Northern Exposure 

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

Creators:

Joshua Brand, John Falsey

Stars:

Rob Morrow, Janine Turner, Barry Corbin

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 25 wins & 89 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 49 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:

eccentric | offbeat | alaska | magical realism | small town | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

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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 Television,Falahey/Austin Street Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min (110 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Cullum and Janine Turner appeared together in an episode of Quantum Leap, Season 2 EP 10 - Catch a Falling Star - May 21, 1979.

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Goofs

In the pilot the town sign of Cicely shows the town's population as 215, corrected upwards from 214 (still visible but crossed out), in episode 1.6 "Sex, Lies, and Ed's Tape" the town's population is 839.

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Quotes

Adam: I'm a man, Fleischman. We are born with an image of woman imprinted on our psyches. We spend our whole lives searching for the embodiment of that female archetype. And there she sits! In the flesh! You tell me what man could resist the fantasy of having her as his wife?

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Connections

Referenced in Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau (2014)

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.