Who is Roland Schitt in Schitt's Creek?

Show

Schitt's Creek

Played by

Chris Elliott

First episode

“Our Cup Runneth Over”Season 1, Episode 1, aired January 13, 2015

Role

Main cast

Network

CBC

Occupation

Mayor of Schitt's Creek

Show run

2015 to 2020Aired on Pop TV in the United States.

Also known as

Roland, Mayor Schitt, Mayor Roland Schitt

Roland Schitt is the fourth member of his family to serve as mayor of Schitt's Creek, and he greets the newly broke Rose family by making himself at home in their motel rooms. Played by Chris Elliott, he is crude, nosy, and often maddening, but by the end of the series he is one of the Roses' most loyal friends.

On Schitt's Creek, Roland Schitt's story runs through Johnny Rose (Business Partner), Moira Rose (Council Colleague), Stevie Budd (Coworker), Alexis Rose (Son's Ex-girlfriend), and David Rose.

Who is Roland Schitt?

Roland is the mayor of Schitt's Creek, a job he took over from his father, and his family's name is on the town itself. He is married to Jocelyn, a cheerful high school teacher, and their grown son, Mutt, is an early love interest for Alexis. When Johnny Rose arrives as the town's new owner on paper, Roland is the first local to greet him, and he rarely waits for an invitation after that.

From then on he hovers around the Roses constantly, dropping by their rooms, borrowing their things, and offering advice nobody asked for. He can be petty and lazy as a public servant, but he genuinely wants the best for his town, and most of its residents are fond of him.

Personality and comedy

Roland's comedy comes from his total lack of boundaries. He shares far too much about his love life, wanders into conversations at the worst moment, and treats the Roses' horror as a sign that they are becoming friends. Chris Elliott plays him with a confident, slightly greasy charm that makes even his worst moments funny.

The show slowly reveals a softer side. Roland is a devoted husband and an enthusiastic, if clumsy, father, and when it counts he defends the Roses as fiercely as he once bothered them. His friendship with Johnny, built on mutual irritation, becomes one of the series' quiet pleasures.

Key storylines

In the first season Roland reluctantly signs off on Johnny's plan to sell the town, only for the sale to collapse. In season four Jocelyn learns she is pregnant, and Johnny gives Roland a job at the motel to help cover the baby's expenses. Their son is born during the town's singles week, and the Schitts honor Moira by giving him her name as his middle name.

In the final season Roland and Jocelyn mortgage their home to buy a second motel, making them Johnny's full partners in the growing motel business. During the investor pitch in New York, Roland overhears the executives mocking Johnny and tells them off. The firm passes, but a few people from the room decide to back the Rosebud brand on their own. As the Roses leave town, he plays one last prank by putting their faces on the town's welcome sign.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Chris Elliott, known for his years on Late Night with David Letterman and cult projects like Get a Life, was cast without an audition. He has said that when Eugene Levy offered him the role of the mayor, he could not think of a reason to say no.

Roland's lack of boundaries, from oversharing to dropping in uninvited, fuels many of the show's most awkward moments, and his scenes with Eugene Levy pair two comedy veterans with very different styles. By the finale, the man who once seemed like the worst thing about the town has become part of its heart.

Roland Schitt: frequently asked questions

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