S04.E13: Christmas

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Christmas special!

Quote

Johnny is hoping to ring in the holidays with a traditional Rose Christmas party like they used to. However, getting everyone to participate will be easier said than done.

Original air date: 12/19/18

 

Edited November 28, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Philip]

I've been waiting ages for the season finale episode to air and it seems it's been stalled. Like, what happened to it? I also checked Wikipedia and it's not even on there, for some reason.

[MerBearHou]

6 hours ago, Philip said:

I've been waiting ages for the season finale episode to air and it seems it's been stalled. Like, what happened to it? I also checked Wikipedia and it's not even on there, for some reason.

If I’m not mistaken, it’s going to be a December holiday-time episode.  Anyone else know for sure?  Making us wait too long!!

[Portia]

6 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

If I’m not mistaken. it’s going to be a December holiday-time episode.  Anyone else know for sure?  Making us wait too long!!

That rings a bell,  IMDb lists the date for episode 04.13 as 17 April 2018, but there is no episode summary. And I'm quite certain it never turned up on my DVR.

Edited May 21, 2018 by Portia

[The Crazed Spruce]

Episode 13 is being delayed 'til December, because it's a holiday-themed episode.

[Philip]

21 hours ago, The Crazed Spruce said:

Episode 13 is being delayed 'til December, because it's a holiday-themed episode.

Damn. Hope that Christmas episode will be worth the wait.

 

I just checked the CBC TV App on my Android and there was no info about it, either. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Schitt's Creek did a viewing of the Christmas episode and then they did a 30 minute talk about it. I'm only a few minutes into it but there aren't any specific spoilers about the episode yet.

[cleo]

What a nice surprise this is on tonight. But without spoilers, I have no recollection of Alexis ending up where she is currently at. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The official promo:

[ElectricBoogaloo]

10 hours ago, cleo said:

What a nice surprise this is on tonight. But without spoilers, I have no recollection of Alexis ending up where she is currently at. 

Do you mean dating Ted again? That happened at the end of the previous episode.

[cleo]

Thanks, I have a terrible memory and I had zero recollection of that happening. I still don't lol. I guess on the upside I can rewatch like it's new all over again! :D 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I thought that the episode was a nice mixture of silly/funny and very sweet, which are the perfect ingredients for a holiday show. I liked that Johnny is making a conscious effort to move forward and create new memories instead of just thinking about the way things used to be. They have all come a really long way.

Heh, but it was hilarious to hear that old S1 attitude about being in Schitt’s Creek again when Johnny said he was worried earlier that the menorah would end up burning down the motel and then Moira made that snarky comment under her breath. As we discussed at the end of last season, the other three seem to have settled into the town and come to accept living there more than Moira has (which is understandable since there aren’t a lot of movie/soap opera jobs for her there).

Stevie’s cold heart melted a little! Awwww! 

[PWHCHCH]

Ngl something got into my eye when Moria bought Johnny back to the motel, and he saw the lit up motel with the cars parked out front. 

[seacliffsal]

That is so weird GSManiac, as something got into my eye at the EXACT same moment!  Something in the air?  I have been looking to this episode for months and was not disappointed.  I loved seeing the natural progression of all of the relationships from the "Singles Week" episode (including Roland with little Roland Moira).  I also loved Johnny's perspective that while rich they really didn't have anything, but now they have family, friends, and community.  

I am so ready for the new season!

[jcin617]

Such a sweet ending.  Patrick remains unbelievably adorable.

[reneforkelly]

What a fantastic episode and treat.  Just perfect for Christmas.  Absolutely loved it.

[Catfi9ht]

Episode 12 was so fantastic that this episode had a very high bar to clear. The Scrooge in me feels kind of cheated that this was more of a one-off episode instead of moving the main story lines along. I'm usually a Grinch when it comes to flashbacks. However, I really did like the flashbacks that highlighted the differences between the Roses then and now because it added to the overall story. This show continues to be one of my favorite shows on TV. The writing is smart and thoughtful at the same time.

[AllAboutMBTV]

"Oh, there's no booze in that. Ew!" Oh, Moira, never change.

