It was a challenge for the Rose family to accept small-town life in Schitt's Creek. Eventually, the namesake town grew on them during the Pop TV sitcom. This eventual acceptance was owed to the fact that the fictional Schitt's Creek exemplified the reality of living in small, rural towns.

Creators Dan and action hero Eugene Levy never explicitly stated where Schitt's Creek was set, but many fans of the series figured it was located somewhere in Canada because the series was filmed in Ontario. No matter the location, Schitt's Creek is a small town to the core (much like The Bear's The Original Beef of Chicagoland is stressful restaurant culture at its finest). Almost all the qualities that small town residents have a love-hate relationship with were poured into the show.

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There Were No Hospitals For Miles

Schitt's Creek ted and alexis

In Season 5, Episode 13, "The Hike," Johnny suffered from heart attack symptoms, prompting everyone to go to the hospital in Elmdale. While it was never specified how far away the hospital was, Moira made a comment saying it's a "trip" to get there. Even after her eye-opening moment early in Season 2, she panicked at the thought of Alexis having typhoid fever because they were "cut off" from medical services. Most notably, in Season 1, David experiences a health scare and has to go to the closest thing the town has to a doctor: veterinarian Ted (portrayed by Rutherford Falls' Dustin Milligan). Many small towns have clinics with licensed doctors and nurses, but if there's a life-threatening emergency, a hospital isn't readily accessible.

Grocery Stores Weren't Exactly Nearby

Schitt's Creek general store

Another essential that didn't exist in Schitt's Creek was a chain grocery store. Like a hospital, those were far and few between. If residents wanted a special brand of bread or ice cream, they'd have to drive out of town to get it. Within the series, Brebner's grocery store wasn't too far away, but there was a local general store in town that boasted affordable essentials. However, these stores struggle in such small towns, which the show also reflected. Schitt's Creek General Store closed down and was turned into Rose Apothecary -- the hip, new business that added a new aesthetic to the town.

There Was That One Restaurant That Had Everythingschitts creek cafe tropical menu

Maybe there were no grocery stores or general stores, but there was a restaurant that offered everything... and that's no exaggeration. Café Tropical is one of the oldest businesses in Schitt's Creek, having been established in 1947 as a family-owned business before it was bought by Twyla in 2018. It's a running joke in the series for the variety of food it offers, from Mexican to Mediterranean to Italian. Much like the local cafés or diners found in real small towns, the owner had questionable food creations that should be banned by the FDA, such as Twyla's "Surprise-Me Smoothie" and "Greens-Free Salad." But without the restaurant keeping everyone fed, the town would have a diner-sized hole in its heart.

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Literally No One Stayed at the Motel

The Rose family poses in front of Rosebud Motel in Schitt's Creek

Some towns aren't lucky enough to even get a motel, and if they do, almost no one is there to keep it running. The only reason the Rosebud Motel stayed open was that Johnny was an "expert" on keeping businesses afloat -- except for Rose Video. But the only people who really stayed at the hotel were the Roses, the Schitts on occasion and a few out-of-town guests. Given that Schitt's Creek was never a tourist town, there was no reason for people to be renting out a room unless they were there for work or to visit family.

Despite these inconveniences, Schitt's Creek had a way of making small towns look homey and delightful over its six-season run. The limited options allowed the Rose family to open their minds to a different way of living that prioritized minimalism and comfort over materialism. The town of Schitt's Creek might have been an idealized fantasy, but its roots were in real small-town culture.

Schitt's Creek is streaming on Netflix.