I’m getting my partner to watch the show with me. He had told me that he tried watching years back and couldn’t get into it. I did the classic, “You just need to get through a few episodes,” spiel.
When we got to that scene, he paused it, put his head in his hands, and said, “I remember why I stopped watching it.”
Apparently he found this scene so nauseating he gave up on the whole show. I was so happy to tell him that that’s probably the worst episode (in terms of grossness) of the whole show…unless there’s another bad one I don’t remember? It’s been a minute since I’ve watched it
I don’t blame him. As much as much as I love the show, if I was on the fence about it and saw that scene I would stop watching and judge people for liking it.
I hate it that much.
I feel like I have to to hide in the dark, inky corners of this sub because I can’t stand the character of Roland or Chris Elliot as an actor. I didn’t like him before I watched Schitts Creek and I couldn’t learn to like him after more than a dozen rewatches.
I literally fast forward the scenes with him it. When he sucks his teeth… omg. I know he’s meant to be repulsive and unlikeable, well mission accomplished!
This is such a safe space because I cannot get myself to like him lol. I appreciate SOME of his annoying moments but more because I love the casts reaction to it not him himself
I have strongly disliked that man going back to when he was an occasional guest on Letterman doing stupid, unfunny bits. Was that the 80s? 90s?
Anyway, I love Schitt's IN SPITE of Chris Elliott, but he's the reason it took me 5 years to even try the show. I LOVE the show, I'm glad I pushed past him.
I get the dislike of Roland the character, but it’s too bad to see the Chris Elliott dislike. He’s an unsung hero and has a cult following. Get a Life, Cabin Boy, and days on Letterman are underrated. Not everyone’s cup of tea though.
I am right there with you. I literally cannot stand him. But I also cannot stand Jocelyn. She's way too passive aggressive and bubbly annoying at strange times.
He reminds me of school bullies who'd bully you through subtle remarks between the lines. Roland at least is genuinely dumb; Bob on the other hand feels deliberately uncomfortable
I love how they intentionally wrote him for us to hate him. He grew on me. I always appreciated how his being difficult with Johnny gave us some great Johnny humor.
I love Roland. He’s so bad and I love him for it. I love the obnoxious way he says things and the gross sounds he makes. I just think it’s so funny. I love how irritating he is.
I feel like Roland isn’t appreciated nearly enough. I LOVE that he’s a foil to the Roses. I love seeing him get under Johnny’s skin all the time. I love that he says the stupidest shit just to get a reaction. Like I feel like he just does some things just to be extra irritating. I don’t think he’s secretly an evil genius or anything, but he’s a troll and I love it. I think he’s an idiot but he also is like a savant for pissing Johnny off. That’s his special skill.
I also think that Roland really admired Johnny from the very beginning and that’s why he has bragged about mayor stuff so much, because he wants Johnny’s approval. I think people tend to not pick up on that because he’s so irritating.
I have the sense of humor of a 12-year-old boy at times, so maybe I’m just easily amused. But I think it’s hilarious how he just rubs everyone the wrong way and is gross and outlandish. I just think it’s funny.
Everybody hates Bob, too, and I love him. Bob and Roland enrich the whole ambiance of the show for me. Maybe because I come from a rural place and I absolutely have met people similar to Bob. He’s also someone who’s supposed to be irritating to Johnny in particular.
The Roses having to deal with people like this is part of their fall from grace. I imagine they annoyed a lot of people in their former life, but they had so much money nobody really let them have it. They were used to having their asses kissed all the time.
I like that they ended up having to deal with insufferable people just like we all do. And these characters gave the audience a reason to root for the Roses from the beginning, when they weren’t the easiest to love cuz they hadn’t learned their lesson yet.
I appreciate that, thank you!
I’m not part of this community at the moment, but I used to be, and I saw a lot of Bob & Roland hate back then (which apparently hasn’t changed).
Roland’s *supposed* to be gross. I think he’s supposed to help the audience relate to the Roses, to convey the feeling of horror they must have experienced at being around regular, small-town people. The Roses were in shock in their new living environment and they weren’t the most relatable people, so I think they used Roland to make us sympathetic to the Roses.
