One Schitt’s Creek theory proves that Moira Rose (Catherine O’Hara) would never love the town as her family members grew to, and for a good reason. In the years the Roses occupied Schitt’s Creek, Johnny (Eugene Levy), David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) all found their own place there which connected them to the town and made it a more pleasant experience for them. Although none of the Roses particularly wanted to stay, they were able to settle themselves in Schitt’s Creek in preparation for the long haul, whether that was through relationships, friendships, or business ventures, in a way that tied them to Schitt’s Creek - though Moira can be seen as the least invested.

Despite all her flamboyance, Moira reveals that she comes from quite a humble background, which may explain her relationship with the town. In season 1, episode 10, “Honeymoon”, Moira, although she rarely talks about her past, tells Jocelyn she was from a small town like Schitt’s Creek and when asked why she’d ever leave, Moira says “I couldn’t wait to get out, I was dying there”. Also, in season 2, episode 2, “Family Dinner”, Moira’s failed cooking skills made her miss how self-sufficient she was before she became famous. Moving to Schitt’s Creek is not a new experience for her like it is for Johnny, David, and Alexis, and that becomes evident in how little Moira connects with Schitt’s Creek.

Related: Why Schitt's Creek Takes So Long To Make You Love It

A theory (via Reddit) proves Moira had good reason not to love Schitt’s Creek because she spent her life trying to escape a small town like it. The theory claims that, although Moira did form some attachments, such as the Jazzagals, she was not as attached to them as Johnny, David, and Alexis were to their friends, with Alexis arguably changing more than David due to these connections. Given Moira's ambition, this being the case wouldn't be surprising, and indeed Moira spending years growing jaded with her small town life while harboring big dreams wouldn't make Schitt's Creek any easier to deal with. On the contrary, it seems like Moira’s worst nightmare to return to a small town like Schitt’s Creek with no hope of leaving, and it would have almost felt like her life was reverting from her success. The theory states that Moira doesn’t hold the same connection to Schitt’s Creek as her family members, but that is not a bad thing and should not be a taint on her character.

Moira’s Relationship With Alexis Shows She Changed

Moira and Alexis looking at a cell phone in schitts creek

From the start of the show, Moira is shown to have a strained relationship with Schitt’s Creek's Alexis, to the point where they can’t have lunch alone without planning topics. Alexis’ constant travelling and Moira’s disconnection from her children’s lives is the cause for their lack of bonding. It was evident throughout Schitt’s Creek that Moira was much closer with David and being forced to live in the small town made Moira and Alexis acknowledge their distance.

Moira may not have connected with Schitt’s Creek, but her relationship with Alexis show she did change and grow as a person while living there. The Rose women went from knowing nothing about each other to Moira supporting and hiring Alexis as her PR manager and moving her Jazzagals performance to Alexis’ graduation so Moira could support her. The time spent with Alexis in Schitt’s Creek made Moira more supportive of her daughter and helped build a much stronger relationship between them.

Moira Wasn’t As Disconnected From Schitt’s Creek As Audiences Thought

Catherine O'Hara; Netflix; Roses

As revealed in the series, Moira grew up in a small town like Schitt’s Creek, and this meant she wasn’t as disconnected from the town as audiences thought. To audiences, it seemed like Moira’s disconnection to Schitt’s Creek meant she wasn’t able to grow as a person like her family members, but that is because living in a small town wasn’t a new experience for her. Moira had spent her life trying to escape from a small town, so, in her mind, moving to Schitt’s Creek wouldn’t be an opportunity to grow but would drag her back to a life she didn’t enjoy. Moira is different to the other Roses and, unlike her family members, had already gained everything she needed from her home town and was set on staying away from it. This can be seen through her dedication to still representing her pre-Schitt’s Creek life; Moira never changes her fashion, regardless of occasion or practicality, and is set on still throwing parties and buying lavish clothes to keep the image she worked for.

Related: Why A Schitt's Creek Movie Would Work (Despite Its Perfect Ending)

Moira’s Ability To Try To Love The Town Is Impressive Considering Her Past

Schitt's Creek; Netflix; Moira

Moira made it no secret that she wanted to leave Schitt’s Creek, but her ability to try and build a life there is impressive considering her past squarely set her against the location. Instead of wallowing away in the motel, Moira still went out and still made her mark on Schitt’s Creek. She continued her passions with the Jazzagals and built a good relationship with the group which was shown through their emotional goodbye, which was a heartwarming touch to the Schitt's Creek finale. Moira also made it onto Schitt’s Creek town council as she wanted to improve the town - an urge which may have stemmed from wanting her own complaints dealt with, but that nonetheless did mean served the town for a while. Moira’s ability to do all this despite a core tenant of her character being wanting to escape small town life is extremely impressive, as well as being a sign of her good character and growth as a person.

Moira may have been more disconnected from Schitt’s Creek than her family, but when her past is taken into account, this is both understandable and paints her time there in a new light. The relationships Moira built with the town - not just with the Jazzagals but making real friends in Jocelyn and Ronnie and creating a real bond with Alexis - showed how much Moira did change throughout the Schitt’s Creek show, even if aspects of her character were unchangeable. It may not have been as obvious a change as with the other Roses, but Moira's understated character growth in Schitt’s Creek makes her all the more interesting.