Starting to fall in love with Alexis Rose

The sudden and consecutive quarantines had given me ample time to explore media content. Being an avid fan of sitcoms, I began watching shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Schitt’s Creek. Initially, I found Schitt’s Creek to be slow-paced. Now, I thank the heavens that I stuck around and devoured its six seasons and 80 episodes. If I hadn’t watched it, I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of meeting the Roses and their whirlwind of a daughter, Alexis Rose (Annie Murphy).

Alexis Rose started off as someone I wouldn’t befriend in real life.

In case you don’t know, the show Schitt’s Creek revolves around the Rose family who got bankrupt. The properties of the Roses were seized by the bank except for a piece of land Johnny (Eugene Levy) bought for his son David (Daniel Levy) as a joke. Immediately, I found it difficult to relate to the Rose family. Besides being rich and over-the-top with their celebrations, I don’t really see myself talking to or befriending them. This is especially true with their only daughter, Alexis Rose. In Season 1, Alexis consistently complained about the town.

Alexis keeps on badmouthing the smell of the town. She compares the previous hotels she stayed in to the motel they resided temporarily. To me, she sounds ungrateful. The town, Schitt’s Creek, accepts them for who they are and Alexis doesn’t care. Needless to say, Alexis from Season 1 was hard to watch. I applaud her charm, though, because that’s what made me endure her behavior. Anyway, Alexis learns to make do with staying at Schitt’s Creek thanks to its people.

Alexis showed so many talents.

As the show progressed, Alexis Rose learned to express herself without hurting other people. She tells her opinion endearingly and actually offers suggestions to make things better. Doing so, she also showcased many talents. Throughout the show, Alexis narrates how she’s been to many countries when the conversation permits. She also has this running joke wherein she randomly mentions a celebrity (or celebrities) she hooked up with. She consistently mentions places she’s been to without her parent’s knowledge.

Alexis’ most shocking revelation was probably being kidnapped in Thailand and negotiating her way out of it. Later on, it was revealed by her brother David that he used to send her fake IDs, passports, and contact lenses whenever she needed to flee. Because she always ends up in random places (sometimes, dangerous situations), Alexis became street-smart. In Season 4, Episode 3 (Asbestos Fest), she realizes something that David doesn’t. Patrick (played by Noah Reid) and David run a store. Unbeknownst to them, a group of teenagers has been shoplifting. If it weren’t for Alexis, the two would have encountered problems dealing with it.

Alexis Rose’s confidence is unparalleled.

Alexis’ confidence is something I’ve always admired. (See her performance of A Little Bit Alexis to further prove my point.) She knows that she’s pretty. She’s well aware of her talents and she utilizes them well. However, her high self-esteem also becomes a problem whenever she doesn’t get what she wants; or whenever she fails at something. For someone who is overly confident at times, being humble became one of Alexis’ character paths. This aspect of her character is immediately addressed in Season 1 when she meets Mutt (Tim Rozon). Alexis becomes infatuated with Mutt who is involved with the café owner Twyla (Sarah Levy). Because she is friends with Twyla, Alexis ignores her feelings. She doesn’t make a move on Mutt, respecting his on-and-off relationship with Twyla.

Alexis loves fiercely, but she lets go if necessary.

In Season 1, Alexis’ rich boyfriend Stavros was mentioned. Stavros was an heir to an oil company. Following the Roses’ bankruptcy, Alexis asks him to pick her up. Instead of helping her, Stavros breaks up with her over the phone. Alexis’ relationship with him wasn’t a relationship, to begin with, but it leaves her broken. The same thing happens with her next boyfriend Ted (Dustin Milligan) and Mutt. But after realizing that her feelings for Ted were real, Alexis gets back together with him. During that second chance, she tries so much harder. She introduces him to her family. She sets aside time to get to know his friends.

Their relationship encounters its first hurdle when Ted gets accepted at a research facility in the Galapagos Islands. Determined to keep things afloat, Ted and Alexis try a long-distance relationship. It isn’t too long, however, before they realize they were holding each other back. Despite being a mutual decision, Alexis wonders whether it was the correct one. She loves Ted and Ted loves her. Because of that, she seeks assurance from David. And of course, David reassures her that her decision was right as she was slowly making a name for herself.

Alexis Rose chooses herself, ultimately making her own career path.

In Season 6, Episode 8 (The Presidential Suite), Ted returns to Schitt’s Creek to break news to Alexis. He announces that he was offered a permanent job in the Galapagos Islands. Because he loves Alexis, he tells her that he plans to reject the offer. Alexis, on the other hand, feels the opposite. She doesn’t want Ted to let go of his dream job for her. The two plan to explore other options but eventually, they have a private dinner in Café Tropical – where they break up the second time around. Instead of being sad about the tragic end of their relationship, Ted and Alexis profess their love for each other one last time. The episode ends with The Mamas & the Papas’ Dedicated to the One I Love playing in the background.

Their breakup scene left a huge impression on me because it demonstrated a simple truth: everything in life must align for love to work out. Alexis and Ted’s breakup happened because neither of them wanted the other to sacrifice their careers. It was inevitable. Needless to say, Alexis let go of Ted for herself, too. Sure, she let go of him because she didn’t want him to sacrifice his dream job but she also didn’t want to let go of hers. In the show, Alexis struggles with finding her identity outside her relationships. Breaking up with Ted to pursue her passion was the ultimate step toward her personal growth.

All in all, the Roses experienced immense growth during their stay in Schitt’s Creek. However, for me, I think Alexis Rose grew the most. She went from a spoiled, ungrateful, materialistic person to someone content, responsible, and professional. I dare say that creators Daniel and Eugene Levy gave her character the growth it definitely needed and deserved. Canadian show Schitt’s Creek received two Golden Globe Awards. First aired on CBC Television, Schitt’s Creek is now available on Hulu and Netflix. Want to read more articles like this? Click here.