Northern Exposure (1990-1995)

Patrick Cruz said:

Tolerance is basically just a state of mind...

Back in 1915, when David Griffith—the guy basically dubbed the "father of film"—dropped his racist epic *The Birth of a Nation*, he learned exactly what it feels like to have the entire world turn on you. But since we all deserve a second chance at an apology (whether it’s sincere or just good PR), he filmed a response to that disastrous "masterpiece" in 1916. His goal was to show the world that intolerance is the root of all human misery. He called it *Intolerance*. Only thing is, Griffith took a massive detour... instead of preaching tolerance, he actually painted the world as this intolerant place where decent, honest people—meaning himself, obviously—are persecuted just for speaking their minds. Look, I'm not trying to attack free speech here, but the point Griffith successfully shoved down everyone's throats wasn't that tolerance is essential for a better world. No, he was just pointing fingers at bigger historical sins to wash the celluloid blood off his own hands. And unfortunately, it worked... If we're going to talk about fading virtues, let's talk about their beauty. Virtues don't exist as a side effect of moral failures... it's actually the exact opposite...
Thankfully, there are actually some people out there who took good intentions and ran with them. Back in the nineties, Joshua Brand and John Falsey sent a bright, driven young doctor named Joel Fleischman way up into the wilds of Alaska. It was basically his way of paying back that massive $125,000 medical school scholarship the state of Alaska had so graciously handed him for his studies at Columbia University. But man, nobody could have predicted what that young Jewish guy from New York City would actually learn living in a tiny town like Cicely. Even though it felt forced at first, he eventually realized—just like anyone trying to be a better human being—that Cicely isn't just a location, it's a state of mind. It’s this sanctuary for the kindest, weirdest souls on the planet. The windows might not be made of chocolate, but every single heartbeat there is a story that nourishes the soul... and this crazy world we live in.
If you missed out on watching the greatest TV show ever made, don't sweat it... you can still make up for lost time. Seriously. If you thought you already had yourself and this crazy world figured out, just take a look at how these folks live in a town weird enough to make anyone feel normal. It’s basically just everyday human struggles dropped into a totally surreal setting, but without all that cheap drama... none of the backstabbing, the mindless violence, the fake heroes, or that pathetic garbage you see in every other series. People here actually live well. And honestly? It’s not just because some genius writers cooked it up... it’s because it feels like a life we could all actually have. It's a better version of reality that feels totally within reach...
You can dive into all sorts of wild, superhuman emotional states if you really let yourself go... but there’s one thing that screams out from every single person and every single situation, no matter how deep you dig. It's Tolerance, built on the ultimate cosmic feeling—Empathy...
Pay attention to how things actually unfold. Watch for those subtle undertones in every conversation—you know, like when you really sit with one of Chris's radio intros or outros... and just ask yourself: why can't we live like that? There’s this beautiful layer of understanding between these characters. The way they navigate their disagreements and just deal with life's messiness is something else. Look, nobody here is perfect. Nobody is without flaws. They aren't some polished, idealized version of humanity, but the way these people move through the world? It’s honestly gorgeous. Why do we feel this constant need to demand answers or seek approval for everything? If someone wants something, and it isn't hurting anyone, who are we to demand an explanation? Who are we to judge "weird" desires as if they're something unnecessary or wrong... especially with that tone of disapproval in our voices? Why is it so hard for us? This world is massive, filled with such incredible creatures, yet we struggle so much to just accept and tolerate one another. I'm not trying to go off on a huge tangent here—there’s plenty more to fix—but genuine tolerance is the only way forward...
The big question popping up lately is why a guy like Joel Fleischman is even necessary for a story about life up North. Every piece of art needs a starting point, right? Life in Cicely wouldn't feel nearly as foreign if there wasn't someone there who clearly doesn't belong. Cicely needed an "outsider" to really bring the place to life. Joel grew up in this intolerant world—a world full of judgment, negativity, and people with nothing but bad intentions. Every question he asks, every bit of confusion or emotion, every wide-eyed moment... it's all directed straight at us. We all have a little Joel Fleischman inside of us. He's here to ask our questions, to get pissed off and bewildered right along with our own flaws. We learn alongside him, through him. He’s our Socrates, our raised eyebrow... he's the version of ourselves that's actually becoming more tolerant. He is the Question to the Beautiful World's Answer.
Trying to recap 80 hours of human nature captured in this series would be totally pointless. And honestly, obsessing over specific episodes or certain scenes is just as useless. Just dive in—nobody's gonna force you. Live that North life and wake up every morning questioning the world around you. You might not trigger a snowstorm or a sudden arrival of Native Americans, but you'll build up mountains of good emotions, just as beautiful as the scenery surrounding the best town in the world—Cicely. Maybe, eventually, every town becomes a state of mind.

