When I heard Schitt’s Creek was doing a holiday special, I was curious how they would deal with the family’s Jewish identity. Would there be an offhand mention of Hanukkah? Would they pretend like they weren’t Jewish at all? What would happen!?! Schitt’s Creek is the best show to watch in these terrible times, so I was grateful we were getting a bonus episode, but I was also a little nervous.
I shouldn’t have been worried.
At the start of the Schitt’s Creek holiday special, Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) walks into the shared bedroom of his kids, David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy), and declares he wants to throw a Christmas party like they used to.
“We have to make new memories! We have to start looking forward, not backward,” he tells his annoyed family. He delegates tasks, enthusiastic even though it’s already Christmas Eve.
Moira (Catherine O’Hara) tells him, “Look at you, Mr. Rose. Seemingly possessed by the Christmas spirit.”
His response? “That reminds me! Somebody needs to find the menorah.”
And so sets the scene for a delightfully interfaith episode of Schitt’s Creek. We learn that Johnny is Jewish, Moira is Christian (possibly… unclear what Moira is), and they used to throw epic Christmas parties on Christmas Eve. Johnny — who had been alone at the end of the parties, with his family members scattered — hopes to start a new tradition of spending the day with family. Even though he is Jewish, Christmas Eve represents a time of tradition and family coming together. Which is something we can all get behind, no?
Keeping with the interfaith vibe of the episode, we then cut to David’s shop, Rose Apothecary. Stevie (Emily Hampshire) walks in and wishes Patrick (Noah Reid) “Merry Christmas, Patrick.” David, obviously, is incensed that he doesn’t get a “Merry Christmas.”
(Go, Stevie, not just wishing everyone “Merry Christmas”!)
David’s response?
“I’m a delightful half-half situation, which is why it’s so annoying my dad thinks he can boss people around on a holiday that he technically has no authority over.”
Which is such a lovely way to define interfaith identity! “I’m a delightful half-half situation!”
It’s also very classic David that he’s upset over his dad bossing people around on a holiday that is not technically his.
I won’t spoil the rest of the episode for you — you can watch it online here — but it does end with a funny joke centering on the menorah.