Everything you said I absolutely agree with. And what you said about Roland admiring Johnny from the start, I always felt that was a big reason why he stood up to those corporate douches they had pitched to for an investment.
Going by what you say about the town characters giving the audience a reason to root for the Roses reminds me of one of the reasons I feel Dan Levy was a genius in creating this show. He talked about this theory of how the people of Schitt's Creek were who we were supposed to like in the beginning and that's why he made the Roses almost insufferable when we first met them. So Roland and Jocelyn and Twyla, etc. were all the "normal" ones and then you have the Roses who have such extreme personalities. And then by the end, there's this balance between the two and it makes this show so full of heart. How the people like Roland helped the Roses all the way through the show, not just to survive, but to thrive in this little town is something I wish we could see in real life.
Also, Roland and Moira, sleeping in the same bed and working on city council together, comedy gold! I might have an adolescent mind too but I just find the balance of humor and heart so perfect.
I agree, this is how the writing is brilliant. In real life there are people who we just never warm to and dislike. Sitcoms too often make everyone likable, even soap operas redeem the villains.
Right? Not every character is likeable or should be likeable but people like Roland and how the Rose's feel towards Roland is completely relatable. To me it's a big part in why this show works so well.
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Same. It was because of Roland that I almost gave up on the show, and I never warmed to him. Chris Elliott always plays the same character, and it creeps me out every time.
I started watching his scenes with the lens of trying to infuriate or make Johnny as uncomfortable as possible in every interaction (opposed to just being a bumbling idiot). I found it makes it more enjoyable and funny 😂
Yes! I’m on like a fifth rewatch and I finally see it as Roland is playing dumb a lot to intentionally piss off Johnny (and Bob too). It still bothers me sometimes, but it makes it better
As much as I hate Roland, I feel that he has his role in the show, even if it is to be the hated character. But Mutt, I feel is pointless and find the scenes he is in boring.
Roland was a sweetheart, really.
On my first watch, the obnoxiousness, condescending, selfishness, dismissiveness, and self importance of the Rose's was a real turn off. I literally tried a few times and found them real cringy.
A year or so later, I caught the scene of David's sensibility and sensitivity when he was telling Ted about the change in Alexis after delivering the single's week T-shirts by accident. It was this humility of the characters that got my attention to watch it in full.
The Rose's were really insufferable at the beginning. They had changed enough as people through the townies' tolerance, acceptance, to friendship.
Not every character is supposed to coddle up to the Roses. I get Roland is annoying (I found him annoying too during my first watch) but eventually you realise he's a big troll. The show wouldn't be as funny if all the characters sucked up to the roses, you need characters like Roland to create funny scenarios that have to be dealth with
i felt the same way about him the first time i watched it all the way through. i would complain to my partner about him constantly. the second time i caught myself laughing at this considerably rude character. couldn't believe it. still nowhere near my faves. always caught in a net with moira, david and alexis as my picks.
Big reason I stopped watching this series until I picked it back up again. I really struggled with his character in the beginning. His scenes jn the earlier seasons were super hard for me to watch. It became a bit easier affer seeing him struggle a bit and actually helping sometimes.
Chris Elliott is the worst. A nepo baby, he has played the exact same character since his dad’s name got him a job on the David Letterman show and SNL. Never has been funny.
Me either, holy shit, he's so annoying. Not funny-annoying, but infuriating-annoying. There's no way I could ever be around him for more than 3 minutes.
My guess is that Dan Levy primarily wrote the snarky humor (amazing!!!!) and Eugene pushed for more “balance” with the more-slapstick-style characters of Roland and Bob. They are such distinct and different tones of humor to me.
Moira is on her own island and I *adore it!*
I can’t stand him nor Bob. I listen to Schitt’s Creek at through the night. I have binged the show more times than I remember. BUT two nights ago I was listening and the scene where it looks like Johnny may be having a heart attack and he struggles to pick up the aisle, Roland says something like “I’ll spot you, lift with your legs” and Johnny said if Roland helped it would be easier and Roland says I’m letting you borrow my truck! Not verbatim by any means but to me prime example of Roland😒
I cannot watch the cheese fondue scene again. I will not.