[Nordly Beaumont]

Wow, am I a dope! I've seen "Pop" as a channel on my Roku - but never made the connection to PopTV that airs this show! I've always waited for Netflix to get each season! I was just so anxious to see this episode that I did some googling and found out exactly what a dope I am! But I'm so glad I didn't have to wait!

Anyway, this was an absolute delight! Eugene Levy was the heart and soul of the episode. Unlike Stevie, I have no problem admitting I cried - I started when Johnny saw the motel room and was overcome with emotion. Again, Eugene Levy was just wonderful. His longing for family connection on Christmas was heartbreaking.

My biggest laugh was Moira's way of saying "CAPri" - I may love it as much as "aahnchiladas."

I want to know more about David burning his bridges with Nate Burkus in Ibiza.

A perfect little Christmas morsel. Will definitely watch a few more times!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

10 hours ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

My biggest laugh was Moira's way of saying "CAPri"

The Italian pronunciation is much closer to the way Moira said it than the way Americans pronounce "ca-PREE pants."

[AnnieBeez]

So nobody else thought Johnny was a jerk? He wakes up on Christmas Eve and decides that everyone needs to drop everything and have a party. Especially since they haven’t been celebrating for several years. Fuck the old people waiting. Fuck the cookie party. I found it more aggravating than heartwarming, but maybe I am a grinch. 

[Nordly Beaumont]

9 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

The Italian pronunciation is much closer to the way Moira said it than the way Americans pronounce "ca-PREE pants."

Glad I don't speak Italian, then - Moira's pronunciations give me such joy!

[HunterHunted]

On 12/22/2018 at 4:42 PM, AnnieBeez said:

So nobody else thought Johnny was a jerk? He wakes up on Christmas Eve and decides that everyone needs to drop everything and have a party. Especially since they haven’t been celebrating for several years. Fuck the old people waiting. Fuck the cookie party. I found it more aggravating than heartwarming, but maybe I am a grinch. 

He was. I feel like had he led with the reason why he wanted to have a Rose family Christmas, he might have had the kids be more invested in the party. Instead he was just repeating over and over and over again. We need a Rose family Christmas. We need a Rose family Christmas. We need a Rose family Christmas. We need a Rose family Christmas. Ugh, but the actual sentiment was both sweet and powerful. He should have started with that.

[Miss Dee]

Well, if people acted reasonable 100% of the time, we wouldn't have sitcom plots. I just took it that Johnny felt like he was the only one that needed that family togetherness - the others seemed fine going their separate ways - and he didn't want the others to literally throw him a pity party and just show up because he begged; he wanted them to want family togetherness on their own.  And it frustrated him that they didn't seem to want that at all even after the events and lessons of the last few years.

[MisterBluxom]

Sorry. I originally made this post in the general discussion for the season. I didn't see there was a separate thread for the Xmas episode. In that thread,  @Cleo posted:

So I like this show but I have a bunch of unpopular opinions.  Or two. I really dislike stevie. It is just too much sarcasm and no other expression. It's tedious and irritating. And this is coming from someone that is very sarcastic, but I am open and straightforward when needed. I known that sarcasm is not always the best response/approach.

And the new guy with David just seems boring. He is like the actual bland guy they tried to make the vet out to be.

The townspeople are the best.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I then replied with the following:

I think the problem with Stevie lies in the writing. I think they just don't know how to write her. The actress has appeared in other shows and she seems like a completely different character there.

But you are definitely correct about there being a problem with her character. She is kind of like a dead fish that someone drops onto your dinner table. She just lies there with dead eyes. I'm talking about the character and not the actor.

I thought Season 4 was the best ever for many reasons. I really enjoyed it.

But I was very disappointed in the Christmas Special. For a few years now, I've been growing to appreciate the physical beauty of the actress who plays the daughter - Annie Murphy.

I saw a picture that looked like a publicity still for the Xmas Special and Annie Murphy appeared in it and looked like one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. She displayed these long, long legs that left me open mouthed and drooling.

