Like the majority of multi-series shows, Schitt’s Creek is not without a little love story or two. But when we speak of great sitcom love stories, it’s usually the romantic ones that get the mention. We’re talking the Ross and Rachel (Friends), the Mitchell and Cam (Modern Family) and the Ben and Leslie (Parks and Recreation). Yet, one of the greatest on Schitt’s Creek doesn’t come with romance, it’s simply a perfect friendship.
We’re first introduced to David Rose (Dan Levy), a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, when we see his family’s mansion being repossessed, and like the rest of the Rose family, he is in the middle of a meltdown. Finding out that they are now bankrupt, and their only remaining asset is a small town named Schitt’s Creek (which they bought as a joke), the Roses are forced to relocate there. This is where David first meets Stevie Budd (Emily Hampshire), the ‘90s grunge inspired motel clerk at where they now call home. In true privileged fashion, David goes to the front desk to inquire if there is a “business center” at the motel to which Stevie sarcastically quips that he can find it “right beside the Hammam Spa.” This scene instantly sets the tone for the type of playful banter their relationship will thrive on. But after a very brief brush with something non-platonic, set off by a drunken night together, they decide they are just better off as friends.
While they come from entirely different backgrounds, with David being born into wealth and luxury, and Stevie having lived out her days as a small-town girl, we get to see they are actually remarkably similar people. Both are searching for meaning in their lives. Stevie has become almost numb to her repetitive working days, with very little else going on, while David has finally had to come face to face with his inner demons now that he no longer has the comfort of his lavish lifestyle to distract him. David’s struggles remind the viewer that insecurities are universal, and that money doesn’t always change that, it simply masks them better. We come to see that both these characters feel very much alone in the world. Cue the start of a beautiful friendship.
Throughout the series they go through all the typical friend scenarios; road trips, helping each other through heartbreak, and getting into an accidental throuple situation (okay, so it isn’t all typical). But a turning point in their relationship is reached in Season 4, when we see a vulnerable David admit to Stevie that, in the past, the more he revealed of himself “the less interested people got” and that he now realizes she’s the “best friend” he ever had. This is the moment that we witness their relationship go from just a well-suited friendship to a genuine love story.
Of course, there are many love stories to speak of throughout the show, from the changing coupledoms, to the newly developed bond between the Rose family, as well as the comradeship within the Schitt’s Creek community as a whole. However, David and Stevie’s friendship may just have the edge, since they seem to be the missing piece for each other. Although the other members of the Rose family – Johnny (Eugene Levy), Moira (Catherine O’Hara), and Alexis (Annie Murphy) - change for the better also, David’s is one of the most significant journeys because he finally finds peace within himself. And his relationship with Stevie is an important catalyst for that. Sure, she may poke fun at him along the way, but what’s a little cruel to be kind talk between friends?
But while the Roses are the ones most in need of personal growth, it seemed Stevie needs a little of her own too. Stevie starts her journey on the show being a fairly cynical loner working in her family’s motel. She has basically just accepted a life of unfulfillment. However, all that changes when the Roses come to town. In David, she finds a kindred spirit in which she can be herself (rude, which she takes as a compliment by David) and still be loved for it. By the end of the series, we see this tomboy turning into a successful businesswoman when she and the Rose family Patriarch, Johnny, join forces to co-own The Rosebud Motel. What’s so special about this character is that she never loses her authentic self, she simply gains a more confident, optimistic version of it.
Although friendships are often a part of the sitcom formula, many remain surface level, leaving more screen time for couples to flourish. However, Schitt’s Creek makes room for an equal amount of deep, touching moments to be channeled through a platonic relationship and perhaps this is something we’ll see more of in the future. This award-winning show clearly has plenty of heart, but David and Stevie’s friendship proves that the best on-screen love stories don’t always have to be romantic. They don’t always have to encompass grand gestures and schmaltzy dialogue. Sometimes they can simply be two people that truly get each other.