This simple premise is just a seed from which the elaborate, sometimes weedy garden of Schitt’s Creek blooms. I’m a fan of what I like to call "kind comedy"—The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation—but Schitt’s Creek is on another level. Yes, it’s funny. Yes, its characters and plots are absurd. But beyond that, it is so—and I cannot stress this enough—kind. Throughout the show’s five seasons, even guest stars who seem one-note at first become complex, flawed, brilliant people you can’t help but root for.

If you haven’t seen the show, I won’t spoil too much. There are some truly spectacular surprises and revelations. The biggest so far has been its four Emmy noms this year; it’s won a slew of awards in Canada and outside the American mainstream, but has yet to really cross over. This year sees it up for not just Best Comedy, but Best Actress and Actor for O’Hara and Levy (senior) respectively. I’m rooting for it for a number of reasons, even as someone who loves Russian Doll and The Good Place.

One of those reasons lies in its fourth nomination—it’s been tapped for Best Contemporary Costumes. If you haven’t seen Moira, I urge you to let her monochrome feathers-sequins-leather-and-Chanel wardrobe enlighten you. Truly, Moira’s entire look is a labor of love; a not-insignificant portion of the budget goes to sourcing couture. Nobody else could pull off Moira’s outfits, much less her innumerable and often-indecipherable wigs. She’s a John Waters daydream, even before the accent.

Moira is a perfect example of how what could’ve been any other cookie-cutter comedy is elevated by care, passion and attention to detail. The world of Schitt’s Creek may look backwater at first, but that’s intentional. The crew behind the camera, and in the writers’ room, is meticulous. Everyone gets a moment, a spotlight, growth. The audience is presented with stereotypes only to have them examined, if not flipped completely. Stevie’s anxiety, Jocelyn’s crisis of identity, Roland’s deep and abiding love for his wife and his town—everyone is more than a punchline, and everyone deserves a second chance.

These sentiments carry the show, now about to enter its sixth and final season. It’s a world devoid of bigotry, where love really is the answer, which somehow doesn’t feel cliche. I’m sure it helps that Dan Levy is an out gay man, but even his choice to play pansexual reflects the show’s compassion: David is pan specifically because Levy wanted more positive and nuanced representation for an underserved identity. As the show progresses and his relationship status changes, David remains adamant that he hasn’t changed. Not in that respect, anyway.

Because change really is core to Schitt’s Creek’s spirit. The Roses come to town with baggage both literal and metaphorical. They find themselves broken down, only to slowly realize they can build themselves back up. For example, party girl and possible ex-spy Alexis tries to escape almost immediately, only to discover that friends you buy don’t last when the money runs out. She’s absolutely too good for this town until she isn’t, and that harsh dose of humility lays the foundation for a character arc that rivals any other in this category. Like Elle Woods of Legally Blonde, she’s done being underestimated.

Annie Murphy isn’t nominated, but I’d argue she deserves her own pile of gold statues. This might sound twee, but it’s a pet peeve of mine: Pretty girls rarely get cast as funny in ways that aren’t easily digestible. Alexis throws that notion away like so many of last season’s handbags. She’s both pretty and impossibly, cringe-inducingly hilarious. She’s complex and vulnerable. She gets room to find her own strength and capability. Yet even while evolving and becoming an entrepreneur in her own right, she’s still a little bit Alexis.

So whether Schitt’s Creek sweeps its Emmys categories in its final lap a la Return of the King or not, I’m pulling for it. After all, we have more seasons of Russian Doll to come, and someone somehow forgot to nominate One Day at a Time. On the plus side, as Schitt’s Creek draws to a close, Pop has picked up One Day at a Time (hooray!) to fill its heartfelt, genuine, messy-family top spot. And that, as David would say, should be celebrated.