Goodbye to Schitt's Creek, a rare TV series that is exiting at the peak of its appeal - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-07-2020, 11:46 PM

...and popularity

https://www.theringer.com/tv/2020/4/...finale-preview

"Schitt’s Creek, a cocreation of Dan and Eugene, is the rare TV series that will wrap production not by necessity, but by choice, retiring at the peak of its appeal and popularity," says Ben Lindbergh in advance of tonight's series finale. "The series’ audience has progressively grown, a product of positive word of mouth, Pop TV’s marketing, and, perhaps most important, its appearance on Netflix after its first two seasons. Further buoyed by four Emmy nominations last year, viewership on Pop is up 60 percent since Season 5, and according to a Nielsen streaming report, Schitt’s Creek trailed only The Office in viewership among non-original series on Netflix in the first week of March." Lindbergh adds: "Like a lot of cult or classic series, Schitt’s Creek gradually revealed layers that weren’t immediately apparent from its fairly familiar fish-out-of-water premise. The Office writer/producer and Parks and Recreation creator Michael Schur explained last week how both of those series pivoted toward kindness in unexpected ways: Michael Scott diverged from U.K. model David Brent after The 40-Year-Old Virgin showcased the warmth of Steve Carell, and Leslie Knope, prompted by Amy Poehler’s portrayal, evolved from a polished politician into a more relatable, sympathetic figure. Schitt’s Creek is a family affair both behind and in front of the camera, and its pivot was planned from the start."

ALSO:

Schitt's Creek paved the way for the rebranding of CBC and Pop TV: “In 2014, we made a decision to prioritize half-hour, single-camera comedies with a unique point of view and authentic, character-driven storytelling,” says Sally Catto, general manager for programming at CBC. Or, as Eugene Levy puts it, 'They were heading in more of a cable direction for their comedies. The timing was right.'" Pop TV, meanwhile, was known as TVGN -- the TV Guide Network -- which rebranded to its current name in 2015, the year Schitt's Creek launched. “It was like two fledgling entities starting to spread their wings together a little bit,” says Levy. “It seemed to make a lot of sense.”
Pop TV president Brad Schwartz celebrates Schitt's Creek for helping an underdog cable network break through the clutter: "Would the story be the same in another time or on a different network? No," Schwartz writes in a Hollywood Reporter essay. "This happened exactly the way it was supposed to happen. A meet-cute of sorts: fledgling network and fledgling show, together, against the world. Fighting the giants of our industry. Dan (Levy) crafted a perfect show for these current times, but also one that will stand the test of time. The writing: sharp, funny and heartfelt. The performances: fully formed and one-of-a-kind. At Pop TV, we work hard to create emotional attachment every day. It wasn’t about marketing a premiere, it was about long-standing belief. A commitment not to rest until everyone knows what we know…that Schitt’s Creek is a beacon of goodness and deserves your attention."
Schitt's Creek has changed the course of Annie Murphy's acting career: "I really have been spoiled, in the sense that Schitt’s Creek is really good quality," she says." I want to keep doing really good quality things. It’s been tricky because there are a lot of ****** things out there. Five years ago, I would have been jumping at the chance to do auditions that have been coming my way. I have to be — not snotty about what I do next — but a little bit choosy because I wanted to be the right thing. I have to be thoughtful about what comes next."
Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy recall the development of Moira Rose. "It was the Moira makeover Catherine was dying to make," Levy says in a joint interview. "I had this lunch with Eugene and Daniel (Levy), and I came armed with all these pictures, mainly of Daphne Guinness. She’s all black and white, she’s very avant-garde," adds O'Hara. "You could see she is very conscious of the image that she’s putting out every day she walks out of her home. Really strong, a lot of it is like armor, the necklaces that she wears, and the heels. It’s so not your typical half-hour comedy wife."
Dan Levy keeps every fan letter sent to him: "People have written in to say that the show has quite literally saved their life," he says. "They were suicidal and found the show, and the show had comforted them and talked them off a ledge. I’ve received letters from young queer kids who have told me that they’ve used dialogue from the show to come out to their parents."
How Moira Rose became Schitt's Creek's lovable, fashionable, one-of-a-kind diva
Schitt's Creek, by the numbers

Schitt's Creek's series finale was its most-watched episode ever

About 1.3 million total viewers watched the final episode of the six-season Pop TV comedy on Tuesday night.

