Netflix Just Found the Next Schitt’s Creek — and Millions Are Bingeing It
Schitt’s Creek may be singular, but its heir apparent—driven by one of its creators and fronted by a familiar face—has finally arrived.
Netflix has a new comedy that is not Schitt's Creek 2.0, even though it comes from (and features) the same guy who helped make that one a phenomenon. It is fast, mean in a funny way, and apparently already pulling big numbers.
The quick version
- Title: 'Big Mistakes'
- Where to watch: Netflix
- Who is behind it: Dan Levy, a key creative force and star from 'Schitt's Creek'
- What it is: Two messy siblings stumble into organized crime and get blackmailed into working for drug dealers, then scramble to undo the chaos
- Vibe check: Darkly funny, surprisingly sweet in spots, very bingeable
- Performance: Nearly 3 million views in its first week on Netflix
- Status: Season 1 is out and finding its rhythm; viewers are already asking for a Season 2
What the show actually does
'Big Mistakes' is a caper about people who should never be near a caper. The siblings at the center are the kind of lovable disasters who make one terrible decision, then five more to cover it, until they are doing errands for drug dealers and trying to keep their heads above water. The comedy is in how far out of their depth they are, and how long they can pretend they are not.
This is not a 'Schitt's Creek' encore
Yes, Dan Levy is involved, and yeah, it shares some DNA in terms of heart and timing. But he is not chasing the old show. The tone here is darker, the stakes are dumber (on purpose), and the structure is more crime-comedy than cozy sitcom. As one critic put it:
"Risk is what it is when you attempt to follow a big, defining hit. Big Mistakes, however, is not just another Schitt's show. This is Levy busting loose from what came before."
— Bill Brioux
Early reaction and why it is clicking
The thing moves. It is sharp, a little unhinged, and not afraid to be chaotic instead of safe. That plays well right now, when a lot of streaming comedies feel assembled by template. Casual viewers are calling the show fun and original, and more than a few singled out the season-ending twist as earned rather than tacked on. Translation: people finished it and felt good about the landing.
Between the near-3M week-one start and word of mouth framing it as the rare Netflix comedy with a pulse, the table is set for a second season. And if Season 1 is any indication, the show knows exactly how to keep escalating the ridiculous without losing the characters you are actually rooting for.