- The Story: A disgraced, mega-wealthy family is forced to relocate to their only remaining asset: a quirky small town they once bought as a joke.
- Award-Winning Legacy: The first series to ever sweep all seven major comedy categories at the Emmys, including acting wins for all four leads.
- Streaming Move: All six seasons are officially streaming now on HBO Max.
The entertainment industry — heck, the entire world, it seems — has been mourning the loss of comedy icon Catherine O'Hara, who died on Jan. 30 at age 71. And the grief is understandable: For 50 years, O'Hara was responsible for some of the most indelible performances in comedy history, from beloved movies like "Beetlejuice," "Best in Show" and the "Home Alone" films to her television work on "SCTV," "The Studio" and more.
But, arguably, the late actress's most iconic role is that of Moira Rose, the over-the-top matriarch of the Rose family in the Canadian comedy "Schitt's Creek," which ran for six seasons from 2015 to 2020 on CBC in Canada and Pop in the U.S. The entire series has arrived on HBO Max, making it easier than ever to binge the Emmy-winning sitcom about a mega-wealthy family who goes penniless overnight and is forced to retreat to the unfortunately named small town they once purchased as a joke.
It's a regular comfort watch for its mix of humor and heart, the perfect show to spark up on a Sunday when the dread of another busy week looms ahead. And in the wake of O'Hara's passing, "Schitt's Creek" feels like a much-welcome reminder that, despite any challenges ahead, we had it pretty good.
What is 'Schitt's Creek' about?
"Schitt's Creek" follows the moneyed Rose family — video-store magnate Johnny (Eugene Levy), his soap-star wife Moira (Catherine O'Hara) and their flamboyant pair of adult children David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) — who fall into financial destitution after their business manager embezzles the family business. With their fortune gone and their social status in shreds, they're forced to relocate to a motel in the small town of Schitt's Creek, which Johnny had purchased as a joke for his son way back when.
Soon enough, the Roses' lives become hilariously and sweetly entangled with the eccentric townsfolk, including mayor Roland (Chris Elliott) and his wife Jocelyn (Jennifer Robertson), sarcastic motel clerk Stevie (Emily Hampshire), quirky waitress Twyla (played by Eugene's daughter and Dan's sister Sarah Levy, adding to the family affair) and more.
Why should you watch 'Schitt's Creek' on Hulu?
One of the only four sitcoms to take home acting Emmys for each of its main stars (alongside veritable classics like "All in the Family," "Golden Girls" and "Will & Grace") "Schitt's Creek" struck comedy gold with the chemistry and connection with its fictional Rose family, fueled by the longtime camaraderie between Levy and O'Hara as well as the familial love between Levy and his real-life son and series co-creator Dan.
That natural ease and clear affection amongst the actors adds to the overall comforting vibes of the comedy, with the Roses experiencing surprising personal growth and a stronger emotional bond to each other over the course of six seasons. And the laughs are aplenty, too, much of them coming from O'Hara's incredible physical comedy and always perplexing diction choices as mom Moira.
Witty and warm, "Schitt's Creek" earned a perfect-100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for much of its run; season 4's critical consensus reads: "The comedic real estate value rises for 'Schitt's Creek' in its fourth year, the series gradually maturing into appointment viewing with a big, beating heart beneath its absurdity."
Watch "Schitt's Creek" on HBO Max now
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