Big Mistakes, co-created by Dan Levy and Rachel Sennott, is a new Netflix crime-comedy that follows Nicky, an anxious pastor played by Levy, and his sharp, impulsive sister Morgan (Taylor Ortega), a schoolteacher.
In the first episode of the series, the two visit a pawnshop where Morgan steals what she believes is a fake diamond necklace intended for their dying grandmother. However, the necklace turns out to be real, and the shop clerk, Yusuf (Boran Kuzum), warns them they have to give it back to him or else.
When they fail to do so, he brings them to his boss—played by Israeli actor Mark Ivanir—an intimidating Russian entrepreneur and crime lord who forces the siblings into working for him.
From that point on, Nicky and Morgan find themselves pulled deeper into the criminal world, as each attempt to fix one problem only creates another, pushing them further into danger.
The plot itself is full of holes, and the characters’ choices often make you question their intelligence. It’s obvious that any logic was thrown out the window while writing the script. But if you’re willing to overlook all of this and accept Nicky and Morgan’s irrational decisions, the series becomes easier and fun to watch.
Levy, 42, was born in Canada to Jewish actor Eugene Levy and a Protestant mother, Deborah Divine. He is best known for his acclaimed series Schitt’s Creek (2015–2020), which he co-created with his father. The show became a cultural phenomenon and earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for his work.
In an interview with Levy, he reflected on that earlier success and the shift in tone with Big Mistakes.
“I had six seasons of a warm, fuzzy, cuddly show, and my natural curiosity was to go in a completely different direction,” said Levy. “I wanted to take elements I loved from Schitt’s Creek—family dynamics, flawed and interesting characters—and explore something new.”
How difficult was it to decide on this premise for a series, and when did you know this was the one?
“Running a show takes a lot out of you, so I wanted to take some time. Over the six years between the shows, I kept thinking about what kind of premise would be exciting enough to sustain multiple seasons. The more I explored this idea, the more fascinating it became. In the creative process, when you pull a thread and it keeps unraveling, you know you have something with legs. By the end of the first season, it feels like we’re just getting started—that’s usually a good sign.
It’s always a gamble, but I feel at peace with how great this show is. I haven’t felt this kind of love for a project since Schitt’s Creek, and the ensemble really made me feel at home.”
What was it like balancing the crime elements with comedy while developing the tone of the series?
“I’m running a crime ring. But it felt like, you know, playing with the world of crime in a comedic sense. And if we were lucky, being able to marry the thrills of the world of crime and the laughs of comedy without ever compromising one, I knew it was going to be a challenge. But I feel so good about where we landed. I think it feels so special and singular. I haven’t seen a show like it in a really long time. So, I just am so excited, and it’s exciting to play in a whole new sandbox, ultimately.”
How did you devise and map out a narrative for a character like Morgan—chaotic but purposeful?
“The character was conceived as someone who constantly feels the need to prove herself. A lot of the characters in the show share that. When you’re always trying to prove yourself, you start compromising your sense of right and wrong—letting ego take over instead of rational thought. Then you bring in an actor like Taylor Ortega, who takes that character, breaks it open, and discovers new layers. That’s the beauty of casting—an actor can completely transform your understanding of what a character can be.”
What was your collaboration like in building out the ensemble, and were there any standout discoveries?
“Jack Innanen was a really fun discovery. He plays Max (Morgan’s fiancé – A.O.) on the show. I love hiring Canadians—he was great. Abby Quinn, who plays Natalie (Nicky and Morgan’s sister), is such an amazing find. There's a scene at the end of the season—I don't want to give too much away—that requires a lot from Natalie. And Abby's read of this little monologue that happens at the end of the season was so jaw-dropping that I knew as soon as I watched it that we had to hire her. And then there is Boran Kuzum from Turkey. This is his first American role, and I believe he's one of the first actors from Turkey to ever make the leap to American television.”
What’s your favorite memory from filming?
“For me, it’s always the first day on set—when you see the cast and crew come together for the first time. When it works, you can feel it immediately. People go home excited, knowing they’re part of something special.
We were lucky to have an incredible team across the board. And at the end of filming, we all spent time together on the beach in Puerto Rico, and it just made me think, ‘I really hope we get to do this again.’”
Emmy Award winner Laurie Metcalf plays Linda, Nicky and Morgan’s mother. Known for her acclaimed work in Roseanne, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and Desperate Housewives, Metcalf brings sharp intensity to the role. In the series, Linda is drawn into a volatile mayoral race alongside her youngest daughter, Natalie, putting them up against a well-connected local figure, Tom Donaldson (Darren Goldstein), whose political ambitions are bolstered by his wife, Annette (Elizabeth Perkins).
What made you cast Laurie Metcalf for the role of your mother on the show?
“It was like the reverse—if we could be so lucky. I wrote a letter, I sent a script, and I said a little prayer, and I hoped for the best. And again, with casting, it's like everything almost happens for a reason. And when you send something out to somebody that you revere so fondly, you really kind of just have to let it go, because it's not a personal thing. Everyone has things in their life that draw them to things or draw them away from things. But I remember sending the script, and it was like within 48 hours we had heard that she was interested.”
What are some of your favorite roles she has played in the past?
“It’s really hard to choose, but I would say the most formative for me was Jackie in Roseanne. It was one of the great contributions to television, I would say. It completely shaped my idea of what was funny. She was so real and yet such a live wire of energy. And obviously, Lady Bird and all her stage work are incredible as well. This role required someone who understood character work and could be the gravitational force everyone orbits around. The moment she said yes, I knew we were in a great place.”
Without giving anything away, what are you most excited for audiences to experience?
“I think for me, knowing how the season is shaped and having written it with an unbelievable room of writers, there are some really big swings that we take that I believe we land with tens across the board. There are some big swings, and there are some big twists that I think are really satisfying. They never feel cheap. I think every big moment in the show is earned. Every big character thing is earned, and for me, it was just—the quality of the cast is so good. It’s so hard to make people laugh and show fear within seconds of each other. The gymnastics required of the cast to sell the thrills and sell the comedy—it’s unbelievable to watch. I’m just, like, thrilled having put it all together.”