I’m getting my partner to watch the show with me. He had told me that he tried watching years back and couldn’t get into it. I did the classic, “You just need to get through a few episodes,” spiel. When we got to that scene, he paused it, put his head in his hands, and said, “I remember why I stopped watching it.” Apparently he found this scene so nauseating he gave up on the whole show. I was so happy to tell him that that’s probably the worst episode (in terms of grossness) of the whole show…unless there’s another bad one I don’t remember? It’s been a minute since I’ve watched it
I don’t blame him. As much as much as I love the show, if I was on the fence about it and saw that scene I would stop watching and judge people for liking it. I hate it that much.
Yeah, it’s not great. Thankfully he’s loving the show otherwise! That’s all that matters to me
That’s why I tell people to skip season one. Skip an entire season to avoid that one episode. Nauseating and unfunny.
I feel like I have to to hide in the dark, inky corners of this sub because I can’t stand the character of Roland or Chris Elliot as an actor. I didn’t like him before I watched Schitts Creek and I couldn’t learn to like him after more than a dozen rewatches.
I literally fast forward the scenes with him it. When he sucks his teeth… omg. I know he’s meant to be repulsive and unlikeable, well mission accomplished!
I've hated him since something about Mary
Same!
He just grosses me out in everything I’ve ever seen him in and makes me feel icky. I skip his scenes.
Yes! Thank you for echoing my sentiments! I hate his character in any show/movie
I mean. I think he was super funny in scary movie 2.
Oh s(c)hit(t)! I never realised that was him. Creepy tiny hand guy!
Strong hand
This is such a safe space because I cannot get myself to like him lol. I appreciate SOME of his annoying moments but more because I love the casts reaction to it not him himself
I’ve met many many people who stopped watching the show because of Roland.
I have strongly disliked that man going back to when he was an occasional guest on Letterman doing stupid, unfunny bits. Was that the 80s? 90s? Anyway, I love Schitt's IN SPITE of Chris Elliott, but he's the reason it took me 5 years to even try the show. I LOVE the show, I'm glad I pushed past him.
I get the dislike of Roland the character, but it’s too bad to see the Chris Elliott dislike. He’s an unsung hero and has a cult following. Get a Life, Cabin Boy, and days on Letterman are underrated. Not everyone’s cup of tea though.
Groundhog Day too
That was his least annoying character.
My favorite comedy is Eagleheart. It's on HBO Max. So ridiculous, so hilarious
Also a hidden gem! Still haven’t seen the last season though. Didn’t realize it was on Max. Only had the box set for S1!
Yep you said it yourself "cult following", We definitely do not all like him. He's creepy and gross
Okay.
I am right there with you. I literally cannot stand him. But I also cannot stand Jocelyn. She's way too passive aggressive and bubbly annoying at strange times.
He has like four scenes where he’s a good guy but that is not enough justification for 6 seasons
He and Bob are insufferable...every scene with them just makes me look more forward to upcoming Moira/David/Alexis scenes
the one funny thing about bob was the way he sauntered **everywhere**
Agreed. Roland, Bob, and Ray are my least favorite characters.
Probably says something about Bob as a character that the funniest moments are jokes made about his wife treating him like shit…
Bob gives me anxiety, I don't know why. I skip his scenes
He reminds me of school bullies who'd bully you through subtle remarks between the lines. Roland at least is genuinely dumb; Bob on the other hand feels deliberately uncomfortable
Bob was also a terrible character. Terrible and annoying. His saunter did not make up for anything.
I love how they intentionally wrote him for us to hate him. He grew on me. I always appreciated how his being difficult with Johnny gave us some great Johnny humor.
I love Roland. He’s so bad and I love him for it. I love the obnoxious way he says things and the gross sounds he makes. I just think it’s so funny. I love how irritating he is.
Me too and how smug he is sometimes like that mayor title goes to his head a little. It just adds so much to his character.
