Schitt's Creek's Primetime Emmys sweep was the feel-good story of the night

Los Angeles Times

The Pop TV Canadian comedy set an Emmy record, winning the most Emmys for a comedy in a single year. "The first hour of Sunday’s telecast was essentially a tribute to Schitt’s Creek, which swept the prime-time comedy series awards with seven wins," says Robert Lloyd. "It was named best comedy series. (Catherine) O’Hara and (Eugene) Levy won in the lead acting categories; Dan Levy won as supporting actor and for writing and directing (the latter with Andrew Cividino); and Annie Murphy scored as supporting actress. Earlier in the week, the series won for contemporary costumes and casting for a comedy series." Lloyd adds: "It’s only speculation on my part, but that its origins are modest rather than muscular, in the industrial sense, may have been to the series’ ultimate advantage, keeping it free from Hollywood glossiness and crushing expectations. If the show had been picked up by ABC or AMC or HBO, rather than Pop, its early numbers might have not been enough to keep it alive. At the same time, merely being on Netflix, which airs many series that will never be nominated for anything, was no guarantee of success. But Schitt’s Creek really is special. Its message of acceptance and self-acceptance, of welcoming love where it turns up — even within one’s own family — were just what some of us needed in an angry and divided time: a comedy that could reliably afford you a good cry."

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• Schitt's Creek's Emmy sweep showed the power of comfort TV: "In the five years since Schitt’s Creek began, the world seemed to turn upside-down," says Caroline Framke. "This year alone has seen a whirlwind of political turmoil, raging wildfires and a worldwide pandemic of catastrophic proportions. Even just picking up your phone becomes a practice in steeling yourself to prepare for whatever fresh new horror awaits in your notifications. And now, of course, many of us are withstanding it all without the comfort of other people, sitting in our homes until further notice awaiting a vaccine that may or may not arrive. Getting from day to day can be overwhelming, demoralizing, and utterly exhausting. Schitt’s Creek has been a delightful escape for years now, but in 2020, it seemed to become even more of a refuge for viewers who would much rather live in the gentle world of Schitt’s Creek than their own. So yes, the absolute, total sweep breaks with tradition in a big, startling way. But in the context of this no good, very bad year, watching the Emmys shower this nice show about nice people with awards is as logical as 2020 will ever get."
• Eugene Levy says Schitt's Creek's Emmys party had to downsize suddenly due to a Toronto COVID spike
• Five reasons Schitt's Creek is perfect, Emmy-winning TV