August 1 • 2019 35
jn
war comedy that the title and set-up
might have viewers expect. Well — it
may start out that way. But very soon
in, we realize that the show has very
endearing and light-handed elements
of sophistication, quaintness and
warmth. The family does display
very bad behavior,
but throughout the
seasons (they’
ve just
signed on for their
sixth and final), each
character experienc-
es contrition in a way
that feels very real,
not corny, while still
remembering who
they are — part of a
zany family built on
unbelievable premis-
es and high-comedy
that become completely relatable.
Dan Levy, who came out as gay to
his supportive parents at the age of
18, uses Schitt’
s Creek to demonstrate
a world without homophobia. His
TV character, David, is pansexual
and eventually relaxes into a homo-
sexual relationship — but these facts
are never stated. When David’
s boy-
friend, Patrick (Noah Reid), is intro-
duced in the third season, Dan told
The Advocate, “I have made a very
strong point to not ever show bigotry,
homophobia or intolerance on our
show because to me, it’
s a celebration
of love. At the root of it, [Schitt’
s Creek]
is a celebration of love between the
family and between the relationships
that we build.
”
Like the real-life Levy family — dad
Eugene is Jewish, mom Deborah is
not, and kids Dan and Sarah grew
up interfaith — the Rose family pres-
ents as Jewish, with plenty of Jewish
humor and references, despite mom
Moira not being in the fold. In a hol-
iday special aired between seasons
four and five, Johnny wants to throw
a Christmas party at the last minute,
a reminder of the elaborate ones the
family hosted in their former life, and
begins to delegate tasks.
“Look at you, Mr. Rose. Seemingly
possessed by the Christmas spirit,
”
Moira says.
Johnny responds, “That reminds
me! Somebody needs to find the
menorah.
”
Schitt’
s Creek has been gaining heat
— and extremely loyal fans, reaching
cult status — since its launch in 2015
with Pop Network (and screening on
Canada’
s CBC Television). It gained
even more in 2017, when it became
available on Netflix. But most didn’
t
realize quite how hot the show and
its actors had become until July 19,
when the Emmy
nominations were
announced and the
Canadian comedy
scooped up four
nods, their first ever.
Among them: best
costumes; Catherine
O’
Hara, an unsung
comedic genius
who should have
viewers flocking to
their screens just for
her, as mom Moira,
earned a best actress in a comedy;
Eugene Levy, as dad Johnny, got best
actor in a comedy; and the overall
outstanding comedy series. (The
71st Primetime Emmy Awards air on
Sunday, Sept. 22.)
In 2016, both Eugene and Dan
Levy were nominated for Canadian
Screen Awards, they said on the Today
show, the first time in the history of
entertainment that a father and son
were nominated in the same category
(Eugene won).
Dan, who had previously hosted
a show on MTV in Canada for eight
years (without ever referencing his
famous father) took it in stride. “To
come to work every day with your
family is a beautiful thing,
” he says. “I
think the reason the show has worked
along so smoothly is because we share
a similar sensibility.
”
So now, as the writer and co-creator
of Schitt’
s Creek, Dan says, “there’
s a
very interesting power shift because I
get to write what he does. I’
m able to
hammer home his sensitive spots. One:
his hair. He has a lovely head of hair —
but don’
t touch it. It’
s a perfectly coiffed
head of hair. The second episode of the
first season, I write a drip in the first
scene that makes his hair sopping wet.
My dad read the script and called on
the phone with a few questions: ‘
How
wet will the hair be?’
‘
Sopping.
’
”
At the end of that season, I had him
run through an entire scene, full force.
He’
s not the most athletic person. I
don’
t think he’
s run in 35 years. That
was fun.
” ■
details
Join Schitt’
s Creek cast
members Eugene and Dan
Levy, Catherine O’
Hara, Annie
Murphy (Alexis) and Emily
Hampshire (Stevie) for “Schitt’
s
Creek: Up Close & Personal”
7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at
the Masonic Temple, Detroit.
$59.50-$99.50.
Themasonic.com.
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