Northern Exposure Episode 1

[Billi Plancarte]

Igrew up in the Snoqualmie Valley........moved up river 7 miles from Fall City to Snoqualmie 24 years ago. Been to Roslyn many times. Cicily is a ficticious town, but it's also home. I read a lot more than I ever watch, but my son got me the series for Christmas this year. I finally got to watch it in it's entirety. It's still good, and either I am a hick and we aren't fashionista's or, some small towns don't change a whole bunch. Thank you

Hope the trip went well.

I recently received season 6 as a gift, and finally saw "The Quest", the episode in which Joel says by to the show and especially Maggie. Wonderful way to write him out, as they did not choose the easy path by having her say she'll join him in New York. Adam's character makes an appearance, and makes a clever reference to " Quiz Show".

This is probably my favourite show of all time. I watched most of it when it originally aired but have since re-watched every single episode. It was a brilliant series. Loved all the characters, the scenery and especially the writing. I guess I was a little let down by the final episode. There was not enough of Maggie (who was a central character all through the series) and bringing in the Rabbi did not sit well with me and took time away from the people who made the show so interesting over the 6 seasons. However, Halling in rut was hilarious!

Allen, thanks for your note, and there's little I can disagree with about your love of the show. A few things about the final episode --

I know a lot of fans were disappointed that there wasn't much Maggie in the episode and blamed the writers. The reality is though...Janine Turner had been in the hospital. But she was able to get back to the set in time to at least film something.

Also, when they made the "final episode", they hadn't been cancelled yet, so the producers didn't know if they should wrap everything up or not. They were caught between a rock and a hard place. So my friend Jeff Melvoin, who was co-executive producer, said that he tried to make an episode that would have a satisfying ending, but be open enough as a general story should the series continue.

I just got an email notifying me someone left a comment on this blog. I had forgotten all about it and I posted last fall that we were going to be going to Roslyn . Well we did it and the town was great we enjoyed walking around and looking in Chris's old radio show room it's exactly the way it was on the show. Had to stop in the Brecon have a beer although the interior is not what you remember from the show I guess they did a lot of those scenes off site. But still fun nonetheless. We had pizza at the Village pizza place and it was the best pizza it was very good. We walked up to the cemetery, and generally just walked around town in the little shops and of course Joels Office with his name painted on the window is still there it's a little gift shop in town. It was just so much fun.

This past summer my husband and I bought and refurbished a vintage camping trailer. About the time we bought it we discovered there was a rally in the town of Roslyn . They had about 100 people that attended. I guess they have this rally every year there. My husband and I are hoping we can go now that our camper is ready and join the fun. It would be great to be in that town for a week!! Because of the show there's just something about it and there's a lot of us fans still out there ! :-))

Jayne, thanks for your belated updating. Yes, the filmed the interior scenes at the studio, so unless the bar decided to do remodeling it wouldn't look the same. But that sounds like it was a great trip for you. And if you get for the rally, all the more so.

loved this show as a kid but i had missed a lot of episodes so got the box set and my god did i just love it, i have laughed, cried and it even made me angry, i just love it... i would love to visit one day...

i am now 37 and in the UK.

Dear Kris, thanks for your note. And good timing -- as it happens, I'm going over to my friend Jeff Melvoin's house (mentioned in the article) on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl. I'll pass along your appreciation of the show.

How i loved the show from its very beginning to its very end. I could see the love between Joel and Maggie through all the criticism. and mis -judgings they had. It just tore my heart out and i love their scenes the best. Not to take away from the others from the brick and the radio stations. the show was never boring...never! having 3 to 4 situations taking place at all times kept it interesting and made its production so awesome. All the highs and lows and humor. Take great talent and writing. i am only sorry that the show did not continue a few more seasons. I would have loved that Journey continue. Today i love to visit Janine Turners facebook page where i can share some biblical things with her. I miss the Characters of Maggie and Joel, Holling, Shelly. Well i got to be glad for what i got and i got the whole series. God bless and thanks for such a wonderful show.

