Schitt’s Creek swept the comedy categories at the Emmys, receiving a glowing send-off following the end of its six-series run earlier this year.
Stars Eugene Levy, Daniel Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Annie Murphy all won acting gongs while Daniel also won for writing and directing, the latter being shared with Andrew Cividino.
The upbeat show won the overall outstanding comedy series gong, ahead of competition including previous winner The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.
"Our show at its core is about the transformational effects of love and acceptance and that is something that we need more of now than we've ever needed before."
– @danjlevy after Schitt's Creek won the Outstanding Comedy Series #Emmy💛
— Schitt's Creek (@SchittsCreek) September 21, 2020
The cast spent the ceremony together at an Emmys watching party and appeared emotional after completing the historic sweep.
During one of his many trips to the microphone, Daniel, who is openly gay and created the show with his father Eugene, said: “Our show at its core is about the transformational effects of love and acceptance and that is something that we need more of now than we’ve ever needed before.”
Ahead of November’s presidential election, he urged fans to vote, adding: “So sorry for making this political but I had to.”
It was a first acting Emmy win for both American Pie star Levy and O’Hara, following long and successful careers in comedy.
O’Hara, recognised for playing family matriarch Moira Rose, delivered an emotional acceptance speech and said: “I’ll forever be grateful to Eugene and Daniel Levy for giving me the opportunity to play a woman of a certain age, my age, who gets to be fully her ridiculous self.
Wow! And with that, @SchittsCreek has officially swept the Comedy categories! Congrats! #Emmys pic.twitter.com/9tkBRYnnBe
— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) September 21, 2020
“They gathered the most beautiful, fun-loving people in Toronto, cast and crew, and then, by example, led us to be the best we can be for each other.”
Accepting his prize, Levy joked he had been recognised for the “straightest” role in his career after years of classic parts in TV and film.
“I guess it’s kind of ironic that the straightest role I ever played lands me an Emmy for a comedy performance,” he said. “So now I seriously have to question just what I’ve been doing for the past 50 years.”
Kimmel joked about a Canadian show being so successful at the biggest night in US TV, suggesting Donald Trump should have built a wall across America’s northern border.
Posting on Instagram hours later, Daniel wrote: “One day I’ll find the right words. Until then, thank you to everyone who made last night possible. We’ll never forget it. Grateful for it all.”