It's not easy for a TV show to latch onto the public and become a mainstream success. Some series are lightning in a bottle right away, while some never catch on, and others take some time to build up steam and an audience. The journey that Schitt’s Creek has taken is extremely atypical.
The unassuming comedy was a confident sleeper hit in its home country of Canada, but it wasn't on the radar at all outside of the country. Schitt’s Creek did what few export shows are capable of doing and actually became a bigger hit once it left its original sandbox. Now the comedy is in the unique situation where its sixth and final season is the show's most successful and it's never been more popular. Schitt’s Creek has been on a strange journey and is about to end on top. Now, let's take a look at some of the things that went on behind the scenes.
15 Catherine O'Hara Uses A Book Of Antiquated Phrases To Punch Up Her Dialogue
Catherine O'Hara's Moira Rose is easily one of the most entertaining characters on Schitt’s Creek, but much of her appeal comes from the bizarre and mock-sophisticated way that she pronounces certain words. In order to take this character affectation one step further, Catherine O'Hara acquired a book from her makeup artist titled Foyle's Philavery: A Treasure of Unusual Words. It’s full of old fashioned words that she peppers into her dialogue whenever possible.
14 Poking Fun At Mental Health Is The One Line Eugene Levy Won't Cross
It’s always interesting to see what the line is for some comedians and performers. For Eugene Levy, the seasoned actor is not willing to poke fun at something as debilitating as depression. "There's nothing truly innately funny about wallowing in depression," states Levy. So, when there was a scene where Johnny gets so depressed that he starts to scream off a cliff, Eugene Levy refused to film it. He'll pretty much play ball with anything else.
13 Moira’s Accent Was A Mystery And O’Hara Didn’t Reveal It Until Filming Began
Schitt’s Creek is one of the ultimate “fish out of water” stories and it’s deeply entertaining to watch the Rose family slowly acclimate to their new surroundings. The Roses certainly stand out, but Moira is especially unusual due to her over-the-top, pretentious accent that puts emphasis in unnecessary places and turns simple words into pieces of art. Catherine O’Hara didn’t expose this trait to the cast during table reads or anything and surprised them all with it once filming was underway and it’s since become a trademark of the character.
12 Dan Levy Claims The Last Episode "Wrote Itself" And Finished In Less Than A Day
Dan Levy had such a clear vision for the end of Schitt’s Creek right from the start. As he headed into the final seasons, this picture became even clearer and was put in motion since season five. When it got time to actually getting to the finale, Levy had thought about it so much and spent so much time building to that point that he was able to turn out the series finale's script in less than half a day. He says it wasn't just incredibly easy, but validation that it was the right and proper ending for the show.
11 Abby Elliott Originally Played Alexis, And Annie Murphy Auditioned For Stevie
Annie Murphy does a sublime job as Alexis Rose, but in the show’s original pilot it was actually Abby Elliott who was in the role and Murphy had auditioned for the role of Stevie. When Schitt’s Creek progressed past a pilot into a series, Elliott’s availability had changed and when she could no longer fill the part, Murphy was asked to replace her, which she’s expertly done.
10 It Was Eugene Levy’s Idea To Get Catherine O’Hara To Play Moira
One of the most satisfying aspects of Schitt’s Creek is the casting of the Rose family. Everyone plays their roles to perfection, but Moira, the matriarch of the family, was a part that was never set in stone for Catherine O’Hara. In fact, O’Hara’s former co-star, Eugene Levy, was the one who suggested her for the role. Dan Levy didn’t disagree with the idea, but it’s not as if he wrote the role with her in mind.
9 Dan Levy Had An Emotional Breakdown While Filming The Final Episode
It’s always a very emotional time when long-running series come to an end, but Dan Levy had an especially tough time during the final day of Schitt’s Creek’s production. Levy is deeply entrenched in the series as he didn’t just create the show, but he also writes, produces, and stars in it. Even though Levy was well-prepared for the show’s finale he still cried for five hours straight, suffered a massive headache from the sadness, and every tiny gesture that he’d never get to do again as David just broke him.