Schitt's Creek series finale delivered fan service that actually worked

The Pop TV comedy ended six seasons Tuesday with a celebratory finish that felt like the way Schitt's Creek was always meant to end, says Justin Kirkland. "The finale of Schitt's Creek is purely fan service, which can often be a disappointment to watch," says Kirkland. "Fan-driven plot can be a misguided wishlist of non-sequitur fiction. But for the final episode of Schitt's Creek, it works. This half-hour, while a beautiful goodbye to the series, is largely inconsequential because Dan and Eugene Levy managed to wrap up every narrative arc before this last installment. 'Happy Ending' is just that—a rare coda that allows the Rose family (and viewers) a moment to celebrate this accomplishment before them. Television finales and life milestones have this unfortunate similarity: rarely are they allowed the proper amount of time to breathe. Schitt's Creek dodges that. This moment of celebration and fan service and triumph works because it was earned. While Schitt's Creek was always a comedy that focused on the flamboyant and silly, it never allowed its characters to find an easy way out. There's a difficult line to walk when redeeming an unlikable character, but Schitt's Creek managed to shine a light on the flaws of each member of the Rose family in a way that made you want to root for them."

ALSO:

Schitt's Creek gave fans the perfect ending: "If they had to leave us–and this feels like a particularly painful time to say goodbye–at least the Rose family left us well. The magnificent series finale of Schitt’s Creek was a balm, a confection, a tear-jerker, and a perfect reminder that there just have to be better days ahead," says Karen Valby. "The darling Roses had their lives stripped away, after all, and were forced into their own version of a quarantine in a middle-of-nowhere town, distant siblings and disengaged parents confined to two shabby motel rooms. It was a wonderful thing to watch over the last six seasons as each of them lovably, uncomfortably, sometimes heartbreakingly, sometimes hilariously (hi yoh, that masseuse!) reached towards his or her happy ending. The Rose family lost their riches, but earned their own good fortune."
Schitt’s Creek ends with an episode (and a final season) that truly highlights one of its greatest strengths of a show: "Its ability to make its characters grow without fundamentally changing them," says LaToya Ferguson. "For example, one of the most striking differences between the Rose family in the pilot and the series finale is how much they all openly admit that they love each other and actually mean it when they say it. Which frames things like Alexis wearing a wedding dress to David’s wedding and Moira arriving in what can only be described as 'Pope couture' in a much different way from how they’d be if they attempted to do something like that back in the first season. Because both of those character choices could totally have existed in the first season… but they wouldn’t have come from a place where you’ve got to give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re not trying to hurt David or steal his thunder. Instead, by series’ end, they’re walking David down the aisle and officiating his wedding, respectively, ultimately providing two of the episodes’ most integral emotional beats in the process."
What makes the finale memorable is how quietly it ends: "I keep thinking about that quiet background farewell, the one no one else seems to notice, between the woman who was always ready to get out of town and the home she cared about in spite of herself," says Kelly Connolly. "Moira Rose, for once, didn't need an audience. There's never enough time to say goodbye and there are never the right words; Schitt's Creek knew this. But the spectacle of saying goodbye isn't the point. The love behind it is enough."
You could make a case that Schitt’s Creek may have wrapped up too neatly
Here are seven revelations from the Schitt's Creek documentary
Schitt's Creek stars reunited via Zoom to watch the series finale
What can the Rose family’s journey tell us about Passover?
Go behind the scenes of Schitt's Creek's final season
Dan Levy and Noah Reid discuss their "Happy Ending": "Well, the title has multiple meanings," says Levy. "I think first and foremost, it is what everyone wants for this family. I think it's what everyone wants for the show. It would be really sad and disappointing if we didn't give a happy ending. And then there is, quite literally, a happy ending that occurs during a massage that adds some levity to a pretty intense episode. And that was something that we had a long conversation about, in terms of are we taking it too far, does it live outside the show? And ultimately the conversation ended with, no, it doesn't. This is a couple that has been so open and honest, and has not put sexuality and their sex lives in this box that they can't touch. It's always been around, and it hasn't necessarily defined who they are as people."
Dan Levy has always tried to avoid fan service, but relented this season: "We really made an active choice not to listen to the fans, not in a negative way, but rather I think the minute you start making a show that is aware of your fanbase, the minute it stops being your show," he tells E! News. "It starts being something else. So, this last season was probably the first time that we obviously had to consider what would make fans feel satiated. What would make fans feel like they got everything they possibly could out of the show, while at the same time, hopefully proposing some other ideas that they didn't see coming? It was a daunting task, but I knew when we were shooting that wedding that there was magic in the air. And that sort of gave me a sense of calm, because there was something so special about that day. I knew that in order to create that kind of energy in the air, the pieces were in the right place."
Dan Levy says "we need time and space" before entertaining any idea of a revival, spinoff and/or movie: "I find it very flattering that people want to know about this," Levy tells The Hollywood Reporter. "I think that's a sign that we've done something good. The reason we ended the show in the first place was because I never wanted it to get stale. I never wanted to overstay our welcome. I wanted this show to have a legacy that people return to. I wanted it to be included in conversations about great series and not just a great season. And that requires making tough decisions about saying goodbye. So the idea of reopening anything anytime soon is not necessarily going to happen because I think we need time and space. I think the audience needs to take a breath in order to really want to see these characters again, and more importantly, I need to take a breath, do some other things in order to hopefully get an idea that is special enough to bring everyone back together. Because the last thing anyone would want is for us to just do something in haste, have it not be good, and have that be the legacy of the show."