But there was none of that in the Xmas Special. The story was weak - close to non-existant. The entire thing seemed to be like a lead balloon. It just crashed to earth. As a single episode, it may have been the most boring of all the episodes ever produced for this show. I was so very disappointed in the Xmas Special. IMHO, it stank like last week's garbage.

[Enginerd]

On 12/22/2018 at 2:42 PM, AnnieBeez said:

So nobody else thought Johnny was a jerk? He wakes up on Christmas Eve and decides that everyone needs to drop everything and have a party. Especially since they haven’t been celebrating for several years. Fuck the old people waiting. Fuck the cookie party. I found it more aggravating than heartwarming, but maybe I am a grinch. 

I agree completely. He was being demanding and selfish. I can see why he wanted to have the party and a new family tradition and all that, but give them all a couple weeks' notice. That way they could invite people and arrange things and get together some decorations and food and drink without the degree of difficulty. I'd be peeved, too, if I woke up on Christmas Eve to find myself ordered to throw a party that very evening, in a small town with very few businesses that are probably mostly closing early for the holiday. Does Schitt's Creek even have a grocery store anymore? Do they have to go to Elmdale for anything food-wise the cafe or the apothecary don't sell? Not to mention expecting everyone to drop the plans they already had for Christmas Eve. 

[festivus]

I'm not able to watch to watch this one. Netflix doesn't have it and neither does On Demand on Playstation Vu even though they have every other episode. I don't understand.

[SoMuchTV]

3 hours ago, festivus said:

I'm not able to watch to watch this one. Netflix doesn't have it and neither does On Demand on Playstation Vu even though they have every other episode. I don't understand.

I’m pretty sure I watched it on the pop tv website, but I can’t remember if I needed my cable account credentials. I’ve been watching the current season that way as well. 

[festivus]

Okay, now I've seen it and it was kind of an adventure. 😉

Oh look, we have emoticons now. I'll be sure to overuse those. Anyway, I liked this one. EL just killed that scene in the diner, that's when I got my tear in the eye. Moira was awesome, loved her wig and the gigantic bow in the flashbacks. Good to see that Johnny still gives the worst presents.

[lovett1979]

I loved that Paul Shaffer was playing at their "old life" Christmas party. He was the music director of a now-famous production of Godspell in Canada that starred many of the SCTV cast, including Eugene Levy. Nice of this old friend to appear on the show. https://dangerousminds.net/comments/the_legendary_toronto_production_of_godspell_that_had_half_the_cast_of_sctv

[Blakeston]

I enjoyed this - particularly the "releasing the tree," which was hilarious.

But I really, really wanted someone (anyone) to point to out to David that bringing some decorations over from the store didn't mean he couldn't sell them at a later date. He could just bring them back to the freaking store after Christmas was over.

[AnnieHeights]

My husband and I just finished all 4 seasons on Netflix and will hopefully be able to figure out how to watch 5 ASAP.  

I absolutely love everything about this show!  I was honestly a little depressed knowing I am about to have to leave the Schitt's Creek world for a while.  This could have been a very generic 'fish out of water' show but it is SO much more and I love every character.  I love that Moira is on the ditzy side but clearly isn't dumb, her accent kills me in the best possible way.  If I had to pick a favorite it would be David but Alexis is a very close second.  David's facial expressions are practically their own character.  I love how he is sarcastic but kind.  Alexis is also spoiled and flippant but clearly is smart and sweet.  I love Johnny and Moira's very supportive and honest relationship.  The townspeople are wonderful and although Roland isn't my favorite he has grown on me.  Jocelyn is wonderful, Twyla is endearing.  Ted and Patrick are the absolute perfect partners for Alexis and David.  Stevie, I think does a great job of being both snarky and reluctantly caring.  

I have found myself crying, clapping and cheering out loud during these episodes and it breaks my heart season 6 will be the final.  The concept of this show has been used many times but the writing and acting makes it one of the best shows I have ever watched.  

[teddysmom]

On 7/1/2019 at 11:23 AM, AnnieHeights said:

My husband and I just finished all 4 seasons on Netflix and will hopefully be able to figure out how to watch 5 ASAP.  

