Schitt’s Creek | Wednesday, 10 p.m., Pop
At the beginning of the Pop sitcom’s holiday special, family matriarch and former soap star Moira Rose (Catherine O’Hara) rolls over in bed on Christmas Eve morning and tells her husband Johnny (Eugene Levy), “Wake me when it’s over.” Ever since the Roses lost their fortune and gilded lifestyle — and fled to the crassly-titled town of the show’s title — Moira has been no fan of the holiday. Not so much for O’Hara.
“I’m sad when it’s over. The saddest thing you can probably do is put that tree out in the garbage,” O’Hara says with a laugh. “Well, I’m lucky I have a home!” In the special, Johnny dreams of his family’s past lavish holiday parties and sets out to soothe their sorrows by throwing a last-minute shindig. The cast also includes Daniel Levy (Eugene’s son) and Annie Murphy as David and Alexis, Johnny and Moira’s entitled children.
Comedy veteran O’Hara, 64, is best known for starring alongside Levy in “SCTV” sketches and a string of classic Christopher Guest films including “Best in Show,” “Waiting for Guffman” and “A Mighty Wind.” She recently spoke with The Post by phone from her LA home.
What does the episode reveal about the family?
It shows you a taste of their old life, and you see what maybe Johnny and especially Moira are missing. And I love that when Johnny does relive it in his dreams, he wonders why they miss it so much.
There are flashbacks to extravagant Rose family parties. Were those scenes shot in a real mansion?
It’s a ridiculously big house in Toronto. We did the opening scenes there for Season 1 and then just a day again there in June. I love seeing any house decorated for Christmas, but that house looked pretty wild. Overdone.
What makes it so fun to play the delightfully deluded, self-centered Moira?
When you say deluded, what ever do you mean? [laughs] Oh, I think we’re all deluded, aren’t we? We’re pretending we’re not gonna die, for one thing. But I love people who have no idea what impression they make on others. Moira really believes she’s a people person. Moira’s really made the best of being in that town. [laughs] You try losing everything and living in a motel room!
What can we expect when Season 5 kicks off Jan. 16 with Moira heading to Bosnia for a film shoot?
Moira’s spirits are definitely lifted — she can see an out and that influences her, softening her a little bit. It’s just being a little more open because, “Oh, I’m just gonna be here a short time, so the end is near; what’s the point?”
Do the holidays stress you out?
I have that kind of internal stress of, “Oh, I want to get the right thing for everyone.” Or, “I want to make the house look pretty.” Or, “I want to have great food on Christmas.” A friend of mine calls it “stressed but blessed,” where I have the good fortune to have a home and friends and be able to celebrate Christmas. Really, it’s stressed but blessed.
Do you have a favorite Christmas memory?
One of my favorites is my dad would go outside on Christmas Eve — we never knew it was my dad — and ring some bells outside of my [parents’] bedroom window. Mom would go into the bedroom and say, “Oh, Santa, you’re here … Yes, they’ve been very good … Oh, of course, they’ll go to bed right now.” She would bring out new pajamas every Christmas Eve and send us to bed. But then of course since Santa was already at the house, we’d be lying awake in our beds and not able to go to sleep.
— Eric Hegedüs
And here’s what else to watch this week:
Escape at Dannemora | Sunday, 10 p.m., Showtime
Richard Matt (Benicio del Toro) and David Sweat (Paul Dano) escape from prison and are surprised that Tilly (Patricia Arquette) is not waiting for them with the getaway car. Uh oh.
Springsteen on Broadway | Sunday, Netflix
Bruce Springsteen shares anecdotes of his journey from Asbury Park bar-band singer to superstar. Bruce cracks jokes about the transformation of the Jersey Shore from backwater to brand: “I created it!” Springsteen plays the hits, all acoustically.
Murphy Brown | Thursday, 9:30 p.m., CBS
Season finale. The gang tries to distract Murphy (Candice Bergen) from worrying about Avery’s (Jake McDorman) Kabul assignment by getting her to attend the 100th anniversary New Year’s Eve celebration at Phil’s Bar. MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell and NBC News correspondent and MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell guest star as themselves.
The Sound Of Music | Sunday, 7 p.m., ABC
In pre-WWII Austria, a young, high-spirited postulant (Julie Andrews) is sent from the convent to become a governess to seven children. Their father (Christopher Plummer) is a cold and aloof military captain. This movie is one of our favorite things so we will climb every mountain and see it again.
Dirty John | Sunday, 10 p.m., Bravo
Debra (Connie Britton) confronts John (Eric Bana) and we learn about Arlane’s (Jean Smart) past. With Julia Garner.
Christmas on I.C.E. | Wednesday, 10:30 p.m., TBS
Comic Samantha Bee hosts a holiday special with all trimmings: gingerbread, music, laughter and a dollop of political rage over migrant families. And did we mention that the whole thing is on ice? Naive Olympic skater Adam Rippon has signed on to skate with Bee.
Vanity Fair | Friday, Amazon
Series premiere. The 1848 novel by William Makepeace Thackeray recounts the misadventures of Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke), a clever minx who schemes her way out of poverty to the court of King George IV. With Tom Bateman).