I have a thing against names with puns in them. Some of the most frequent offenders are newspaper columns (Weber’s Grill), hair salons (Curl Up ‘n’ Dye) and, yes, television shows.
So I’ve been resisting “Schitt’s Creek,” despite the known brilliance of its leads, Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, and despite continued recommendations from people I know and trust.
But if there were ever a good time to surrender resistance, it’s during a global pandemic. Wait, that didn’t come out right. If there were ever a good time to give a well-pedigreed comedy a shot to help put aside the existential dread for a bit, it’s now.
And after just a few episodes of the first season it seems clear that this will be a rewarding journey. It even works as a loose metaphor for our times.
Levy and O’Hara head a wealthy family, the Roses, forced to relocate to small-town America and severely diminished circumstances after an accountant swindles their money. Like those of us trying to behave sensibly right now, the Roses are suddenly thrust into a challenging circumstance that they just have to adapt to while living closer to family members than ever before.
The town is called Schitt’s Creek, and the first episode neatly addresses the audience’s potential pun aversion: The family bought the town years ago as a joke birthday gift precisely because of the horrible name. Now it’s their most tangible asset.
While the opener came on a little hot, flailing its arms in the way pilots do, already in the first handful of episodes you can see the building blocks of a long and engaging run. (2020 brought the release of the sixth and final season of the Canadian show, which can be seen on PopTV, the series’ importer, and on Netflix.)
Daniel Levy (Eugene’s son, and a series co-creator) and Annie Murphy are superb as the couple’s grown children, blithely stuck in their wealth bubbles, but with hints of warmth, too, as they take up residence in the motel room next to their parents.
Emily Hampshire sparkles, in a deadpan way, as the motel’s enthusiasm deficient manager, a sharp contrast to the sort of Instagram socialite Murphy seems to be playing. And Chris Elliott delivers his signature discomfort as the town’s mayor, a descendant of the Schitt founders who alternates between challenging and sucking up to the interlopers.
What really set the hook for me, though, was the great visual gag of the big welcome sign at the edge of town, the indecency of which Eugene Levy’s character is apparently the first to notice. It’s laugh-out-loud funny the first time you see it, and it keeps getting funnier as the characters react to it.
Punny title or no, it is a treat right now to find a series that not only makes you eager to return to the TV but can bring levity and warmth when you get there.
More Wednesday TV highlights from Tribune News Service
SERIES
Chicago Med
Dr. Charles (Oliver Platt) and Dr. Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) fear Dr. Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) may be repeating his past mistakes when a patient with early onset Alzheimer’s is brought in to the Emergency Department in this new episode of the medical drama. 7 p.m. NBC
The Goldbergs
Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) gives Adam (Sean Giambrone) a bicycle just like the one featured in a Pee-wee Herman movie in this new episode of the family comedy. Troy Gentile, Hayley Orrantia and Jeff Garlin also star with guest stars Cedric Yarbrough, Sean Marquette, Mindy Sterling and Dot-Marie Jones. 7 p.m. ABC
The Masked Singer
Will Arnett joins the panelists. 7 p.m. Fox
Expedition Unknown
Josh Gates concludes his Bermuda Triangle investigation. 7 p.m. Discovery
Schooled
A parent (Hayes MacArthur) distracts CB (Brett Dier) from teaching to help his son (Gabe Gibbs) get extra credit. Also Principal Glascott (Tim Meadows) approves the use of former Principal Ball’s (Stephen Tobolowsky) old parking spot as a community garden. 7:30 p.m. ABC
SEAL
Team Tempers start to flare as Sonny (A.J. Buckley) considers a new career while facing disciplinary action. Max Thieriot, David Boreanaz and Jamie McShane also star in this new episode. 8 p.m. CBS
American Housewife
Katie (Katy Mixon) finds an old piece of furniture in the basement and is inspired to re-create her and Greg’s (Diedrich Bader) first apartment together in this new episode of the family comedy. 8:30 p.m. ABC
Stumptown
Dex (Cobie Smulders) is the prime suspect in a murder investigation and Det. Hoffman (Michael Ealy) struggles to remain impartial as he investigates. Jake Johnson also stars in the season finale. 9 p.m. ABC
Motherland: Fort Salem
The recruits travel to Salem Town for an annual witch celebration, which is thrown into chaos by an unexpected disturbance. Jessica Sutton, Lyne Renee, Ashley Williams and Taylor Hickson star in this new episode. 9 p.m. Freeform
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Dave