I don't know if you noticed Pop is rerunning S5. I just dvr'ed all of them they'll run over the course of the next week, but the list looked like they're going to run them over a few weeks. I just watched S5E1 Christmas.  It wasn't even particularly hilarious,

Spoiler

I loved Patrick and Stevie lamenting over not having time to "mood board" a color scheme, whatever that is. 

But by the end, with the party at the hotel, and the ladies singing Silent Night, I'm tearing up.  I was laughing at Stevie as she was crying too "because we ran out of red wine".  

Oh and Alexis "old man stickers".  "Those are stamps". 

I spoilered this in case some haven't seen this episode yet, as it contains some of the jokes and I don't want to ruin them for anyone. 

I do not know what it is about this show that makes me cry.  But I end up in tears at the end of every episode. 

[twoods]

I have also binged through the first four seasons on Netflix and was going to riot because I couldn’t find any reruns on POP a month ago, and then was ecstatic to learn that Direct TV had POP on demand. I binged through this season and also was crying at least once an episode because I love this family so much. They have gone through so much character growth these past seasons that I can’t help rooting for all of them and the crazy townies. So happy that everyone pitched in so Johnny could get his perfect Christmas. He has come so far from being that stuffy guy we met during the pilot. Him and Moira continue to be such a stable and supportive couple.

[Blue Plastic]

I cried when the Jazzagals sang "Silent Night."  It was so sweet.  It reminded me of the Andy Griffith Show episode "Christmas Story" where they all sang "Away in a Manger."  (I had a VHS tape of that episode and loved it.)

Johnny was being a bit of a jerk but maybe he just didn't realize what he wanted until the last minute.  He's not that good at being in touch with his feelings.

This show!  I started watching it on Netflix a few months ago when I had some down time and nothing else to watch.  At first it was just an also-ran to me, not "must see."  The Rose family seemed too over the top and almost like they were all the same character, just complaining and griping at each other and acting audaciously (which of course makes some sense after the drastic change in circumstances).  But I really love each Rose family member now and can really appreciate each one's personal growth.  It's really nice to see a show that can take that kind of premise and make it both interesting/funny and not just for cheap laughs.  Most shows would not allow the characters to actually change and learn, but these characters have changed while still retaining their core personalities.

[Not4Me]

Having just watched the season 4 finale and realizing this originally aired in December 2018, months after the previous episode (Singles Week) sort of explains the sudden fast forward in time, but it still seems quite abrupt. In the Singles Week episode it was Spring in town when Alexis and Ted reunited, and now suddenly its Christmas, and they’re slowly rebuilding their relationship? Seems like a bit of a chronological stretch for the pacing. 

But I’m willing to accept the creative licensing in time as this was a fun episode and ties up the season well. I liked how in the flashback they showed Moria and Johnny’s ex friends, whom they later confronted at the restaurant in Season 2, for deserting them. Good continuity.

Edited February 18, 2020 by Not4Me

[TheOtherOne]

On 2/18/2020 at 12:36 AM, Not4Me said:

Having just watched the season 4 finale and realizing this originally aired in December 2018, months after the previous episode (Singles Week) sort of explains the sudden fast forward in time, but it still seems quite abrupt. In the Singles Week episode it was Spring in town when Alexis and Ted reunited, and now suddenly its Christmas, and they’re slowly rebuilding their relationship? Seems like a bit of a chronological stretch for the pacing. 
 

Doing a rewatch (needing happiness at the moment), including the Christmas episode I hadn't watched in a long time for some reason. I think Singles Week is supposed to take place in fall. Four episodes before that, in "The Gesture," Stevie mentions David is wearing a leather sweater in the dead of summer. Two episodes before that was David and Patrick's four month anniversary, and they got together the night of Alexis's high school graduation (presumably in May; maybe April?). Plus in "The Gesture" Alexis had graduated from her college program after four months, so if she started in May/June (and D&P were still in the very early stages in "Pregnancy Test,") that would take us to roughly to August/September.  The timeline of Jocelyn's pregnancy would also likely take us into late fall when she gave birth, so there shouldn't be that much of a time gap between Singles Week and this one.

Yes, I'm overthinking this.