By the time that Schitt’s Creek aired the final episode of its final season on April 7, 2020, viewers had traveled a long way with the Rose family. Of course, the setup was perfect. We’d seen them suddenly transformed from being extremely rich to being on the breadline and living in a motel in a town which father Johnny Rose had bought in his wealthy days for its funny name alone.
But this was more than just another Canadian comedy – it was one that gradually received more and more plaudits as the seasons progressed, even getting a glowing end-of-run review in The New Yorker.
There may have been many highlights over the eighty episodes, but five really stood out.
Family Dinner (Season 2, Episode 2)
Despite never exactly been the greatest or most attentive mother, Moira Rose decides that she’s going to make her famous enchiladas. The problem is that no-one can ever remember her making them in the past, and nor can she. There’s also the question of how to prepare them in the motel room’s microwave… but things turn out okay in the end.
Motel Review (Season 3, Episode 8)
In a world when a disgruntled guest can ruin any motel’s reputation, it pays to be polite and attentive. Unfortunately, in his episode, Moira has been given the job of receptionist and needs a few lessons in customer care. So, when a guest starts posting negative comments, she needs to overcome her initial fury and create a complex backstory to put things right.
Rock On (Season 5, Episode 6)
When the Poison concert the Jazzagals were due to attend at the local casino is canceled, they decide to go anyway. It turns out that they might have been better staying home and taking advantage of an online casino bonus in Canada instead. That way, they would have been able to claim free spins and welcome bonuses to play instead of spending a night in the casino that’s not as entertaining as they hoped, instead listening to Jocelyn as she reveals her rocking past.
Open Mic (Season 4, Episode 6)
It was never a program to shy away from sentimentality, and the episode when Patrick persuades David to hold an open mic night at the apothecary is a classic example of this. The centerpiece of the event was when Patrick, played by pro singer Noah Reid, serenades his business and life partner with Simply the Best. In a show that always quietly championed LBGTQ+ rights, this was a standout moment.
Start Spreading the News (Season 6, Episode 13)
We had to end with this one. The episode where it all finally comes right for the Roses – David’s happily married, Alexis has a career in PR, Johnny’s motel chain is growing and Moira’s back on TV again. Plus, there’s the shock revelation that café owner Twyla has been keeping a $46 million lottery win a secret all the time the Roses have known her.
It really was the perfect conclusion to the story, with all the loose ends tied up and nothing more left to say.