The Secret Appearance of Alexis' Ex-Boyfriend in Schitt's Creek Christmas Episode

The Glamorous Past of the Rose Family

Schitt's Creek often references various unseen figures associated with the Rose family’s glamorous past, with one such character actually making a subtle appearance in the sitcom’s Christmas episode. With the exception of the opening scene of Schitt’s Creek’s pilot, in which the Rose family’s belongings are chaotically removed from their lavish mansion, the pitfalls and glories of David (Dan Levy), Alexis (Annie Murphy), Johnny (Eugene Levy), and Moira’s (Catherine O’Hara) wealthy past is primarily only understood through their various stories and sprinkled references.

Alexis and Stavros at the Rose mansion in Schitt's Creek's Christmas episode

However, a true glimpse into the bygone affluent era of their lives is finally revealed in Schitt’s Creek season 4, episode 13, “Merry Christmas, Johnny Rose.” The sole holiday episode of Schitt’s Creek kicks off with a flashback to a previous Christmas at the Rose mansion, filled with glamorous decorations, black-tie apparel, musical performances by Paul Shaffer, and other notable celebrities.

Certain Schitt's Creek characters, performances, and soirées later referenced by the Roses are finally depicted on-screen during the brief flashback, which ultimately functions to highlight how much more fulfilling and happy the family’s lives truly became after losing their money.

The Revealing of Stavros

“Merry Christmas, Johnny Rose” marks the first and only appearance of Stavros on Schitt’s Creek. Even referenced in the opening scene of the 2015 pilot episode, the wealthy Stavros is the most frequently-discussed ex-boyfriend of Alexis Rose, as she was still dating him in Schitt's Creek season 1 when the family lost their money and had to move to the titular town. Stavros’ role on the show was primarily contained to references by the Roses or phone calls with Alexis, which revealed how poorly he treated her and their relationship was less serious than she believed. While a picture of the elusive ex-boyfriend was painted through the Roses’ stories, Schitt’s Creek finally gave a real look at Stavros in season 4.

Played by David Jack, Stavros appears briefly in “Merry Christmas, Johnny Rose” during the Christmas flashback with Alexis on his arm. As the opening scene to one of Schitt's Creek's best episodes pans around the room to show the guests crowded around Moira and David singing their rendition of “Silent Night,” the camera gives a brief glimpse at a long-haired Stavros looking down on his phone while Alexis dances to her mother and brother’s duet. While Stavros is never formally introduced in the holiday special, the timeline fits for his appearance and the actor is credited as the character for the episode.

The Deeper Meaning of Stavros' Cameo

The heart of Schitt’s Creek is its subversion of the “rags to riches” narrative, as the Roses end up finding themselves, growing as better people, and finding their real “wealth” after losing their millions of dollars and status. Part of this had to do with their lack of self-assurance and the people they kept around them, with Alexis’ romances often being an indication of her character development throughout Schitt’s Creek. This is perfectly exemplified in the Christmas episode, as Alexis being ignored by Stavros in the past provides a stark contrast to her present-day romance with Ted (Dustin Milligan), who is highly attentive and cares deeply for her.

Stavros appears as if the Roses’ party was the last place he wanted to be, whereas Alexis' supportive boyfriend Ted encourages her to spend time with her family on Christmas because of how important it is to Johnny. Later in Schitt’s Creek’s Christmas episode, Johnny returns to his flashback and recalls that by the end of the night, he and Moira were alone while Alexis joined Stavros on his father’s yacht and David was yelling at chef Wolfgang Puck. However, the return to the present day sees Alexis and Ted happily join Johnny, the rest of Rose family, and various townspeople until the very end of Christmas night.

Alexis and Ted snuggle closer in Schitt's Creek's Christmas episode