Rose family were upper-1% rich but lost it all to a corrupt accountant — except for a depressing town called Schitt’s Creek that Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) bought as a joke. They are forced to live there until they can, maybe, sell it to some other sucker.
Chris Elliott is the annoying mayor, Roland Schitt, to give you an idea. It’s Green Acres or Newhart revisited, with clever dialogue and the occasional broad joke, like in episode three, when Levy confronts Elliott over a road sign that’s unintentionally funny and vulgar. Levy and O’Hara’s bad parenting and the 20-something spoiled kids’ squabbles make a fun dynamic when they’re forced to live in adjoining rooms in a crappy motel, where the doors go missing or won’t lock.
