Northern Exposure (TV Series) Tranquility Base (1995) User Reviews

Worth Watching For The Ending

[jjburgess · 9/10 · 26 March 2024]

This episode is worth watching because the ending is so good.

For thirty years I hoped for a return visit to Cicely; to see its beauty, hear its sounds, learn more about its native people, and enjoy being with my old friends. I'd been waiting for the series to be released with the original music, but I finally gave up and bought the DVDs without it. The replacement music was well done, and I the show is excellent either way.

During the show's original production, I gave up on it when the writing deteriorated in the 5th season, but this time I soldiered on until the end, and despite some mediocre episodes along the way, I'm glad I did. Being able to say goodbye -- getting closure -- was worth it, mostly because the ending sequence of this final episode was so good. The video montage the producers and editors put together was good, but the song, "Our Town" by Iris DeMent, provided the perfect soundtrack, and made the ending another example of what the series did best - combine story, characters, and music to create a warm place we'd like to call home.

Goodbye friends. Farewell Cicely. You may never have achieved "Paris of The North" status, but in my heart you are certainly The Camelot of 20th Century Television.

Not with a bang but a whimper.

[paulhboyer · 7/10 · 25 March 2024]

I binge watched the entire show and hadn't seen an episode in 30 years. I was so happy that my memories were correct that it was a great show. But season six is such a letdown, particularly when Joel goes to live in the wild and eventually looks for and finds the lost city. What a bunch of hokum. Please read the miss pudding review. As an aside what a perfect analysis that review delivers. The final show tries really hard to tie everything up and fails miserably. I won't say anything more about the details, except for the very end. A song is played at the closing called Our Town sung by Iris DeMent.. A series of shots of the various characters in familiar places in the town of Cicily is a pretty good ending. There is talk of a reboot. I hope they get it right if they do.

Such an odd season finale

[misspudding · 6/10 · 18 February 2024]

After Fleischman is in NY, the show doesn't have much cohesiveness. The Capra relationship drama is so mild compared to Maggie and Joel. This finale just kind of sneaks up on you as a whisper instead of the usual season, nay entire show, finale.

I really feel that the season finale felt like the episode where Joel goes to NYC and this is almost a whole different show.

For die hard fans who couldn't stop bingeing the entire season after it hit Amazon, you'll find the last several episodes a real slog. I guess this is what happens when the writers who were so lauded left. Too bad. At least it still had some sweetness but it just doesn't grab you like it did up through season 5.

Northern, This Show Was Already Over (Exposed) By The Time It Got Here

[RightOnDaddio · 5/10 · 6 April 2024]

It hurts me to write this. It hurts me to rate this like this. But dang it, this was the end. This was it. They could've done better. They should've done better.

This great show went the way of so many others, especially since, where that last episode grounds one out to first as opposed to knocking it out of the proverbial park.

I love Northern Exppsure.

I still do.

But this, for the last episode ever, is just frostbitten.

It's awful.

Did they know this would be it?

I'm assuming they did.

And this is the best they could come up with?

Similar to what Seinfeld would pull in its series finale a few years later, pile everybody they can into that last show?

And then Janine Turner, who I'm more convinced than ever here in 2024, is one of the most beautiful women ever in the entire history of television.

Wow.

A total newfound appreciation for her and her character, Maggie.

Just total one hundred percent yowza every episode she appears in.

And yet, in this final episode she doesn't even show up until about the last ten to fifteen minutes?

What?... What?

How?

Why?

And now she and Chris Stevens are in love? Now?

They've known each other for years, and in the beginning he was irresistible to all women and they've never been involved before, not even prior to Fleishman's arrival in Cicely?

There is nothing in the show's history to lead us to believe there's ever been anything there between those two. Ever. As unlikely as that is to believe in reality.

But in this last season, the latter half, this feels rushed and totally fake.

Trying to add some emotional investment for viewers as the show sparks out and fades away.

This last episode is so bizarre.

It focuses on probably two of my least favorite characters in the entire series.

Teri Polo as the new doctor's wife and Officer Semansky played by Diane Delano.

I don't mind the actresses but I've never been a huge fan of their characters in Northern Exposure.

I watched this episode twice days apart just to make sure I disliked it as much as I did.

Yep, I did.

Just as bad going down a second time.

Holling, John Cullum, stomping around, grunting like some moose in heat. Barely saying a word. Acting like some animal.

It's just dumb.

And totally out of character.

And I love John Cullum.

I think he was great as Holling all along.

But this was a stupid way to send him out.

And speaking of being out of character, just an episode or two before this, Elaine Miles, as Marilyn is teaching some class, and she's yelling over people and barking orders.

She of so little words? So soft spoken, now hollering and telling others what to do?

No.

It's just sad how this show had to end this way.

Still, it was a great show.

Barry Corbin as Maurice. Darren E. Burrows as Ed.

Both excellent throughout, both legends.

I hear or have read producer David Chase is to blame. He took over in 1993 and ran it into the ground after that.

He, of course, had success with The Sopranos but I heard that series' finale was a massive disappointment also.

I never saw the end of that show, but I did see the movie prequel, The Many Saints of Newark in the theater and can attest to how weak and dissatisfying that whole experience was.

He produced that too.

Anyway, it feels weird to judge a thirty-year old show so harshly on its last episode.

The entire show is a 9.5.

The remaining shows after Rob Morrow's departure keep it from a total ten and sheer perfection.

It's still one of the best shows of all time.