It’s been a year since we decided, cricket and rugby notwithstanding, we were tired of spending huge chunks of money on DSTV every month and then sitting in front of the TV watching reruns of horrible British car shows, or Myth Busters from 10 years ago. We gave up the perverted addiction to Carte Blanche while we waited for the ‘premier’ Sunday night movie, only to discover it was an animation/sex comedy/something starring some Hollywood model/stunt man/comedian turned film star. And we haven’t looked back. In fact, I have watched more things on our giant monitor than ever before, and this time it has been completely my choice.
Netflix and Showmax have played their part, as well as watching whole series of other stuff. And there have been some pretty good ones. The range is exciting too, with tons of British stuff and even the occasional European thing to add to the general US TV production conveyor belt.
This weekend we binge watched two seasons of the most fabulous, Canadian, Schitt’s Creek. I had heard about it from a friend, forgotten about it, and then remembered the recommendation as we started watching. Schitt’s Creek is the brainchild of Eugene Levy and his real life son Dan Levy, who both star in it as father and son (and Eugene’s daughter is in it too) alongside Catherine O’ Hara (who I have totally adored since Beetlejuice, and then everything else she and Eugene have done – all the mockumentaries I believe in my soul I should have starred in), and the fabulous Annie Murphy, amongst others.
From the first set-up moment I started laughing at this deeply character driven comedy and I didn’t stop until the end. The episodes are really short (21 minutes) and the characters and their situations grow on you in the strangest and most delightful way. I can’t wait for more. The set-up is simple; a filthy rich, spoilt and entirely dysfunctional family lose everything and go and live (for reasons well explained) in Schitt’s Creek, a one street, hillbilly arse-end of the world town. Usually these kinds of spoilt, self obsessed indulgent and unaware characters piss me off in the first episode (with Shameless I didn’t make it through the first one), but here their charm is endearing and soon you are on their side.
There were a couple of moments that I laughed so hard I struggled to catch my breath. This is one of them. I am still laughing.
Ou Louw was voted off tonight in a spine chilling twist that even had me reaching for my coke zero I was coughing so hard. Jissee, who would have thought Izak had it in him hey? He pulled it off bladdy well though; but why did he have to vote for Gys (Gys for Survivor!) man? That one vote could could count against him at a later stage! No, I was shocked, but probably not as shocked as Okkert. Shoo, he must have shivered with relief.