The Rose family’s transition from rich to poor occurred in the opening minutes of the series, leaving the rest of the show to give the family the chance to come to terms with a less luxurious life and to grow as people (rather than stay as indulged, overgrown children). Created by Eugene and Daniel Levy, the writing on the series was most lauded as the show’s best asset, alongside its hilarious cast of characters. Here are our picks for the best Schitt’s Creek characters and what makes each one such a standout in the show.
8. Roland Schitt
Roland was the Mayor of Schitt’s Creek and a member of the town’s founding family. Played by Chris Elliott, Roland was a constant nuisance to the Rose family with his aggravating nature and general stupidity. He was particularly obsessed with Johnny, and their dynamic was a highlight of the series. Johnny owning the town while Roland remained Mayor created a funny platform for the pair to build on. In later seasons, Roland toned down his annoying personality and became good friends with the Rose family, though he retained the moronic traits that defined his character.
7. Jocelyn Schitt
As Roland’s wife, Jocelyn didn’t always have it easy. She wasn’t the same kind of person as her husband—meaning, she wasn’t a rambling idiot. You always got the sense that Jocelyn dumbed herself down most of the time, never liking to rock the boat with her personal thoughts. That made Jocelyn a vastly more interesting character, who she often passively-aggressively pushed people around to do what she wanted. Jocelyn’s relationship with Moira was a wonderfully whimsical thrill-ride as the pair grew into close friends, but always with a hint of aggression.
6. Twyla Sands
Twyla was a hard person to read. If you took her at face value for who she appeared to be on the surface, she was a bumpkin who gladly swam through life with a smile and ignorance. But Twyla was savvier than she initially appeared. She often helped out the Rose family with their problems and became best friends with Alexis throughout the series—even after Alexis got Twyla to break up with Mutt so she could date him during the early days of the series. In the end, Twyla (played brilliantly by Sarah Levy) was more than she ever appeared, revealing to Alexis that she had actually won the lottery some years prior but never spent any of the money on herself. That right there sums up the heart of the character.
5. Johnny Rose
Portrayed by Eugene Levy, Johnny was head of the Rose family and the member who struggled the most to find a way to fit in during their time in Schitt’s Creek. Johnny was constantly trying to think of the next big idea that would put him—and the family—back on top. For the first few seasons, he never got anywhere. While the rest of his family settled into life, he found it hard to do the same. However, when Johnny began working with Stevie at the motel, he found his purpose and a way to build a business empire once again.
4. Alexis Rose
As the daughter of Moira and Johnny Rose, Alexis was the one in the Rose family who had the most growing up to do. She began the series as a young woman who had no idea of what to do or where to point her life, having had everything handed to her by her parents previously. As the show went on, we saw Alexis make several questionable decisions in her romantic and professional life, but those decisions improved as she grew as a person. Her last moments with her boyfriend Ted were some of the show’s most emotional moments, as they admit their love for each other but know they can’t stay together due to life circumstances. It’s a testament to Annie Murphy’s talent and embodiment of the character that Alexis grew as much as she did during the run of Schitt’s Creek, as her performance became one of the series’ best.
3. Stevie Budd
Stevie began life in the show as the motel’s only employee and deadpan character who knew the town’s less-desirable qualities. However, Emily Hampshire’s performance as Stevie only got better as the series went forward. She became David’s lover and then best friend as the pair endured a complex but wonderful relationship during their run. What made Stevie so entertaining is how she became a surrogate daughter to the Rose family. Stevie had endured a tough life, but underneath her hard exterior, she grew to love Johnny, Moira, Alexis and David—who, in turn, loved her back.
2. David Rose
David started the series as the more intelligent of the two Rose siblings and always had a point to make about everybody else’s mistakes, all while making many mistakes of his own. However, it’s because of the time spent together by the family in the motel that David became a better brother and son, learning how to properly interact with his loved ones. During the series’ run, it became apparent that David had always cared deeply for Alexis, often making sure she was okay during her travels long before the events of Schitt’s Creek. In the end, he met Patrick (the love of his life whom he marries) with Stevie (his best friend) by his side and Alexis giving him away.
1. Moira Rose
In terms of sheer comedy value, Moira remains untouchable as the funniest character in Schitt’s Creek. Her obsession with her numerous wigs and her unidentifiable accent were all part of why Catherine O’Hara’s role as Moira is unmissable. She appeared to care only about herself and her well-being more than anything else during her time in Schitt’s Creek. However, in her moments of less-selfish impulses, we saw that she truly adored her family and was very proud of the people her children became. Her outfits and attempts to inspire those around her with well-meaning-yet-useless advice always dialed up to eleven. But while she may learn the least of all the characters in the series, Moira was a free spirit of her own making, unbound by the same constraints of those around her. Read next: Happy Netflix shows to watch when you’re down
