label". A much more direct description of David's sexuality, free of analogies, was offered by Johnny in a later scene in the same episode. The reveal of David's pansexuality is scripted to challenge viewers' assumptions of the character. According to Levy, David's initial relationship with a woman, Stevie, is meant to dispel the notion that the character is gay due to his effeminate nature and push the boundaries of what it means to be traditionally masculine or feminine. Levy also chose to write the character's sexuality in an environment without homophobia. He has cited several reasons for this creative decision, including his own lack of "patience" for homophobia. Levy also calls this decision a form of "quiet protest" against the LGBTQ tragedy tropes often seen on television, and further stated that David's story is not written to explicitly educate the audience on LGBTQ issues. He says David's sexuality is presented "as it should be" to show the "transformational" impact of love without "the threat of intolerance or bigotry". This approach of acceptance and non-judgement has been widely noted by the press. Reception Critical reception When Schitt's Creek originally premiered in 2015, Levy and his portrayal of David garnered mostly positive reviews. David Berry of the National Post called the character's "carefully manicured snippiness" a highlight of the first season. People Magazine's Gillian Telling also had early praise, saying that David's facial expressions and one-liners made him possibly one of the show's best characters. Mike Hale of The New York Times was noticeably more negative, calling David "mostly shrill and unlikeable," while also suggesting that Dan Levy had inherited none of his father Eugene's talent. As the series progressed and gained a wider audience with its release on Netflix in 2017 and 2018, the character and his portrayer gained more critical acclaim. Vox’s Caroline Framke noted that while Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara are the show's most recognizable selling points, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy were the show's "backbone and beating heart". Richard Lawson stated that David's character arc was "well-rendered" and a "pleasure" to watch in a review for Vanity Fair. Manuel Betancourt of Paste Magazine argued that David's quips are "one of the many reasons Schitt's Creek is one of the most quotable comedies of the moment." The depiction of David's pansexuality and relationship with Patrick also earned praise from critics. When discussing the overall presentation of sexuality in