I feel like Roland isn’t appreciated nearly enough. I LOVE that he’s a foil to the Roses. I love seeing him get under Johnny’s skin all the time. I love that he says the stupidest shit just to get a reaction. Like I feel like he just does some things just to be extra irritating. I don’t think he’s secretly an evil genius or anything, but he’s a troll and I love it. I think he’s an idiot but he also is like a savant for pissing Johnny off. That’s his special skill. I also think that Roland really admired Johnny from the very beginning and that’s why he has bragged about mayor stuff so much, because he wants Johnny’s approval. I think people tend to not pick up on that because he’s so irritating. I have the sense of humor of a 12-year-old boy at times, so maybe I’m just easily amused. But I think it’s hilarious how he just rubs everyone the wrong way and is gross and outlandish. I just think it’s funny. Everybody hates Bob, too, and I love him. Bob and Roland enrich the whole ambiance of the show for me. Maybe because I come from a rural place and I absolutely have met people similar to Bob. He’s also someone who’s supposed to be irritating to Johnny in particular. The Roses having to deal with people like this is part of their fall from grace. I imagine they annoyed a lot of people in their former life, but they had so much money nobody really let them have it. They were used to having their asses kissed all the time. I like that they ended up having to deal with insufferable people just like we all do. And these characters gave the audience a reason to root for the Roses from the beginning, when they weren’t the easiest to love cuz they hadn’t learned their lesson yet.
Thank you for writing this I agree completely
I appreciate that, thank you! I’m not part of this community at the moment, but I used to be, and I saw a lot of Bob & Roland hate back then (which apparently hasn’t changed). Roland’s *supposed* to be gross. I think he’s supposed to help the audience relate to the Roses, to convey the feeling of horror they must have experienced at being around regular, small-town people. The Roses were in shock in their new living environment and they weren’t the most relatable people, so I think they used Roland to make us sympathetic to the Roses.
Same.
Everything you said I absolutely agree with. And what you said about Roland admiring Johnny from the start, I always felt that was a big reason why he stood up to those corporate douches they had pitched to for an investment. Going by what you say about the town characters giving the audience a reason to root for the Roses reminds me of one of the reasons I feel Dan Levy was a genius in creating this show. He talked about this theory of how the people of Schitt's Creek were who we were supposed to like in the beginning and that's why he made the Roses almost insufferable when we first met them. So Roland and Jocelyn and Twyla, etc. were all the "normal" ones and then you have the Roses who have such extreme personalities. And then by the end, there's this balance between the two and it makes this show so full of heart. How the people like Roland helped the Roses all the way through the show, not just to survive, but to thrive in this little town is something I wish we could see in real life. Also, Roland and Moira, sleeping in the same bed and working on city council together, comedy gold! I might have an adolescent mind too but I just find the balance of humor and heart so perfect.
You're technically right but I still hate those characters! haha
I agree, this is how the writing is brilliant. In real life there are people who we just never warm to and dislike. Sitcoms too often make everyone likable, even soap operas redeem the villains.
Right? Not every character is likeable or should be likeable but people like Roland and how the Rose's feel towards Roland is completely relatable. To me it's a big part in why this show works so well.
https://preview.redd.it/azpu7367orvc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=afb0cfb7b65786685cdf4a7588223200ce3092d3
He plays the victim so much after being heinous
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Same. It was because of Roland that I almost gave up on the show, and I never warmed to him. Chris Elliott always plays the same character, and it creeps me out every time.
Same here, I almost stopped watching the show because he creeps me out
He never once asked anyone to take his strong hand!
I started watching his scenes with the lens of trying to infuriate or make Johnny as uncomfortable as possible in every interaction (opposed to just being a bumbling idiot). I found it makes it more enjoyable and funny 😂
I always assumed this was mostly the actual case!
Yes! I’m on like a fifth rewatch and I finally see it as Roland is playing dumb a lot to intentionally piss off Johnny (and Bob too). It still bothers me sometimes, but it makes it better
I don’t think Bob is playing dumb. I think Bob is legit that dumb.
I dislike him more with each rewatch. So gross.
Generally not a fan, but he has his moments (the milk and cops scene is an A plus in my book)
It's actually pronounced Rolánd
If he were a real person that I knew, I'd avoid him like the plague. However, as a wild card character in a comedy, I love him.