Northern Exposure was and continues to be my all time favorite TV Show the Writing and Acting were beyond great , I miss this show SO much . Will there ever be a release of the Show in DVD with the Original Music ?

I love reading all of these posts. My family and I literally just watched the last episode and we are in tears. We just said goodbye to family members -it feels like. We took our time watching it - it probably took a year- because we didn't want it to ever end. Every character was special. We are all planning a trip to the Brick and Roslyn. It is crazy to think that all of these characters won't be there. Why does it feel like we are in mourning? This is thee best show ever made. Signed- super sad in Northern Michigan

Great comment and spot-on ending. There's this bitter taste left after all these years with the ending for Maggie and Joel, I just didn't have the will to finish watching the show when Rob left. The way you described it summarizes my wishes for ending - Joel's back to Cicely, we don't know exactly what is going to happen but we know he chose Maggie and the town folk over New York.

Bepina, thanks for your note. As I'm sure you know, most people (including the writers) have ideas and wishes on how the show (indeed, any show) should end -- but sometimes the messy real world decides differently. And so, when Rob Morrow left the show, he was not coming back. Even for the last show. So, the producers and writers were stuck with making due with the actors they have.

I'll also only add that it was never stated that Joel went back to New York. I know many have interpreted it that way, but the episode is about him searching for the mythical "Jeweled City of the North" which he came across on an ancient map of Alaska, and that is apparently what he left for.

Yep, I got the box set this summer but have slowed down my pace of watching it once season 6 hit. From the start it seems the show was supposed to end like Groundhog's Day, with Joel being redeemed by the town and getting the girl like Phil was in Puxatawney. But already in season four I knew the writers were not delivering. He was still whiney, they weren't together other than that one episode in the barn, the germophobic guy subplot was, too much. Then season 5 went by without much, I seemed to be tiring from the show and now after that stupid "Yakov Smirnoff on a plane" type episode and the abrupt breakup of Maggie and Joel only to have him turn into a hippie guru playing golf in the rocks in a remote native village it's clear they blew it. I did find out that there were contract issues with Rob Morrow. Still though even the writers in Babylon 5 managed to bring back the main actor who left after season 1 for a two part episode a few years later and deliver the finale resolution for that character.

Thanks for your note. Sometimes contractual issues get in the way, no matter how lucky other shows might be in getting actors back. There are exceptions, but generally when actors leave, they're gone. And shows are put in the position of shifting direction mid-stream from the original concept. It may not be what everyone was hoping for, but the show did last for several years beyond Rob Morrow's departure.

However the series was "supposed" to have ended -- who knows? Sometimes show creators have a general idea, and sometimes they know the characters will take on lives of their own, characters will leave and new ones arrive and stick, and the story ends up going in all manner of different directions.

Randy -- well, that certainly was a long and detailed and thoughtful response. Thanks much.

I know they considered many scenarios. One thing you have to remember: you're thinking with hindsight. At the time, the producers had no certainty when the show would end. For all they know, it might have been renewed, and indeed it was on the bubble. On the chance that it did get picked up, (Further, for all we know, Rob Morrow had no interest in returning, even for one final episode.) I suspect the producers didn't want to wiggle around but felt they needed closure and to move on.

That said, I thought the Bubble Boy season was ill-advised. And they never got a full-grasp on handling the new doctor and his wife. All those episodes did have many good things about them, but it was still a period of adjustment.

There have been many excellent shows over the last few decades. Six Feet Under, The Larry Sanders Show, The Wonder Years and Modern Family come to mind. But I have no problem saying Northern Exposure is my all-time favorite. Like all great shows, the writing was the key to its greatness. It had the most enlightened writing. It was deep and truly unique. I didn't climb on board until I watched the reruns right after it was cancelled, but I remembered how much of a hit it was in America. I saw the merchandise, etc. When I finally caught on and watched it I was truly surprised that such an intelligent and surreal series had been so popular at one time. And that still surprises me. Sometimes the masses get it right.

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