Northern Exposure (DVD) Review

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 27th, 2010

Nominated for 39 Emmys, including 4 nominations for Outstanding Drama Series in just six short seasons, Northern Exposure is one of the most unique television shows of its time. Half-drama, half-comedy, the show built itself a large cult following, experiencing widespread critical acclaim as well as viewer popularity. The brainchild of St. Elsewhere creators Joshua Brand and John Falsey, Northern Exposure premiered in July 1990 on CBS, lasting only five years (cancelled in July 1995). But the show's cutting edge wit and originality have earned it a place among the most hallowed and venerable of TV classics?

Northern Exposure follows the exploits of recent medical school graduate Joel Fleishman (Rob Morrow) who, failing to read the fine print in the government papers accompanying his student loans, is forced to practice medicine for several years in the frozen tundra of Alaska. Even more unsettling is that he'll be the only doctor in the small logging township of Cicely, a place filled with oddball characters and never short of strange occurrences. The wealthy entrepreneur, ex-NASA astronaut Maurice Minnifield owns Cicely and is determined to turn it into an ideal vacation paradise (with Fleishman being part of his plan). Other notable characters throughout Cicely include beautiful bush pilot (and Fleishman love interest) Maggie O'Connell (Janine Turner), KBHR radio deejay Chris Stevens (John Corbett), aspiring filmmaker Ed Chigliak (Darren E. Burrows), and husband/wife team Holling (John Cullum) and Shelly Vincoeur (Cynthia Geary) who run the local watering hole, The Brick. With its classic "fish out of water" theme, Northern Exposure provides some memorable moments as hero Joel Fleishman learns to appreciate the finer points of rural Alaska?

The Northern Exposure DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere in which the recently graduated Joel Fleishman arrives in Anchorage, Alaska, intent on fulfilling his contractual obligations with the government. But when Anchorage doesn't him, Joel is transferred to the remote town of Cicely where the residents are determined to prolong his stay? Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Soapy Sanderson" in which a hermit takes Joel's advice to get his estate in order and leaves all of his land holdings to Joel and Maggie, and "A Kodiak Moment" in which Maurice adopts the ex-con radio deejay Chris to be his "Minnifield heir"?

Below is a list of episodes included on the Northern Exposure (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 07-12-1990
Episode 2 (Brains, Know How and Native Intelligence) Air Date: 07-19-1990
Episode 3 (Soapy Sanderson) Air Date: 07-26-1990
Episode 4 (Dreams, Schemes, and Putting Greens) Air Date: 08-02-1990
Episode 5 (Russian Flu) Air Date: 08-09-1990
Episode 6 (Sex, Lies, and Ed's Tapes) Air Date: 08-16-1990
Episode 7 (A Kodiak Moment) Air Date: 08-23-1990
Episode 8 (Aurora Borealis - A Fairy Tale for Big People) Air Date: 08-30-1990