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Schitt's Creek wrapped up its final season last month and officially cemented itself as one of the greatest sitcoms of the modern era. With memorable characters, iconic lines and some of the sweetest moments in an otherwise absurd comedy, it has gone from an underrated gem to a full-blown instant comedy classic.
It's almost impossible to choose a favorite episode from the bunch — it's like picking a favorite bébé, but after a dozen or so rewatches of the full series, I've come to a top ten best episodes of Schitt's Creek. Here we go:
“Actually, those boys did burn a bridge last summer. Luckily they don't get as bored as they used to.”
— Twyla
As you'll see, almost every season finale made it on this list and it's not hard to see why. Schitt's Creek is at its best when pivots from absurdist comedy to heartwarming character study. And while the first two seasons lean on a comedy of manners for its storylines, “Happy Anniversary” starts to see the heartwarming edge that has made Schitt's Creek so addicting.
Schitt's Creek is a story about broken people realizing they're broken and slowly healing and we begin to see that healing in this episode. The ending, which is one of those uplifting moments that fill you up with hope, finds the Roses breaking down their hard surfaces and finally letting themselves admit their love for each other, which is one of three times David (Dan Levy) has said: “I love you,” as he mentions in “Singles Week” (see below).
Best moment: In the first of many heartwarming scenes in the show's history, the entire cast dancing together in Mutt's barn is one of Schitt's Creek‘s great moments.
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“But there will be a safe word in case the gaggle of asymmetrical faces becomes too much.”
— Moira
Very few episodes revolve around a single storyline, but when it does happen they tend to be great. “Meet the Parents” starts off with a classic misunderstanding that triggers a perfect setup to explore sexuality, acceptance, and coming out.
Patrick's (Noah Reid) coming out is so refreshing because the show is careful to remove any risk for the viewers by letting us know that it will all work out in the end. However, it doesn't stop the show from teaching us a very important lesson. Coming out is a very personal journey that should be done on a person's own terms. Schitt's Creek greatest strength is teaching us those lessons without every feeling like it's teaching us anything.
Best moment: Patrick's coming out scene is one of the show's best moments.
“Ew, Ted. What am I? Thirty-two?”
— Alexis
“The Hike” has three storylines that never cross, but fundamentally test the relationship each character has to each other. There's Moira (Catherine O'Hara) and Stevie (Emily Hampshire) who deal with Johnny's (Eugene Levy) health scare — and as we know Moira doesn't deal with pressure well, Ted (Dustin Milligan) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) discussing their future, and, of course, David and Patrick taking the next step in their relationship.
And while some very serious conversations and events happen in the episode, it never loses its hilarious slapstick comedy that makes the show a delight to watch. Of course, though, it's the pivot from those moments to moments of genuine growth and emotion that make the show great and David and Patrick's picnic is one of the best.
Best moment: Is that even a question? Look above.
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“Don't answer that! Was it? Don't.”
— Patrick
What makes a great series finale? For me, it's a mix of smart callbacks, classic setups that feel familiar to the show, and an ending that says life goes on. In that case, “Happy Ending” is a perfect series finale. Without hounding us with awkward fan service and instead intelligently reminding us of our favorite moments, Schitt's Creek gives us a chance to say goodbye to every one of our favorite characters while bidding them farewell to hopeful futures.
However, what makes it a truly great finale is that it feels like the best version of an episode of the show. It deals with comical misunderstandings, the best Moira-sims, Johnny troubleshooting an issue, and a classic Schitt's Creek tender moment of love. You laugh, you cry, you swoon, and you cheer. That's what this show does best.
Best moment: I don't think I've laughed harder at anything than Moira's entrance into the wedding.
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“Okay, no, worst case scenario I watch improve.”
— David
“Open Mic” contains one of most iconic, if not the most, iconic moments in Schitt's Creek as Patrick serenades David with a cover of Tina Turner's “Simply the Best.” And the reason that moment is so iconic is that so many queer stories and romances are told through the lens of tragedy and sacrifice. This scene lets us see ourselves as the romantic leads in our own rom-com like any other kind of couple. It's truly a watershed moment in queer television history.
However, “Open Mic” makes it onto this list because all three storylines harmonize into a hilarious episode filled with classic sitcom setups that also find a way to subtly move the story for each character forward.
Best moment:
“Oh my god, John! Don't forget to wash its hands.”
— Moira
While most of the entries on this list have some of the show's most noteworthy or heartwarming moments, it's the episodes that are just having silly fun I come back to most. No episode is a better example than “Housewarming,” which puts all the Roses and their respective partners in uncomfortable situations.
Moira and Johnny are tasked with caring for Jocelyn and Roland's bébé, which leads to some of the funniest lines and line deliveries in the show's history. It also gives Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara a chance to show why their partnership has endured for so many years. In the other storyline, we get a perfectly orchestrated sitcom setup when a game of spin to bottle leads to an awkward moment that is pitch-perfect every step of the way.
