I cannot watch serious TV if there are super serious emotional things happening in real life. I need lighthearted, comedy, silly, goofy, witty television shows like New Girl, Parks and Rec, The Office, Community, Friends, Psych, etc. I was told by multiple people to watch this little Canadian comedy on Netflix called Schitt’$ Creek. It is filled with humor, real life mess, unique startup businesses, crazy town-folk, detailed character development, wit, and very moving moments of love and acceptance.
Schitt’s Creek is just the schitt you need to be watching right now.
The premise of the show is the husband and wife, Johnny and Moria Rose (played by Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara), are very very wealthy and suddenly find themselves broke. They, with their two adult children David and Alexis (played by Dan Levy and Annie Murphy), are forced to move to their only remaining asset, a small town called Schitt’s Creek. They live in a Motel and must adjust to life there while trying to get their old life back.
What really stood out to me in the show is their refreshing, loving, and kind portrayal of the queer community. I really do not know of any other show that portrayed love and tolerance like this. It truly never had any negative LGBTQ talk, these topics were never portrayed as out of the ordinary, there were no homophobic people in the show, sexual orientation was only explained in this creative way, “I like the wine and not the label” and then it was really not a topic of explanation again.
The 6th and final season just wrapped up this month – it was hilarious and so so emotional. I got attached to these characters real quick! After the series ended, they shared a little documentary of some behind the scenes interviews and their emotional goodbye.
I was moved to share a piece of that documentary with you fellow mommas. The cast received a thank you letter from a mom’s group on Facebook:
“Dear Mr Dan Levy and cast, crew and writers of Schitt’s Creek, we belong to a large private Facebook group called Serendipity Doo-Dah for Moms, home of the momma bears. We have more than 5,000 moms in the group, and many of us are working to make the world a kinder, safer, more loving place for all LGBTQ people to live. More than 1,800 of us are signing this letter because we wanted to say thank you for the LGBTQ characters, relationships and storylines that you have included in Schitt’s Creek. Your commitment to represent love and tolerance in your show is so important to families like ours. Your willingness to explore, inform and educate about LGBT+ people and their relationships in an entertaining but respectful and positive manner sets a tone that is often missing. You have created new ways for queer viewers to see themselves represented, and in its own way, that is just as important as the battles we are still fighting. Therefore, the work you have all done on Schitt’s Creek has encouraged us greatly and given us hope about the future for our kids. We sincerely believe that shows like Schitt’s Creek will serve as a catalyst to help change the world into a kinder, safer, more loving place for all LGBTQ people to live, and because of that, we will remain forever grateful. You’ve made a lot of momma bears happy, and as a result, you have a whole bunch of fans, forever. With sincere gratitude and respect.”
YALL. I was a puddle on the floor when I heard this letter read aloud to Dan Levy and the cast. I pray that I can be a mom like this! I pray that everyone in the world can be this loving and accepting to their children, families, and friends.
In this time of chaos during the pandemic, everyone is helping each other without question of their faith, gender orientation, political preferences, etc. We just want to do what is best for each other – staying home, sewing masks, ordering food to-go, donating money to feed the frontline. No questions asked!
Pope Francis in his Homily on Divine Mercy Sunday said, “The present pandemic, however, reminds us that there are no differences or borders between those who suffer. We are all frail, all equal, all precious. May we be profoundly shaken by what is happening all around us: the time has come to eliminate inequalities, to heal the injustice that is undermining the health of the entire human family! Let us learn from the early Christian community described in the Acts of the Apostles. It received mercy and lived with mercy: “All who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:44-45). This is not some ideology: it is Christianity.”
This may be a good time to teach our children how to love those who are different, to love those who can be mean, to love those who society says are unlovable. While we are all trapped quarantine with our families, this truly is a time to eliminate inequalities and heal injustices in our home first …. and then watch as love and acceptance will shower over our neighborhoods, communities, and cities.
Best wishes, warmest regards.