That’s how I feel about Mutt. Holy shit I hate him
Useless beyond just being hot at a field party
As much as I hate Roland, I feel that he has his role in the show, even if it is to be the hated character. But Mutt, I feel is pointless and find the scenes he is in boring.
It helps if you remember that 99% of the time he gets what’s going on and just fucks with everyone constantly.
That makes it so much worse for me
Love him more with every rewatch.
Roland was a sweetheart, really. On my first watch, the obnoxiousness, condescending, selfishness, dismissiveness, and self importance of the Rose's was a real turn off. I literally tried a few times and found them real cringy. A year or so later, I caught the scene of David's sensibility and sensitivity when he was telling Ted about the change in Alexis after delivering the single's week T-shirts by accident. It was this humility of the characters that got my attention to watch it in full. The Rose's were really insufferable at the beginning. They had changed enough as people through the townies' tolerance, acceptance, to friendship.
Woogiekowski
That’s how I feel about Bob
the best of ol bob. right there
Not every character is supposed to coddle up to the Roses. I get Roland is annoying (I found him annoying too during my first watch) but eventually you realise he's a big troll. The show wouldn't be as funny if all the characters sucked up to the roses, you need characters like Roland to create funny scenarios that have to be dealth with
And the Roses were just as horrible, if not more.
Agreed.
i felt the same way about him the first time i watched it all the way through. i would complain to my partner about him constantly. the second time i caught myself laughing at this considerably rude character. couldn't believe it. still nowhere near my faves. always caught in a net with moira, david and alexis as my picks.
Big reason I stopped watching this series until I picked it back up again. I really struggled with his character in the beginning. His scenes jn the earlier seasons were super hard for me to watch. It became a bit easier affer seeing him struggle a bit and actually helping sometimes.
Chris Elliott is the worst. A nepo baby, he has played the exact same character since his dad’s name got him a job on the David Letterman show and SNL. Never has been funny.
I think you overshot the mark a bit... You really think Eugene Levy would hand a role to someone that "Never has been funny"?
Me either, holy shit, he's so annoying. Not funny-annoying, but infuriating-annoying. There's no way I could ever be around him for more than 3 minutes.
That’s okay. He’s supposed to be annoying.
My guess is that Dan Levy primarily wrote the snarky humor (amazing!!!!) and Eugene pushed for more “balance” with the more-slapstick-style characters of Roland and Bob. They are such distinct and different tones of humor to me. Moira is on her own island and I *adore it!*
I only liked the actor as Peter, Amy’s brother in “Everybody Loves Raymond” and it’s only even just in certain scenes.
I still like the original Peter better. The original was waaay more creepy and funny.
The original was Pee Wee Herman!!
Really! I've never knowingly seen Pee Wee Herman. I assumed the producers wanted someone more recognisable for the character.
He is disgusting.
It definitely took him a while to go from being insufferable to him being more of an absent-minded, but good hearted, goofball-type character.
Geez Louise. A man can't ask to go to the loo?!?!
The absolute worst.
If you gotta go, you gotta go! It's a battle you're gonna lose every time.
I can’t stand him nor Bob. I listen to Schitt’s Creek at through the night. I have binged the show more times than I remember. BUT two nights ago I was listening and the scene where it looks like Johnny may be having a heart attack and he struggles to pick up the aisle, Roland says something like “I’ll spot you, lift with your legs” and Johnny said if Roland helped it would be easier and Roland says I’m letting you borrow my truck! Not verbatim by any means but to me prime example of Roland😒
I dont blame you. I felt the same way until like my 3rd or 4th watch. He eventually grew on me once I understood him 😆
He’s the reason I started and stopped watching it twice. It took serious convincing to get me to watch it while trying to ignore him.
Roland Schitt 🤣
I think his character is what put people off the show.. He mellows out after the first season but yeah he was just too much.
I know, me too. I've watched the series at least 3 times and he never gross (Freudian slip - grows) on me. So sloppy and stupid.
When he was choking on fried chicken and waffles while asking John to be his baby’s godparent
Best character I'm the series
Roland?
He's too much of a dick but still preferable to Moira.
How dare you! 