Northern Exposure (1990–1995)

A newly graduated doctor is required to set up his practice in an eccentric Alaskan town.

Stars:

Barry Corbin, Janine Turner, John Cullum

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 25 wins & 60 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Barry Corbin	...	Maurice J. Minnifield (110 episodes, 1990-1995)
Janine Turner	...	Maggie O'Connell (110 episodes, 1990-1995)
John Cullum	...	Holling Vincoeur (110 episodes, 1990-1995)
Darren E. Burrows	...	Ed Chigliak (110 episodes, 1990-1995)
John Corbett	...	Chris Stevens (110 episodes, 1990-1995)
Cynthia Geary	...	Shelly Marie Tambo (110 episodes, 1990-1995)
Elaine Miles	...	Marilyn Whirlwind (110 episodes, 1990-1995)
Peg Phillips	...	Ruth-Anne Miller (107 episodes, 1990-1995)
Rob Morrow	...	Dr. Joel Fleischman (102 episodes, 1990-1995)
William J. White	...	Dave the Cook (48 episodes, 1991-1994)

Storyline

Joel Fleishman is fresh out of medical college, and fresh out of luck. Failing to read the fine print in his scholarship conditions, he finds he has no choice but to move to the remote and somewhat eccentric town of Cicely, in the wilds of Alaska. Once there, he is welcomed by the peculiar locals who are not keen to see him go, most especially Maurice Minnifield, the ex-NASA astronaut. Despite Joel's adamant denials, one gets the impression that he enjoys life in Cicely more than he admits.

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Plot Keywords:

alaska | medical | eccentric | doctor | bush pilot | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian Yiddish Tlingit Hebrew

Release Date:

12 July 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ausgerechnet Alaska

Filming Locations:

Easton, Washington, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cine-Nevada Productions, Universal TV, Falahey/Austin Street Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (110 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mother and daughter characters Mrs. Whirlwind and Marilyn Whirlwind are played by real-life mother and daughter Armenia Miles and Elaine Miles.

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Quotes

[Joel on chess]
Dr. Joel Fleischman: This is considered a spectator sport? I've had more fun watching slush melt.

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Connections

Featured in Celebrity Profile: Janine Turner

User Reviews

Genuinely timeless

Northern Exposure is, without a doubt, one of the best television series of all time. Almost every episode was a wonderful creation that brought an unusual look at life into the homes of its viewers. The unique humor, sensitivity, and absolute professionalism of the creators, directors, and actors combined to make a show the likes of which will never be seen again. The show took an unusual approach in its presentation. Although Dr. Joel Fleishman was presented as the main character in the first episode, the show soon grew outside the main storyline of the New York doctor stuck working in a tiny, hole in the wall town in Alaska. Viewers got to know every character on the show, and as such, the premise was based more on the plot and storylines rather than the star quality of one or two actors. One week, we would see the ongoing love/hate relationship between Joel and Maggie, and the next week an episode about Ed finding his birth father would be presented. The characters themselves were brilliantly cast. The "louder" ones, like Maggie and Maurice sharply contrasted to others like Marilyn, who although a main character, made her impressive presence known more through silence and eye language than words. Few characters can make an audience laugh out loud with nothing but a facial expression (In some cases, even less!) The final season, when Joel is replaced by Dr. Capra, is substantially weaker than the previous seasons, except for the last two episodes, which are exceptional. Reruns continue on cable, and if you want to see a show that is still fresh and lively (as it will probably be for many years to come) see this one.