Schitt’s Creek was initially released in 2015 on the Canadian Broadcasting System (Zarum, 2020). Dan and Eugene Levy created the show with a very specific idea that they described as “niche” (Adalian, 2020). They met with producers at other large studios, like ABC, but ended up choosing the CBC due to the creative freedom they would have there and the passion that producers showed about the show’s idea (Adalian, 2020). Fast forward about five years and we have the Schitt’s Creek shown today — the one with a cult following, dedicated fans, and a viewership of over 3 million (Zarum, 2020). In 2017, the show was picked up for streaming on Netflix which drastically increased its viewership and offered many more people, particularly in America, the opportunity to view the show. This opportunity also gave the show a stronger internet fan-base due to the fact that it was streaming online instead of just by traditional broadcasting. The show has notable differences from many other shows in the sitcom genre in both its representation of queer characters and the way it tackles common tropes and stereotypes. Perhaps it is this “niche” aspect of the show that gives it such a vast appeal.
This study analyzed the show’s narrative structure and the ways in which these differences were utilized to tell the characters’ stories in a unique way. In previous sitcoms regarding queer characters, storylines have often focused solely on the struggles and hardships that queer characters go through in response to their sexuality. Schitt’s Creek defies this stereotype by focusing on the positive outcomes in the relationships and lives of its queer characters and by creating a positive environment without the burden of discrimination that the genre usually gives queer characters.
[GIF of David and Patrick embracing]. (n.d.). www.giphy.com
Queer theory was primarily developed and introduced in the 1990s, despite the much broader history of queer identities themselves (Halperin, 2003). It builds heavily on gender theory, looking primarily at the role that gender plays in the shaping of one’s sexual identity (Halperin, 2003). It also looks heavily at the ways in which sexual identities are split between normative and deviant categories (meaning heterosexual and non-heterosexual) and how deviant sexual identities are perceived by a society that is not only primarily composed of normative identities, but also has been built upon those identities throughout its development (Giffney, 2004).
In this analysis, the domain used was four episodes that had significance in regard to queer theory. The focuses of these episodes were plotlines involving queer relationships or discussions that focused on the queer experience itself. This helped the study narrow in on queer theory and separated these plotlines from other romantic plotlines in the show. It also allowed for a deeper analysis of dialogue and communication between characters while still adhering to the time restraint of the project.
The ways in which television shows, particularly those in easy-to-digest genres and formats such as the sitcom, portray queer characters has social significance as well. Queer identifying people still face oppression and hardships in the world. A positive display of queer characters in popular media is validating for queer people themselves and can help educate people who are not usually exposed to these identities, such as people in smaller, rural areas with lower population density and generally more conservative political ideals. In my literature review for this study, I looked at the historical backdrop of queer and representation theory and the effects that proper queer representation in common forms of media can impact queer individuals, and the ways in which media can portray queer characters with a positive impact on the queer community.