Schitt's Creek series finale was especially poignant airing during the coronavirus crisis

The Pop TV series' "final moment struck me harder than I expected it to," says Constance Grady. "But it turns out that there is something very poignant, to those of us sheltering in place, confined to a world that is abruptly much smaller than the one we lived in just weeks ago, about watching a family who went from a mansion to a motel suite finish up their time in that suite. The coronavirus pandemic is much deadlier and much more consequential than anything that sweet Schitt’s Creek would ever address, and those of us who are sheltering in place rather than out on the front lines as essential workers are the lucky ones. But part of what art can do is pick up unexpected resonances as times shift. Schitt’s Creek is a fantasy about a family who moved from a vast, open, luxurious world to a tiny and difficult one, and the fantasy is that in this second world they find fulfillment and warmth and love. And now, as it comes to a close, that fantasy feels much closer and more urgent than it used to. Perhaps we can take it with us, even as the Rose family’s time in the town of Schitt’s Creek comes to an end."

ALSO:

04-07-2020, 11:46 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,453	Goodbye to Schitt's Creek, a rare TV series that is exiting at the peak of its appeal ...and popularity https://www.theringer.com/tv/2020/4/...finale-preview "Schitt’s Creek, a cocreation of Dan and Eugene, is the rare TV series that will wrap production not by necessity, but by choice, retiring at the peak of its appeal and popularity," says Ben Lindbergh in advance of tonight's series finale. "The series’ audience has progressively grown, a product of positive word of mouth, Pop TV’s marketing, and, perhaps most important, its appearance on Netflix after its first two seasons. Further buoyed by four Emmy nominations last year, viewership on Pop is up 60 percent since Season 5, and according to a Nielsen streaming report, Schitt’s Creek trailed only The Office in viewership among non-original series on Netflix in the first week of March." Lindbergh adds: "Like a lot of cult or classic series, Schitt’s Creek gradually revealed layers that weren’t immediately apparent from its fairly familiar fish-out-of-water premise. The Office writer/producer and Parks and Recreation creator Michael Schur explained last week how both of those series pivoted toward kindness in unexpected ways: Michael Scott diverged from U.K. model David Brent after The 40-Year-Old Virgin showcased the warmth of Steve Carell, and Leslie Knope, prompted by Amy Poehler’s portrayal, evolved from a polished politician into a more relatable, sympathetic figure. Schitt’s Creek is a family affair both behind and in front of the camera, and its pivot was planned from the start." ALSO: Schitt's Creek paved the way for the rebranding of CBC and Pop TV: “In 2014, we made a decision to prioritize half-hour, single-camera comedies with a unique point of view and authentic, character-driven storytelling,” says Sally Catto, general manager for programming at CBC. Or, as Eugene Levy puts it, 'They were heading in more of a cable direction for their comedies. The timing was right.'" Pop TV, meanwhile, was known as TVGN -- the TV Guide Network -- which rebranded to its current name in 2015, the year Schitt's Creek launched. “It was like two fledgling entities starting to spread their wings together a little bit,” says Levy. “It seemed to make a lot of sense.” Pop TV president Brad Schwartz celebrates Schitt's Creek for helping an underdog cable network break through the clutter: "Would the story be the same in another time or on a different network? No," Schwartz writes in a Hollywood Reporter essay. "This happened exactly the way it was supposed to happen. A meet-cute of sorts: fledgling network and fledgling show, together, against the world. Fighting the giants of our industry. Dan (Levy) crafted a perfect show for these current times, but also one that will stand the test of time. The writing: sharp, funny and heartfelt. The performances: fully formed and one-of-a-kind. At Pop TV, we work hard to create emotional attachment every day. It wasn’t about marketing a premiere, it was about long-standing belief. A commitment not to rest until everyone knows what we know…that Schitt’s Creek is a beacon of goodness and deserves your attention." Schitt's Creek has changed the course of Annie Murphy's acting career: "I really have been spoiled, in the sense that Schitt’s Creek is really good quality," she says." I want to keep doing really good quality things. It’s been tricky because there are a lot of **** things out there. Five years ago, I would have been jumping at the chance to do auditions that have been coming my way. I have to be — not snotty about what I do next — but a little bit choosy because I wanted to be the right thing. I have to be thoughtful about what comes next." Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy recall the development of Moira Rose. "It was the Moira makeover Catherine was dying to make," Levy says in a joint interview. "I had this lunch with Eugene and Daniel (Levy), and I came armed with all these pictures, mainly of Daphne Guinness. She’s all black and white, she’s very avant-garde," adds O'Hara. "You could see she is very conscious of the image that she’s putting out every day she walks out of her home. Really strong, a lot of it is like armor, the necklaces that she wears, and the heels. It’s so not your typical half-hour comedy wife." Dan Levy keeps every fan letter sent to him: "People have written in to say that the show has quite literally saved their life," he says. "They were suicidal and found the show, and the show had comforted them and talked them off a ledge. I’ve received letters from young queer kids who have told me that they’ve used dialogue from the show to come out to their parents." How Moira Rose became Schitt's Creek's lovable, fashionable, one-of-a-kind diva Schitt's Creek, by the numbers Schitt's Creek's series finale was its most-watched episode ever About 1.3 million total viewers watched the final episode of the six-season Pop TV comedy on Tuesday night. Schitt's Creek series finale delivered fan service that actually worked The Pop TV comedy ended six seasons Tuesday with a celebratory finish that felt like the way Schitt's Creek was always meant to end, says Justin Kirkland. "The finale of Schitt's Creek is purely fan service, which can often be a disappointment to watch," says Kirkland. "Fan-driven plot can be a misguided wishlist of non-sequitur fiction. But for the final episode of Schitt's Creek, it works. This half-hour, while a beautiful goodbye to the series, is largely inconsequential because Dan and Eugene Levy managed to wrap up every narrative arc before this last installment. 'Happy Ending' is just that—a rare coda that allows the Rose family (and viewers) a moment to celebrate this accomplishment before them. Television finales and life milestones have this unfortunate similarity: rarely are they allowed the proper amount of time to breathe. Schitt's Creek dodges that. This moment of celebration and fan service and triumph works because it was earned. While Schitt's Creek was always a comedy that focused on the flamboyant and silly, it never allowed its characters to find an easy way out. There's a difficult line to walk when redeeming an unlikable character, but Schitt's Creek managed to shine a light on the flaws of each member of the Rose family in a way that made you want to root for them." ALSO: Schitt's Creek gave fans the perfect ending: "If they had to leave us–and this feels like a particularly painful time to say goodbye–at least the Rose family left us well. The magnificent series finale of Schitt’s Creek was a balm, a confection, a tear-jerker, and a perfect reminder that there just have to be better days ahead," says Karen Valby. "The darling Roses had their lives stripped away, after all, and were forced into their own version of a quarantine in a middle-of-nowhere town, distant siblings and disengaged parents confined to two shabby motel rooms. It was a wonderful thing to watch over the last six seasons as each of them lovably, uncomfortably, sometimes heartbreakingly, sometimes hilariously (hi yoh, that masseuse!) reached towards his or her happy ending. The Rose family lost their riches, but earned their own good fortune." Schitt’s Creek ends with an episode (and a final season) that truly highlights one of its greatest strengths of a show: "Its ability to make its characters grow without fundamentally changing them," says LaToya Ferguson. "For example, one of the most striking differences between the Rose family in the pilot and the series finale is how much they all openly admit that they love each other and actually mean it when they say it. Which frames things like Alexis wearing a wedding dress to David’s wedding and Moira arriving in what can only be described as 'Pope couture' in a much different way from how they’d be if they attempted to do something like that back in the first season. Because both of those character choices could totally have existed in the first season… but they wouldn’t have come from a place where you’ve got to give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re not trying to hurt David or steal his thunder. Instead, by series’ end, they’re walking David down the aisle and officiating his wedding, respectively, ultimately providing two of the episodes’ most integral emotional beats in the process." What makes the finale memorable is how quietly it ends: "I keep thinking about that quiet background farewell, the one no one else seems to notice, between the woman who was always ready to get out of town and the home she cared about in spite of herself," says Kelly Connolly. "Moira Rose, for once, didn't need an audience. There's never enough time to say goodbye and there are never the right words; Schitt's