The excellent Northern Exposure discussion thread!
POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Tuesday, November 8, 2005 18:14
VIEWED: 5108
PAGE 2 of 3
What? Northern Exposure is an 'other science fiction series'? Ok, I'll bite.
Great show. Chris in the morning is the philosopher god. Loved the (ooh it's been a long time) kid who wanted to be a filmaker. Adam Arkin and his woman. Marilyn! Each of the characters was so eccentric and human, NE was a wonderful place. Developmental arcs everywhere. I love it that they were always willing to take big chances, even when I wasn't crazy about a particular phase of the show, I appreciate that they were always willing to get their butts way out on the edge.
The weather and the seasons and many of the locations were as much characters in their own right as any of the humans. I lived in MN for a long time; when you live in a place where the weather can kill you pretty quickly, all kinds of indoor spaces achieve pet-like, special friend status. I liked it that they played on that.
Thanks to viral marketing...SERENITY: reopening soon in a theater near you.
Shiny Trees! Yavanna made Shiny Trees!
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Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Z and S, this one's for you!
Overpriced, but brilliant, not all seasons are on dvd as of yet.
And remember, the moose is the real star of the show.
Chrisinthemorning
Big 'C'
How'd I miss this!!!!
Cheers you dawg you, nice thread :)
'Mort the moose' bless him.
I remember when I first watched the show and he appeared, it immediately alerted me to the fact that this was going to be different.
...and so it was.
Ok must read what everyone's got to say.
Cheers Chrisisall.
The
Somnambulist
www.cirqus.com
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OK what to say about Northern Exposure without giving away too much......
Basically the writing was utterly unique. I once tried to encourage my friend to watch it and he said
"So what happens?" and I was like well
"Nothing really...It's just a cozy thing to sit down to"
it almost feels like you're sitting in front of an open fire warming your toes. Snuggled up to your 'main squeeze' keeping warm together....
The characters were genius from 'Chris in the morning' to "Born to Bingo" jumper wearing Peg, who ran the local convenience store 
It was sublimely lyrical on occasions and also beautifully poignant - even though you may never have experienced sub-zero temperatures!
Anyone remember when the circus came to town? That was a wonderful show - would have made a great film!!!!
Ok I won't go on coz I could easily with this show! However one thing to say.
'A ladder in the middle of the street'
:)
Cheers
The
Somnambulist
www.cirqus.com
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Speaking of NE - which i loved, but it was always on really late in the UK (when i was younger and had to go to bed earlier!) I loved the guy in the hermetically sealed environment - you know the one that was in ER and Top Gun - not doing well on actual names today. Hang on Anthony Edwards that's it got it!!
Has anyone see the Rrrrubbidsh N3mbers (is that how you spell it), it has Rob Morrow, Mr Universe, that guy from Ali Mcsqueel and that chick from Sliders in it and that token Jewish guy (sorry no offence meant - don't know his name) in it. It was on ITV (UK channel) at 11.30 last night and it was uh.. crappo.
xxx
"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"
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Ah, Mr CIA, you are a generous man!
Can’t believe that, like the Somnambulist, I have only just seen this thread!!
I am on series 3 (green box set) …
I too LOVE Adam Arkin – although I keep seeing him as the psychiatrist who psychoanalyses both Josh and the President in the West Wing!!!
I loved all the characters but the Rob Morrow character was both the genius of the show and the thing I have problems with (on separate and distinct levels, you understand) …
1) I love that the character who really is the hub of the show – in that you tend to see everything through his eyes (we’re outsiders and new comers watching it, and so after all is Joel) – I love it that he is so fatally flawed in so many ways, like we all are, but we love him anyhow …
2) My problem is, I suspect, although this is going a little deep, that my character is very similar to Joel’s and that’s what makes me squirm. He is so fundamentally snobby (intellectually and actually) and I can’t help but dislike him a little bit … I feel this distances me from the show as I can’t wholeheartedly get behind him and I kinda don’t want Maggie to end up with him, which I feel I’m supposed to want …
Interestingly enough I didn’t realise there were so many series of the show … I imagine like most TV shows after the first couple of seasons it starts to get either silly or the main characters start to desert it … I guess with only, oh, I don’t know, however many finite plots there are in the world, most series get to the end after a couple of seasons and then just have to start from the beginning again (I exclude Buffy, one show that in many ways GOT BETTER once it had left the first couple of season behind) …
***************************************
Okay, I'm lost, I'm angry, and I'm
armed.
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Hey Zoot
I hear you about Joel. My only gripe about this show was to do with him also... in the way Scully never seemed to develop during the course of the seasons for X files, Joel was pretty much the same. One week he appeared to embrace the quirky aspects of Cicely and then the following week a lesser event would once again have him going all 'New Yoik' angst. That could be a little frustrating... However I think what was great about Northern Exposure was how superb the secondary and sometimes tertiary characters could be.
Dave - they fry cook
Peg - the convenience store owner
The police seargent - forgotten her name
Adam and Eve - he,he
Walt
Bernard
And many many more.
Actually I read James Marsters appears in one, which I missed first time around on account of Buffy not having been made yet, but It'd be interesting to see him in it again, knowing what we know about him now.
The
Somnambulist
www.cirqus.com
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I KNOW I would have noticed if I'd seen JM and I haven't yet - half way through series 3 ... will be intersting to see him without a bumpy face ...
And I agree with you re Joel - but yes, Ed and the other ensemble characters are phenomenal ... I really love Chris' black brother (name forgotten) ...
***************************************
Okay, I'm lost, I'm angry, and I'm
armed.
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That'd be Bernard - he's great!!! Always liked what they did with those two.
Have a similar thing with my brother and I so it always struck a cord with me. Found the whole thing too, too touching.
The
Somnambulist
www.cirqus.com
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Quote:I thought NE maintained a high quality for the first four series, then dipped ever-so-slightly during some of five, and six was totally hit and miss, some shows good, some just unnecessary. But like Buffy, no shows ever worse than normal tv faire.
Originally posted by Zoot:
I imagine like most TV shows after the first couple of seasons it starts to get either silly or the main characters start to desert it … I guess with only, oh, I don’t know, however many finite plots there are in the world, most series get to the end after a couple of seasons and then just have to start from the beginning again
Chrisisall
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Hey Somnambulist, how would you rate the series? Did you think it stayed interesting through six? Should Zoot get 'em all, or stop with five?
Chrisisall
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