There’s no question that Moira Rose (played by the divine Catherine O’Hara) is one of the best characters to have come out of the popular series Schitt’s Creek. It’s not hard to understand, after all, since she is such a larger-than-life personality with a killer sense of fashion.
From the moment that she appears in the first episode, Moira leaves an impression that never goes away, and in some important ways, she's the funniest character. Beneath the shallowness and the melodrama, however, there is a rich and deep personality, one that conceals quite a lot of sadness that she’s not quite ready to share with the world. It’s precisely this depth that makes her such a fascinating character.
She Had To Rely On The Crows Have Eyes To Resuscitate Her Career
One of the more amusing turns in the plot as the show goes on is Moira’s involvement in a schlocky horror movie titled The Crows Have Eyes 3. It is, of course, a long way to fall for someone who had been one of the toasts of the soap opera circuit, and it’s sad to see Moira really struggle through the role and, just as importantly, its release.
One can’t help but feel a little sorry for her that she had to go to such desperate measures to resuscitate her career, even if her performance in it does make for some hilarious Moira moments.
Her Supposed Friends Abandoned Her
There’s something particularly devastating about being abandoned by your friends, particularly when one has come to rely on them. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happens to Moira when she and Johnny lose all of their money and are forced to move to Schitt’s Creek.
As vain and self-absorbed as she can be at times, it’s hard not to feel very sorry for her once she realizes that the people she thought valued her were, in fact, simply fairweather friends.
She Has Such A Vexed Relationship With Her Sister
One character that appeared only briefly and then was never heard from again was Moira’s sister. From the moment that the two come face to face with one another, it’s very clear that they have a strained relationship.
Given how difficult Moira’s relationship is with her children, one might have hoped that at least her sister would have been a source of support but, alas, it appears that this wasn’t the case either. Poor Moira can’t seem to catch a break.
It Took Her So Long To Get Close To Alexis
From the outset, it’s very clear that Moira is much closer to her son David than she is to Alexis. In fact, she sometimes seems to have a rather dim view of her daughter and her abilities (and their exchanges have some of Moira's best lines). As the series goes on, however, she grows to respect Alexis in a way that she never did before, and as a result the two of them grow closer.
The sad part about this is that they could have been close all along if either of them had really taken the time to get to know the other.
She Was Forced Out Of Her Show Behind Her Back
Though this isn’t obvious at the beginning of the show, later on, it gets revealed that Moira’s leaving the show was orchestrated by one of her castmates who was jealous of her success and her fandom.
This is particularly sad, given that Moira, whatever her failings, really did take the craft of acting seriously, and for her to be forced out behind her back is the ultimate act of betrayal and a sign that she really had few people she could truly rely on.
That Photographer Deceived Her
After the Roses move to Schitt’s Creek, they try their best -- in their own way -- to make a go of it and to find some measure of peace and success in their new home. At one point, one of David’s old flames, a famous photographer, rolls into town and deceives Moira into believing that he’s taking a glamor shot of her.
In reality, he’s trying to use her reduced circumstances to make himself a few bucks. It doesn’t work, but the fact that Moira fell for his deception at all is rather sad.
She Doesn’t Seem To Be Able To Self Reflect
Moira is one of those people who, in some ways, is all surface. There is some depth to her, obviously, but she doesn’t really seem to have the ability (or the desire) to self-reflect, to look at her own life and decisions, and see what she might have done wrong.
Obviously, this is a source of significant humor, and O’Hara plays this aspect of the character to the hilt. At the same time, one does have to admit that it is rather sad to see an adult woman be so utterly un-self-aware.
She Was Almost Forced Out Of Her Show Again
As the series nears its conclusion, it’s clear that Moira might just have a second chance on her soap opera, which is being rebooted.
Unfortunately, the same man who saw her career falter the first time once again tries to sabotage her and, while she ultimately gains the upper hand, it’s still rather sad that one man’s fragile ego was almost enough to derail what was sure to be her return to the spotlight that she so clearly deserved.
She Had To Sink Low Before She Could Rise Up Again
Poor Moira. It really must have been a shock to her to realize that she was cut adrift by the acting community, with no clear prospects for where to go.
The really sad thing, though, is how low she had to sink before she was able to even get the distinction of being in the Crows movie. In fact, she was reduced to doing commercials for a winery known for its terrible wine. If that isn’t a terrible fate for Moira, it’s hard to imagine what would be.
It Takes Her A Long Time To Realize She Actually Does Love Schitt’s Creek
From the moment that she steps foot in Schitt’s Creek, Moira makes it abundantly clear that she looks down on the town and almost everyone in it (and it is true that the town doesn't make a lot of sense in some ways). By the time that the series ends, however, it’s abundantly clear that she loves it and all of its weird and sometimes insufferable residents (in fact, the friendships are one of the best things about the show).
The tragedy of this, of course, is that Moira didn’t realize how much these people meant to her, and how much she meant to them until it was almost too late.