By the genuinely great Season 3, Schitt's Creek has managed to improve so much since its premiere. While Season 4 isn't quite as good as its predecessor, its high points manage to be some of the highest in the whole show.
When two characters get together on a TV show, the writers seem to have a hard time making them interesting. A lot of people seem to just care about the will-they-won't-they part, with the actual dating part generally being put on the sideline. However, with David and Patrick's relationship, the main focus of Season 4, that absolutely isn't the case. Rather, their new relationship is just the beginning. Throughout the rest of the series, you get to see David and Patrick grow as people with the help and support of each other, both having to adjust to a relationship that's really new for the both of them (David's first long relationship, Patrick's first gay relationship). The highlight of the season is the stretch of episodes from Open Mic to The Olive Branch, which has David confront his rough dating life and show the same devotion to his relationship that Patrick did just a few episodes earlier. It's emotional, surprising, sometimes funny, but ultimately as heartwarming as Schitt's Creek at its best. I also quite liked the continuation of Stevie's and Alexis's storylines, with the both of them progressing their careers in some way. The former's is especially memorable as this season introduces the theme that Stevie is an unofficial member of the Rose family, which I always thought was really sweet (I'm a big fan of found families in TV).
Sadly, for the rest of the characters, their storylines aren't quite as strong. Roland is at his best when he's a bit more in the background (Seasons 2 and 3), so the decision to have him get a job at the motel gave him more screentime than I really wanted from him. Jocelyn learns she's pregnant early on in the season, and while this storyline has its cute moments, it's also just a fairly generic pregnancy plot, going through all of the typical tropes like gender reveal, baby shower, and birth at the worst possible time in the season finale. Alexis and Ted's love triangle with Heather wasn't all that amazing either (except for maybe their kiss in the finale), especially given how far more compelling and in-depth the David/Patrick stuff was. And I think that's just a big problem with this season in particular, most of the storylines feel kind of predictable and unoriginal, especially knowing how genuinely subversive and mature this series can be at its best (Open Mic, or Presidential Suite, or Happy Anniversary!). I even found the finale to be less impactful than the last two just because I felt like I could map out every plot point a few minutes in. Thankfully, the writing has improved so much that it still managed to carry even the weaker storylines, and the acting is just as strong as ever. I'll also say that Schitt's Creek won't have this problem in this final seasons, this was just a Season 4 issue.
At its best, Season 4 has some of the show's best episodes yet, especially around the middle area:
Open Mic: Easily the best episode yet, Open Mic is Schitt's Creek at its most heartwarming best. Every single plot thread here is just so cute. Johnny changing the name to Rosebud Motel for Stevie is a really kind decision to show that he's not going to just leave her in the dust. Moira accidentally learning the gender of Jocelyn's baby is genuinely really funny. And of course, this is the episode that made "The Best" by Tina Turner the song for David and Patrick (It also revealed that Noah Reid has a killer voice and made thousands of fans want a boyfriend like Patrick).
The Barbecue: There are two "gut punch" episodes in Schitt's Creek and this is the first of the two. The Barbecue catches you so off-guard because it seems so unassuming at first. Alexis makes a new friend, Patrick is helping Johnny use a grill, everything seems fine. And then we learn Alexis's new friend is Patrick's ex-fiancee, bringing all of David's anxieties, insecurities, and disastrous dating life to the surface. The fight between David and Patrick is crushing yet incredibly well-written, easily one of the show's best executed dramatic scenes.
The Olive Branch: The whole episode is fun on its own, setting up the Singles Week storyline for the end of the season and having a hilarious subplot about Stevie being forced to wear makeup, but the real highlight is obviously the resolution to Patrick and David's big storyline. David lip syncing "The Best" back to Patrick perfectly toes the line between hysterical, genuine, and just plain adorable. But it's also a great piece of character development since it's one of the first times David really lets his guard down.
Singles Week: While I did find this finale to be a bit on the disappointing side, Singles Week still nailed the emotional moments incredibly well. Moira dropping everything to help Jocelyn, Ted rushing to Singles Week to kiss Alexis, David telling Patrick he loves him, this is still a very satisfying finale in spite of everything. I especially love how it demonstrates the growth Alexis has went through, managing to hold a successful Singles Week all by herself.
Overall, Season 4 of Schitt's Creek might be a bit predictable at times compared to the rest of the show, but the writing and acting continues to improve, and David and Patrick's relationship is easily one of the best-written in television.
3/5 Stars
No comments:
Post a Comment