I've have been a huge fan of Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara since I discovered SCTV in the late 1970s as a pre-teen. I have loved just about every performance they've delivered from the mom in Home Alone to the dad in American Pie, and much more. So, when I saw they were leading an ensemble cast in the CBC / Netflix show, Schitts Creek, I had to see it.
Well, I wasn't disappointed.
Eugene delivers his brilliant and understated humor as the "stable" member of the family, only showing the frailty of his calm demeanor as small chinks in his expressions and those amazing eyebrows - he could (and should) teach a masterclass on the power of the eyebrow in comedy.
Catherine brings back the washed up famous actress character of her SCTV days, but with absolutely perfect depth and background to make her a real person with all the weaknesses, arrogance, fear, and love (and the occasional bout of empathy) that ensures you are never too complacent in your predictions of her reactions. She maintains the character, even in the expression she carries with her, throughout every scene we see her, even when she is merely in the background with no lines.
Together they are genius. The rest of the acting is standard sitcom fodder, but those two carry the bulk of the depth and ensure the writing is presented at its best.
Overall, the show is lighthearted, predictable, and completely throw away in terms of value. But the humor is infectious with the lack of laugh-track adding to its appeal. Like Corner Gas, they have perfected the timing for a show where pauses cannot be inserted for the audience to laugh and ensure that the viewer realizes that stupid line was meant to be a joke. I love it.
I recommend it.
On a personal note, watching Catherine perform as Moira Rose is like watching my ex-wife, Sunday. In every way from expressions, reactions when faced with diverse & challenging situations, ambivalence, and desperate need to gain fame or attention, makes watching this show very therapeutic for me. I am watching a woman who is the exactly like my ex-wife, but older.
Well, I wasn't disappointed.
Eugene delivers his brilliant and understated humor as the "stable" member of the family, only showing the frailty of his calm demeanor as small chinks in his expressions and those amazing eyebrows - he could (and should) teach a masterclass on the power of the eyebrow in comedy.
Catherine brings back the washed up famous actress character of her SCTV days, but with absolutely perfect depth and background to make her a real person with all the weaknesses, arrogance, fear, and love (and the occasional bout of empathy) that ensures you are never too complacent in your predictions of her reactions. She maintains the character, even in the expression she carries with her, throughout every scene we see her, even when she is merely in the background with no lines.
Together they are genius. The rest of the acting is standard sitcom fodder, but those two carry the bulk of the depth and ensure the writing is presented at its best.
Overall, the show is lighthearted, predictable, and completely throw away in terms of value. But the humor is infectious with the lack of laugh-track adding to its appeal. Like Corner Gas, they have perfected the timing for a show where pauses cannot be inserted for the audience to laugh and ensure that the viewer realizes that stupid line was meant to be a joke. I love it.
I recommend it.
On a personal note, watching Catherine perform as Moira Rose is like watching my ex-wife, Sunday. In every way from expressions, reactions when faced with diverse & challenging situations, ambivalence, and desperate need to gain fame or attention, makes watching this show very therapeutic for me. I am watching a woman who is the exactly like my ex-wife, but older.