Once you fall for the world of Cicely, surf over if you want (and trust me, you will) a complete episode guide with cast lists, credits, and quick synopses (in .txt format). Make sure to grab the little file here: www.gate.net/~kimi/nxguide.txt

P.S. If you want to dig deeper into tolerance and human progress, I highly recommend the ultimate guide to being a decent human: John Stuart Mill and his gorgeous work, "On Liberty."

Hands down one of the most beautiful intro posts ever written for a series 🙏

A series from my childhood... truly one of the finest pieces of television ever made. I had completely lost touch with it.
What incredible characters 🙏.

A truly one-of-a-kind series 🙏

Such wonderful characters, and ohhh, Maggie is just absolutely darling...

There’s a certain warmth that hits you when revisiting your childhood favorites—and Northern Exposure is definitely one of those for me.
I’ve been watching ever since it first aired on RTL Kockica, and I’m still having a blast... 🍿
Every single character is just so charming and unique.

The dynamic between Maggie and Joel? Absolute perfection. That whole "will-they-won't-they" tension—that constant dance of love and hate—is just top-tier television. Even seeing it for the first time, I was hooked.😍

Honestly, this show still hits just as hard. There’s something about it—I don't know—that just helps you totally zone out from how messy and ugly real life can be right now. That one episode where Morris and Holing head out into the wilderness to attend a friend's funeral? Man, that was easily my favorite. And then there's Chris's whole obsession with elections and democracy 😁. It's just... yeah.

A timeless series... Everything just hits the mark—the acting, the directing, the writing, even the theme song. It’s hard to find a single flaw.

Michael Nelson said:It’s still such a fantastic series. There is just something about it—something special—that helps you disconnect from the ugliness of our current reality. That episode where Morris and Holing head out into the wilderness for a friend's funeral? Definitely one of my favorites. And then there's Chris's whole fascination with elections and democracy 😁.

When I first watched it back in the mid-90s, it was my absolute favorite—and honestly, it stayed that way through the reruns in 2002. But watching it now? It’s moved beyond just being a "favorite." I truly appreciate it on a deeper level now.

With everything going on in the world today, it feels almost therapeutic.
Every single episode has its own unique touch, doesn't it?
Though, I can't help but think—given today's climate of political correctness and cancel culture—there’s no way certain scenes or dialogues would ever be allowed to air now. Sadly, that seems to be the direction we've headed.

Just realized a few days ago that is airing again on ABC every weekday after 9 PM. They’re already on season four out of six; here’s the episode guide with some quick summaries.

Phenomenal show. It's smart, quirky, and just plain brilliant. Every single character is unique. The writers are top-tier—the ideas and depth they pack in are wild...

My only regret is not jumping back in sooner. I caught every episode back in '94. It only started losing steam right near the end.

Man, what a fantastic show!

Man, I absolutely loved this show... even now, it’s still one of my all-time favorites...
Seriously stunning series🙂

Honestly, I thought it was a total snooze fest back then, and it’s still not doing much for me now😁
I mean, looking at the big picture, a few of the actors really made the most of it, and for some of them, it was probably the absolute peak of their careers

frozenhawk44 said:Back when I first watched it in the mid-90s, it was my absolute favorite, much like when it was being rerun back in 2002. Watching it again now, it has moved beyond just being a favorite; I truly appreciate it on a deeper level.
With everything going on in the world today, watching this feels almost like therapy.

I’m right there with you—I remember catching it during elementary school when it first aired and being hooked instantly, though I was far too young at the time to fully grasp its depth or appreciate it properly. It has always been one of my favorites, but after my third viewing, I can confidently say it’s my all-time favorite because it is simply peerless.

