Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy on finally seeing the titular Schitt's Creek

It was a bumpy road, but Moira and Johnny Rose finally made it to the creek of Schitt’s Creek. Not a bumpy road in the development or production sense, as we often mean when referring to the TV biz: We mean actually bumpy.

In the first installment of EW On Set: Schitt’s Creek, EW’s new podcast taking listeners behind the scenes of the comedy’s final season, hosts Shana Naomi Krochmal and Patrick Gomez head directly to the set of the season 6 premiere to watch Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy film this moment. The episode, which aired Tuesday night on CBC and Pop TV, finds their characters making a midday excursion to this historic landmark (or at least, it should be historic).

Walking down an uneven hill in heels while juggling a picnic basket and parasol — and trying to look chic — is no easy task. “I was holding onto his arm for safety more than anything else because I’m walking in those 6-inch heels in dirt and grass,” O’Hara says of clutching her costar. “That’s the last thing you should be doing.”

“It was the rocky road to Dublin,” Levy jokes. “Walking down that hill and trying to look somewhat cool was the toughest thing.” Fortunately, when your scene partner is someone you’ve worked with for more than 40 years, the acting part is easy by comparison.

“Yeah, Moira, what can I say. How long have we been working together? Forty years? There’s a comfort factor there that makes it almost real in a way,” Levy says of his history with O’Hara. The two first met in the 1970s as comedians in the Second City troupe in Chicago, and went on to costar in movies like Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. “You don’t have to do that much acting,” Levy adds. “We played couples in so many projects that you almost feel like you’re married.”

O’Hara remembers they once tried to date each other “at the beginning” of their friendship. “The Second City theater, everyone tried dating because you make each other laugh and that’s really sexy. It is,” she says. “And so, you think, ‘Hey, we’re laughing together, we should try.’ But it didn’t work out, and it’s great. I don’t think we’d have this working relationship if we didn’t. And he obviously picked the right woman in his life, with their lovely kids.”

Levy married Deborah Divine in 1977, and now their son, Dan Levy, has a hit comedy on his hands. The season 6 premiere of Schitt’s Creek, “Smoke Signals,” marks Dan’s third time helming an episode of the show he created with his dad. So there’s the added fun of watching the 36-year-old direct two people he’s known his whole life. Aside from the reveal of the creek of Schitt, the half-hour entry also features David (Dan Levy) and Patrick’s (Noah Reid) venture to secure a wedding venue, Alexis’ (Annie Murphy) mishap with airline booking, and a fire that sparks a revelation within Moira.

“I love Eugene. He and Daniel are lovely gentlemen,” O’Hara says. “They’re so easy to be with, in work and out of work. They set a lovely tone for everyone, on and off the set. Any kind of brief discussion — I wouldn’t even say argument, a discussion — about anything, it never feels like an argument, because it’s all about the work. Everyone, Eugene and Daniel, care about the work and I do too, and we always know in any discussion that we are all sincerely trying to make everything as great as it can be. We start it with great scripts, obviously.”

Listen to the full podcast for more from O’Hara and Eugene, plus some extra insights into Alexis’ arc from Murphy. EW On Set is available wherever you stream or download podcasts.

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