Why Schitt’s Creek had its moment
And why that moment needs to last
“Its funny. When I look at that portrait right now, I find myself wondering ‘were we really that happy back then?’”
On the “Friends and Family” episode, Schitt’s Creek parents Johnny and Moira Rose are walking home, having just proudly attended their son’s store’s packed grand opening, and learned their daughter had passed her high school graduation exams.
Moira responds . . . “Yes.” Johnny slowly agrees, and they talk about what they miss (mostly material goods) from that past life — reflected in that larger-than-life pretentious family portrait.
As Schitt’s Creek was becoming one of our most popular shows, we were deep in the midst of the pandemic. And we missed the old America we imagined in a portrait from before COVID-19: a place that in retrospect, in comparison, seemed so stable and so safe. Our nation was distracted by a booming stock market and (very unevenly) growing economy.
We did too little to address what wasn’t in our idealized portrait: loneliness hitting an all-time high, happiness and life expectancy in decline, and deep inequities.
Schitt’s Creek had a moment because it showed us how to paint a better, realer picture. Like the Roses just arriving in the only place they had left to go, we felt unmoored and insecure. But at the same time, like Johnny Rose, we were starting to see the old portrait a bit more clearly.
As viewers joining the Roses in a small Canadian backwater, we saw an authentic American dream anchored in those things that matter most, those things that bring true joy. Trusting, deep relationships; purpose; fun.
The Roses arrived in Schitt’s Creek believing they were “roses” in Schitt’s Creek — but having neither real friends nor even strong relationships with each other. In their new home — with more balance and less rush, they built deeper connections. They started to reveal their vulnerabilities. They realized they weren’t better than anyone else in town — at the same time that people in town showed the Roses they were better than they had realized.
We recognized the importance of real relationships in a time when it was harder physically to be with loved ones. We learned the importance of being vulnerable to have meaningful relationships and support as we navigated the epidemic of anxiety, depression and stress embedded in this pandemic. Zooms with yelling children in the background meant we couldn’t hide as much as we could in the still portrait anyway.
We also had much needed laughs alongside our friends: the Schitt’s Creek cast.
The Roses really struggled at first, but became stronger and happier as they experienced post traumatic growth. Rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns remain far higher than pre-pandemic levels. This may be partly because for far too many people, the COVID-19 pandemic remains pure tragedy or waste. Finding meaning amidst COVID-19 can help.
My birth mother’s COVID-19 hospitalization, and her loneliness in assisted living and hospital facilities with limited visitation, both contributed to her passing last year. We cannot minimize the true, deep tragedies we have experienced. We cannot ignore the deepening of divisions. But somehow, some small part of addressing our national mental health crisis must be following the Roses’ example and rewriting the story of this time: finding meaning and fostering post-traumatic growth.
Here are some sources of meaning I see: the pandemic exposed how broken some systems were — and we responded with significant increases in child care investments[1]; increased wages for our most underpaid workers (including those early educators); a reckoning with loneliness; and renewed focus on supporting strong mental health. We remember how difficult it was socially distancing from loved ones — and can make extra efforts to connect now. There is so much more work to be done — but we can’t ignore all we have accomplished together.
Just before Johnny’s question, Moira had suggested throwing away the old portrait. “It doesn’t fit, John. . . . We aren’t those people anymore.” At the end of the episode, the Roses gather for one last look at the painting, now sticking out of a dumpster — and then they walk away.
Now that the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency has officially ended, we aren’t the same people anymore either. As we prepare to leave our old false portrait behind, here’s hoping we can recognize our post-traumatic growth, and begin to feel a little bit lighter. Here’s hoping we can find space to start building a new, better, more joyful American dream. One that fits much better.
Please leave your comments below —where have you found meaning in this pandemic?
This is the fifteenth post about boosting joy the only way we can: in community. Whether you’re increasing your personal joy; making your community the next Finland; saving democracy; or just a friend reading along, this column is for you. Please share and subscribe. To join our movement, please send me an email or support East Boston Social Centers: https://www.ebsocialcenters.org/support
[1] Much more remains to be done. In Massachusetts, check out https://commonstartma.org/ to learn more about what we can do.
