I, like the rest of Canada, was pleasantly surprised in seeing Schitt’s Creek pick up seven Emmy Awards this past weekend. I was not surprised that the show won an Emmy rather I was excited to see the show sweep all the comedy awards. That has to be unheard of! However, when you think about it more, this show is now the gold standard for Canadian television and it shows that Canadians can produce good television.

I will admit I was late to the party with this show. My wife and I decided to watch it on Netflix, but it is a great series for a few reasons.

Superb acting. I have enjoyed watching Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara going back to the 1980s and watching SCTV. Chris Elliott is also another great cast member and superb actor. I do not know if this is the case but in the beginning it seemed that the show relied more on these actors and then as it progressed and the characters of David and Alexis grew, same with many others like Stevie and Twyla, that the show focused more on them and allowed Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara take a step back.

The character development is meaningful. I do not think there was a character that started and ended the show in the same way. All of the characters grew in some meaningful way. Considering how much writing and thought had to go into the development of these characters, it is an impressive feat.

There are some sweet moments. I am not going to spoil anything but one of the best moments of the series for me came when David serenades Patrick to Tina Turner’s “The Best.” It is a cute moment and really shows the growth of David as he figures out his life and what he wants.

It shows what Canadian television can be. For a long time Canadian television was not that good at creating good television. That is changing, and has changed even in my lifetime, but there is a long way to go. Schitt’s Creek shows what can be possible when you have a mostly Canadian cast, allow them the space to develop the show properly, and it is supported by the CBC with marketing. It is hard to find shows like this to develop but more Schitt’s Creek-type shows is always welcomed.

I won’t go on but I will end this post by suggesting that you watch the show if you have not already. It is great comedy and you won’t regret it.

Have you watched it? Tell me more about your favourite scenes and characters in the comments section below.

Header photo is courtesy of CBC.ca.