Best moment: Moira and Johnny trying to change Roland Jr.'s diaper is a masterclass in comedic delivery. So many of my favorite lines from the show come from this scene.
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“Don't start without me you little frippet! You don't have the media training.”
— Moira
Throughout the series, Alexis perhaps makes the biggest 180 of the Rose family by going from selfish and entitled rich girl to a full empathetic and giving woman. After two seasons of making decisions that benefit her, she finally does the most unselfish thing: she lets someone she loves go. That act of selflessness almost demands that she get some satisfaction, which pays off in the most romantic and swoonworthy way in the “Singles Week.”
However, what makes the episode truly great is other storylines. In one mismatched pairing, David helps Ted through his feelings for Alexis and delivers some much needed advice, despite feeling uncomfortable (in the most David-way possible). In the other, Moira brings an in-labor Jocelyn to the hospital threatening her time in the spotlight resulting in this iconic line:
Best moment: Ted's big romantic gesture is as heartwarming as they come.
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“Jocelyn! I'm the one standing on the chair!”
— David
An episode of Schitt's Creek rarely focuses on someone outside the Rose family, but in “Life is a Cabaret” Emily Hampshire‘s Stevie is front and center — both literally and figuratively. In one of the show's most fruitful storylines, Stevie finds herself playing Sally Bowles in Moira's community theater production of Cabaret. And while the idea of Moira directing the show that launched her career is hilarious, it also gives Stevie a chance to reflect on her own life, choices, and desires.
Using the iconic “Maybe it's Time” number as an “I want” song for the character, we explore her feeling of directionless. As Stevie says, “I just wish I wasn't watching it all happen from behind the desk.” It's as profound as the show gets and gives Catherine O'Hara the chance to show a softer side of Moira. All the while, David's engagement news is a hilarious through-line that connects it all.
Best moment: Emily Hampshire deserved an Emmy nomination for her performance of “Maybe it's Time.” It would do Liza Minelli proud.
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“What was I going to say? I just won $92 million?”
— Twyla
While there are certainly plenty of laughs in “Start Spreading the News,” the penultimate episode of Schitt's Creek, it's largely the dramatic fare that makes the episode one of the best of the series. As the series reaches its final episodes, each of the Roses and the people around them are beginning to make progress towards their futures, except for David. For him, his future has always been tied to his old life despite the happiness he's found in this new life. In this episode, we watch him accept with the person he's become and, more importantly, accept happiness.
Moira, Alexis, and David also find a way to acknowledge the relationships they've built in Schitt's Creek. Specifically the Jazzagals, Twyla, and Stevie. “Start Spreading the News” doesn't deliver any specific answers about each of the characters' futures. Instead, it assures us that they will be okay, which is even more profound.
Best moment: There are so many small heartwarming moments in this episode, but none as fully emotional and intelligent as David and Stevie's conversation in front of the house that looks like Kate Winslet's cottage in The Holiday.
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“Maybe there's a job out there that I'm better suited for. And some other like gorgeous, slightly under-qualified girl is sitting at my desk asking herself the same question.”
— Alexis
“Grad Night” is perhaps one of the most important episodes in Schitt's Creek history as it propels the show into its final three seasons. Alexis finally graduates from high school, which is impressive considering she's ten years older than her classmates. More importantly, it begins Alexis on a path to finally find a calling all her own. Moira often underestimates (and sometimes forgets) Alexis, which makes her act of love at the graduation all the more heartwarming and the first crack in her absurd facade.
Meanwhile, this is also the episode that launches our favorite couple into the stratosphere. Patrick and David's storyline in this episode so subtly explores sexuality and how it's a constant discovery process in your own life. Patrick's line, “I've never done that before… with a guy,” cuts warmly into your heart and is the perfect starting point to their love story.
Best moment: This is a tight race between Moira's surprise performance at Alexis' graduation and David and Patrick's first kiss. I'm going to give a slight edge to the kiss because it is an elegant and heartwarming way for Patrick to come out.
There are so many episodes that were painful to leave off, the first of which is “Family Dinner” which has one of my favorite comedic scenes (pictured above). Then, of course, there's David's iconic “Simply the Best” lipsync in “The Olive Branch” which could have easily landed it in the top ten.
There are several episodes that feature Catherine O'Hara giving one of the best comedic performances of all time including “Wine and Roses,“ “Pregnancy Test” and “RIP Moira Rose”. And lastly, more than one episode that has the show's patented heart-tugging moments like “Presidential Suite” and “Girls Night.”
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Hey! I'm Karl. You can find me on Twitter here. I'm also a Tomatometer-approved critic.
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