8 Annie Murphy Being A Brunette Nearly Cost Her The Gig
Alexis Rose is kind of the epitome of the “dumb blonde” stereotype, even if there are layers to the character. Annie Murphy’s work as Alexis is iconic, but initially Eugene Levy had a very hard time seeing her in the role because she’s a brunette. Levy just couldn’t picture Murphy as a blonde and as a result really struggled to see her in the role. It got to the point where Dan Levy actually had to tape blond hair on Murphy’s pictures to help him visualize her in the part.
7 Moira And David's Christmas Duet Was Originally A Solo
A very enjoyable and memorable scene from Schitt’s Creek is when Moira and David perform a duet together during the holiday times. Initially in this scene it was just supposed to be Moira singing, but Catherine O'Hara thought it'd be good if David joined in, too. Dan Levy was incredibly nervous over performing, but O'Hara even recorded her singing and sent it to Dan so he could practice on harmonizing with it. The scene is a classic and it’s much better with them working together rather than it just being a Moira moment.
6 Annie Murphy Co-Wrote The "A Little Bit Alexis" Theme With Her Husband
Schitt’s Creek makes reference to a past chapter from Alexis’ life where she had a reality series called “A Little Bit Alexis.” This detail was even a character detail that Dan and Eugene Levy had put into their original pitch document for the character. They let Annie write the show’s theme, which she performs, but she also had the help from her musician husband, Menno Versteeg, who leads the band Hollerado. The song is largely inspired by the works of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. It’s even available on iTunes.
5 Dan Levy Wanted The Show's LBGTQ+ Representation To Just Be There, Not The Focus
Dan Levy was very particular on how he didn't want the show’s representation of LBGTQ+ communities to be character defining or the focus, but rather just natural traits for individuals. He didn’t want them to be a big deal because they’re truly not a big deal. They’re just a part of life. This is conveyed beautifully through David and Patrick's relationship and Eugene Levy's favorite episode of the series is even the one where Patrick comes out to his parents due to how touching and authentic it feels.
4 Annie Murphy Developed Alexis’ Vocal Fry From Studying Reality TV Stars Like Kim Kardashian
There are so many small details that go into each actor’s performances to bring the Roses to life, but Annie Murphy did a very atypical kind of research to help nail down Alexis’ character. Murphy watched tons of episodes of reality television and clips on YouTube to properly get her character’s vocal fry and affectations down. Murphy studied people like the Kardashians, Lindsay Lohan, and the Olsen twins to refine her performance, which Murphy claimed to be torturous, but she forced herself to do it.
3 Moira’s Many Rotating Wigs Was Catherine O’Hara’s Idea
There are many eccentric details that make the Roses such a fascinating and entertaining family. One of the most surprising and weird aspects of Moira’s character is that she has a wealth of wigs that she loves to show off as a sign of affluence and fashion. This detail was Catherine O’Hara’s own idea and as the show has gone on she’s taken the quirk to progressively extreme places.
2 Patrick's Cover Of "Simply The Best" Was Actually Composed By Noah Reid
The relationship between David and Patrick is such a tender aspect of Schitt’s Creek and even though the series can have a mean streak at times, this romance has been a consistent sweet spot. One of the biggest moments between the couple is a super touching scene where Patrick covers Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” for David. It’s a great performance, but it turns out that Noah Reid, Patrick’s actor, actually composed this new arrangement of the song in addition to playing it. The scene was also so sweet it repeatedly brought O'Hara to tears while filming.
1 Alexis’ Trademark Hand Gesture Is Based Off Of The Kardashians
Sometimes character details can be so subtle or unusual that they’re not even obvious until they’re pointed out. A lot goes into each of these characters, but Annie Murphy’s intense look into reality television also helped her develop one of Alexis’ best and strangest qualities. Alexis has a tendency to hold her hand out in an unusual way. This touch is inspired by the Kardashians and how they hold their handbags, only Murphy does it without the handbag.