It is intelligent, treating its characters as real human beings with genuine flaws and virtues rather than tropes, and it resists every tired cliché. It manages to be utterly engaging without relying on frantic big-city pacing, gratuitous violence, excessive melodrama, or the hyper-sexualization that seems to be a prerequisite for television production these days. The show is fundamentally human and warm; it offers hope while tackling serious themes and heavy emotions, yet it never descends into cheap sentimentality. It really does serve as a sort of therapy.

My only real gripe is the sixth season; once Fleischman leaves, the magic starts to fade significantly. I also find it a shame that Maggie and Joel's story didn't reach a happy conclusion. Wouldn't it have been better to leave their ending more open-ended, letting us decide for ourselves if they eventually found happiness together? Forcing her together with Chris at the end felt incredibly contrived, as if the writers were just worried about leaving her alone—it felt like a lazy way to wrap up the finale.

I did a little reading on the production, and honestly, the first three seasons are perfection, whereas the fourth starts to slip (largely due to the inclusion of the tedious Mike for nearly ten episodes, which felt out of place in a series filled with such rich, multi-dimensional characters). The fifth season is okay, but the sixth left me disappointed. After the fourth season, the creators, brand and Falsey, moved on, and David Chase took over for the fifth and sixth seasons—though he never quite seemed to settle in and appeared quite eager to wrap things up. Rob Morrow left partly to pursue a film career, but also due to frustration; his character never progressed beyond that same gritty persona pining for New York City, and apparently, his creative suggestions weren't being heard. It’s a somewhat complex backstory, to say the least.

Despite all that, this remains a masterpiece, and it will be incredibly difficult to produce something this good ever again, let alone surpass it.

Raymond Wood77 said:It was boring back then and it’s just as dull now.😁
Some actors in the series managed to turn it into a stepping stone, while for others, it was probably the absolute peak of their careers.

Maybe I should respond with that one line from the show where Joel complains to Leonard about being bored in Cicely:

"You're bored because you're boring"

No hard feelings, but your comment really brought that scene right back to mind, didn't it?

frozenbadger32 said:Let me hit you with a classic quote from when Joel was complaining to Leonard about how much he hated being bored in Cicely:

"You're bored because you're boring"

No hard feelings but man, that comment of yours really took me straight back to that scene.

Nah, it's not even about freedom of speech here.😉
I mean, if I start nodding off while watching a show in the middle of the day, then we've got a real problem.😁

For the longest time, this was my absolute favorite series, ever since I first saw it airing on ABC. I didn't realize what I was getting into by revisiting it on a streaming service recently, because now that I'm looking at it again, I find myself finding a thousand different flaws. It’s actually quite upsetting because it’s shattering the myth I had built up about this show in my head. I’m not entirely sure how to articulate it properly. There was a time when I was completely captivated by the characters, the pacing, and everything else, and I would still feel that way if I hadn't decided to rewatch it. It seems to me that I have changed significantly over the years, rather than the show itself; the series hasn't changed, it remains exactly as it was, yet now I can see all the inconsistencies and lapses in logic. Yes, I understand the charm—the philosophy, the metaphysics, the history, the tradition, and those universal truths—but even so... the characters just don't appeal to me anymore. Not a single one of them does, not even Dr. Fleishman, who used to be my hero (or perhaps my anti-hero).

Now, I am fully aware that you cannot view a series like this through a one-dimensional lens. It wasn't designed to make us, the viewers, feel a sense of "trust" toward specific characters or to view them as static constants, but still... I’ve reached my limit.
The absolute peak of this frustration for me came when I realized that in one of the earlier episodes, Joel hosted a gathering where he acted as an absolutely stellar host, preparing delicious food and great drinks with just a little help (the specifics of that episode aren't really the point here). Yet, in a much later episode, he is portrayed as a complete disaster when it comes to organizing any kind of party, which stands in stark contrast to the other characters who seem perfectly capable of throwing a real bash.
I certainly grasp the intended message behind both episodes, but such blatant inconsistency is becoming impossible for me to swallow, especially considering how much the episodes rely on one another, even if each one contains at least three distinct storylines.

I’ve only pointed out one example, but there is a sea of these inconsistencies scattered throughout every single character. I noticed these things during my very first viewing, of course, but back then I simply justified them as part of the "higher purpose" the writers were trying to convey. At the time, it didn't bother me, but watching the show again today, it is incredibly grating.
I've come to the conclusion that Cicely isn't really the center of the universe, as I once believed or as the creators suggested. In my opinion, Cicely is just the center of a massive amount of nonsense.

frozenbadger32 said:Pairing her up with Chris at the end felt incredibly forced to me, almost as if they just didn't want her to be alone. It felt like some lazy, bottom-of-the-barrel solution for the finale.