Creek knew this. But the spectacle of saying goodbye isn't the point. The love behind it is enough." You could make a case that Schitt’s Creek may have wrapped up too neatly Here are seven revelations from the Schitt's Creek documentary Schitt's Creek stars reunited via Zoom to watch the series finale What can the Rose family’s journey tell us about Passover? Go behind the scenes of Schitt's Creek's final season Dan Levy and Noah Reid discuss their "Happy Ending": "Well, the title has multiple meanings," says Levy. "I think first and foremost, it is what everyone wants for this family. I think it's what everyone wants for the show. It would be really sad and disappointing if we didn't give a happy ending. And then there is, quite literally, a happy ending that occurs during a massage that adds some levity to a pretty intense episode. And that was something that we had a long conversation about, in terms of are we taking it too far, does it live outside the show? And ultimately the conversation ended with, no, it doesn't. This is a couple that has been so open and honest, and has not put sexuality and their sex lives in this box that they can't touch. It's always been around, and it hasn't necessarily defined who they are as people." Dan Levy has always tried to avoid fan service, but relented this season: "We really made an active choice not to listen to the fans, not in a negative way, but rather I think the minute you start making a show that is aware of your fanbase, the minute it stops being your show," he tells E! News. "It starts being something else. So, this last season was probably the first time that we obviously had to consider what would make fans feel satiated. What would make fans feel like they got everything they possibly could out of the show, while at the same time, hopefully proposing some other ideas that they didn't see coming? It was a daunting task, but I knew when we were shooting that wedding that there was magic in the air. And that sort of gave me a sense of calm, because there was something so special about that day. I knew that in order to create that kind of energy in the air, the pieces were in the right place." Dan Levy says "we need time and space" before entertaining any idea of a revival, spinoff and/or movie: "I find it very flattering that people want to know about this," Levy tells The Hollywood Reporter. "I think that's a sign that we've done something good. The reason we ended the show in the first place was because I never wanted it to get stale. I never wanted to overstay our welcome. I wanted this show to have a legacy that people return to. I wanted it to be included in conversations about great series and not just a great season. And that requires making tough decisions about saying goodbye. So the idea of reopening anything anytime soon is not necessarily going to happen because I think we need time and space. I think the audience needs to take a breath in order to really want to see these characters again, and more importantly, I need to take a breath, do some other things in order to hopefully get an idea that is special enough to bring everyone back together. Because the last thing anyone would want is for us to just do something in haste, have it not be good, and have that be the legacy of the show." Schitt's Creek series finale was especially poignant airing during the coronavirus crisis** The Pop TV series' "final moment struck me harder than I expected it to," says Constance Grady. "But it turns out that there is something very poignant, to those of us sheltering in place, confined to a world that is abruptly much smaller than the one we lived in just weeks ago, about watching a family who went from a mansion to a motel suite finish up their time in that suite. The coronavirus pandemic is much deadlier and much more consequential than anything that sweet Schitt’s Creek would ever address, and those of us who are sheltering in place rather than out on the front lines as essential workers are the lucky ones. But part of what art can do is pick up unexpected resonances as times shift. Schitt’s Creek is a fantasy about a family who moved from a vast, open, luxurious world to a tiny and difficult one, and the fantasy is that in this second world they find fulfillment and warmth and love. And now, as it comes to a close, that fantasy feels much closer and more urgent than it used to. Perhaps we can take it with us, even as the Rose family’s time in the town of Schitt’s Creek comes to an end." ALSO: The Schitt's Creek ensemble brilliantly navigated the clashes that gave the show its unique feel The finale served as a vindication for Twyla Dan Levy imagines David and Patrick on honeymoon Emily Hampshire says the series finale tears were real: "It’s not just the characters… It’s also us saying goodbye to each other" Meet Moira Rose's "wig whisperer": Ana Sorys, Catherine O'Hara's longtime hairstylist, reveals what happened to all of Moira's wigs
	Last edited by TMC; 04-09-2020 at 11:12 PM.