After he gets invited to open for a major rap star Dave (Dave Burd) develops a crippling case of nerves that triggers a crisis in a new episode. Andrew Santino and Taylor Misiak also star. 9 and 9:34 p.m. FXX
Eating History
Vintage food expert Old Smokey and collector Josh Macuga are on a quest to find, unbox and eat the oldest and most shocking foods to have survived from the past in this new unscripted series premiering with two episodes. In the first they sample decades old corn chips, century-old Civil War hardtack and then freshen up with 100-year-old tooth powder. 9 and 9:30 p.m. History
Brockmire
Jim (Hank Azaria) is trying enact changes in the league, but the owners don’t seem to care in this new episode. 9 p.m. IFC
It’s Personal With Amy Hoggart
When a married couple consider polyamory Amy opens her mind to help them. 9 p.m. TRU
Year of the Rabbit
In the season finale of this British comedy set in London,1887, Detective Inspector Rabbit (Matt Berry) is set up on murder charges. Freddie Fox, Susan Wokoma and Alun Armstrong also star with guest star Peter-Hugo Daly. 9:30 p.m. IFC
CORONAVIRUS TV SPECIALS
Pandemic: What You Need to Know (N) 11 a.m. ABC
Diario del coronavirus 2 p.m. Univision
Coronavirus Crisis (N) 6 p.m. Fox
Confronting Coronavirus A virtual town hall. (N) 7 p.m. KOCE
Coronavirus Pandemic Coverage (N) 9 p.m. Fox News Channel
Pandemic: COVID-19 This new special documents the global effort to stop the COVID-19 pandemic and experts explain why this form of coronavirus is so deadly. (N) 9:08 p.m. Discovery
TALK SHOWS
CBS This Morning (N) 6 a.m. CBS
Today Information on the COVID-19 pandemic. (N) 6 a.m. NBC
Good Morning America Actor Joshua Jackson. (N) 6 a.m. ABC
Live With Kelly and Ryan Josh Groban; Joshua Jackson (“Little Fires Everywhere”). (N) 8 a.m. ABC
The View Sara Haines guest co-hosts; Mark Cuban. (N) 9 a.m. ABC
The Dr. Oz Show More people test positive for the coronavirus and are confined to their homes; a quarantined family; attorney Daniel Goldman says he had to jump through hoops to get tested; acts of kindness from everyday people. (N) Noon Fox
The Kelly Clarkson Show Tiffany Boone; Billy Ray Cyrus performs. (N) 1 p.m. NBC
Dr. Phil Advice on how to overcome stress and anxiety about the coronavirus pandemic. (N) 2 p.m. CBS
The Real (N) 2 p.m. Fox
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (N) 10 p.m. Comedy Central
Conan Kristen Schaal; the Sklar Brothers. 10 p.m. TBS
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-South Bend, Ind.); Patton Oswalt. 10:35 p.m. CBS
Nightline (N) 10:35 p.m. ABC
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Niall Horan; best of Fallon. (N) 11 p.m. NBC
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Eric Andre; Tim Robbins; Phantogram performs. 11:04 p.m. ABC
The Late Late Show With James Corden Jessica Biel; Natasha Lyonne; Chris Garcia. 11:37 p.m. CBS
Late Night With Seth Meyers Kelly Clarkson; Bashir Salahuddin; Diallo Riddle; CJ Hauser; Terri Lyne Carrington. 12:03 a.m. NBC
A Little Late With Lilly Singh Taran Killam. 1:04 a.m. NBC
DAYTIME MOVIES
The Fault in Our Stars (2014) 7 a.m. FXX
American Gangster (2007) 7:30 a.m. Starz
The Wings of Eagles (1957) 7:30 a.m. TCM
Charlotte’s Web (2006) 7:30 a.m. TMC
Mission: Impossible II (2000) 7:45 a.m. IFC
X-Men (2000) 8 a.m. AMC
Chocolat (2000) 8:10 a.m. HBO
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) 8:24 a.m. Syfy
The Karate Kid (1984) 8:30 a.m. Sundance
Die Hard (1988) 9 a.m. Cinemax
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) 9:18 a.m. Encore
World War Z (2013) 9:30 a.m. FX
This Land Is Mine (1943) 9:45 a.m. TCM
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 10 a.m. Freeform
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) 10 a.m. FXX
Speed (1994) 10:30 a.m. AMC
Instant Family (2018) 10:55 a.m. EPIX
For a Few Dollars More (1965) 11:01 a.m. Encore
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) 11:26 a.m. Syfy
McLintock! (1963) 11:30 a.m. TCM
The Revenant (2015) Noon FX
The Hurt Locker (2008) 12:55 p.m. Cinemax
Love & Mercy (2014) 12:55 p.m. EPIX
The Matrix (1999) 1 p.m. AMC
We Were Soldiers (2002) 1 p.m. IFC
Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016) 1:10 p.m. VH1
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) 1:45 p.m. TCM
Rising Sun (1993) 1:54 p.m. Starz
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) 2:45 p.m. Showtime
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) 2:55 p.m. Syfy
Logan (2017) 3 p.m. FXX
Scarface (1983) 3:09 p.m. Encore
Dick Tracy (1990) 3:10 p.m. Cinemax
Baby Driver (2017) 3:30 p.m. FX
The Matrix Reloaded (2003) 4 p.m. AMC
American Sniper (2014) 4 p.m. IFC
Some Like It Hot (1959) 4 p.m. TCM
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) 5:30 p.m. Freeform
Straight Outta Compton (2015) 6 p.m. FXX
Steel Magnolias (1989) 6 p.m. OVA
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 6:08 p.m. Syfy
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) 6:15 p.m. TCM