In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dan Levy unpacked the creative process behind his latest eight-part comedy series, Big Mistakes, on Netflix. Co-created by Levy and Rachel Sennott (I Love LA), the series follows an impressive ensemble led by Levy himself, along with Taylor Ortega, Laurie Metcalf, Jack Innanen, Abby Quinn and Boran Kuzum.
Best known for his Emmy-winning Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek, Dan Levy is stepping into bold new territory with Big Mistakes, his latest Netflix outing that blends sharp humor with emotional nuance and the creator himself is calling it nothing short of a “creative adventure.” Known for his distinct storytelling voice and character-driven narratives, Levy uses this series to push beyond his comfort zone, experimenting with tone, pacing and the messy realities of human relationships.
In a recent conversation, Levy reflected on how Big Mistakes became a space where he could take risks, both as a writer and performer, without the pressure of replicating past success:
”For me, it’s about fighting for the integrity of the show and trying to embrace the creative adventure…”
More on this in our story.
Dan Levy unpacks the creative process behind making Big Mistakes
Dan Levy’s latest comedy follows a similar chaotic and dysfunctional vein as his breakout family comedy, Schitt’s Creek. It’s been almost five years since co-creators and father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy wrapped the highly successful six-season run of their Emmy-winning series and there is an appetite for more. As Levy told the outlet, he had considered bringing the Schitt’s ensemble back and creating more stories for his fictional Rose family but it never ‘came to fruition’. After his co-star Catherine O’Hara’s tragic passing (who played Levy’s on-screen mother, Moira Rose), Levy has stopped entertaining the idea altogether.
However, fans craving a new dose of Levy’s unhinged humour and dysfunctional characters will find Big Mistakes intriguing. Unpacking the creative process behind his latest project, Levy revealed that while studios expected him to deliver another project like Schitt’s Creek, he wanted to experiment and take his audiences by surprise:
”If you look at all the great things in culture that have made a mark, they have all come out of left field. They have all taken us by surprise. They have all caught us off guard. They’ve all shown us things we didn’t know we wanted…And you can look at anything that’s hit big. No studio executive could have predicted those successes.”
In a world where creators have to tweak and change their ideas and visions to meet audiences’ expectations and studios’ demands, Levy feels grateful for Netflix’s Bad Mistakes, which let him experiment and portray his most authentic self on-screen:
”What’s most important for me is that when I go to sleep at night, I know that what I’ve put on the screen is the closest possible representation of the thing I wanted to make…So, I prioritize my own sanity, honestly, over making too many adjustments. Part of that is knowing what you want to make. Part of that is the privilege of being able to say no sometimes. Everyone can say no, but some people can’t afford to lose a job.”
What is Big Mistakes about?
Netflix and Dan Levy’s latest venture is equal parts wacky comedy and a crime thriller, all wrapped into one. Big Mistakes follows gay pastor Nicky and schoolteacher Morgan, a chaotic sibling duo who steal a supposedly cheap necklace from a convenience store clerk, for their dying Nonna’s last birthday. However, when the siblings fail to arrive in time for their grandmother’s birthday, their mother decides to bury their Nonna with the necklace, which turns out to be a valuable, real jewel.
This turns out to be the siblings’ first titular Big Mistakes as Yusuf, a goon disguised as the convenience store clerk, threatens Nicky and Morgan to get his necklace back. This sets the chaotic events in the crime comedy series, as the siblings keep landing themselves in unexpected situations that lead to a big reveal.
Big Mistakes is streaming on Netflix.
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Edited by Aashna