I disagree. The Stevensons aren't exactly known for their longevity, and she has a bit of a reputation for "killing off" her boyfriends. It seems perfectly logical.

That said, there was an episode in one of the earlier seasons where Chris was crushing on Maggie—it was bordering on creepy, actually—but it seems the writers just completely dropped that thread later on.

graniteotter6 said:Not really. The Stevensons aren't exactly known for their longevity, and she tends to "kill off" her boyfriends. It follows a certain logic, doesn't it?

To be fair, there was an episode early on where Chris was crushing on Maggie—it was almost bordering on creepy—but it seems like the writers just completely dropped that thread later on.

I guess I never looked at it from that angle, considering how little chance they had of actually lasting.🤣

But whatever, I’ve always been a total sucker for the JoelMaggie dynamic, 😍 and honestly, I don't think we would have ever reached this point if Rob Morrow had stayed on through the end of the season.

frozenbadger32 said:I see what you mean; I hadn't really looked at it from that perspective before, specifically regarding whether there was any lasting potential there.🤣

But honestly, I’ve always been a total sucker for the JoelMaggie relationship, 😍 and I can't help but feel that things might have played out quite differently if Rob Morrow had remained with the cast through the end of the season.

The series concludes beautifully with that final scene and the Iris Dement Our Town song. However, even that wonderful moment can't quite mask the bitter aftertaste left by the ending, largely because Joel isn't part of the series finale credits. Still, the heart of the show was truly Joel and the way his worldview constantly clashed with the perspectives of the other residents of Cicely. Sure, we have Dr. Capra, but at the end of the day, Joel was the soul of the series.

brighteagle39 said:For the longest time, this was my absolute favorite show, ever since I first saw it airing on ABC. I shouldn't have gone back to rewatch it on a streaming service because now I'm finding a thousand flaws, and the myth I built up about this series in my head is totally crumbling. I don't know how to explain it. There was a time when I was obsessed with the characters and the plot, and I would have been too if I hadn't revisited it. It seems I've changed significantly, because while the show remains exactly the same, I can finally see all the inconsistencies. Sure, the philosophy, the metaphysics, the history, and the universal truths are all lovely, but... I just don't find the characters likable anymore. Not a single one, not even Dr. Fleishman, who used to be my hero (or anti-hero).

Look, I get that you can't view a show like this through a single lens; it’s not designed for us to build a sense of "trust" in certain characters or treat them as constants, but still... I've had enough.
The peak of this nonsense for me was realizing that in an earlier episode, Joel hosted a party where he acted as a fantastic host, preparing delicious food and drinks with just a little help (the specific plot doesn't matter here). Yet, in a later episode, he's portrayed as a complete disaster at organizing any kind of party, unlike the other characters who seem to know how to throw a real bash.
I understand the message behind both episodes, but that level of inconsistency is hard for me to swallow now, especially since the episodes rely on one another, even if each one features at least three distinct storylines.

That’s just one example, but there are countless inconsistencies across all the characters. I noticed these things during my first viewing, but back then, I justified them as "higher" themes the writers were trying to highlight. It didn't bother me then, but watching it again today, it’s incredibly grating.
I think Cicely isn't really the center of the universe like I once believed or like the creators suggested. Today, I think Cicely is just the center of a lot of pretentiousness.

I think you're misinterpreting the show.

This series is timeless and one of the best ever made. When it comes to the actual writing, rarely does another show measure up in terms of its philosophy and depth of content.

And yeah, Chris is actually the most important character, not Joel. I personally find Joel to be an extremely endearing character, but back in the day, everyone wanted to be Chris. He had an enormous impact through his persona and his radio program, both locally and globally. If you ask many American radio hosts, they'll tell you Chris was their primary influence. If you look closely, the entire series is seen through Chris's perspective. He is the true philosopher of the show, and everything happens because of him—or as Freud might put it, because he is the one asking the questions.

Honestly, no other show possesses the charm of Northern Exposure. I enjoy watching it every single day whenever I get the chance.