"Northern Exposure" Breaks Out
Updated: Jul 23
As I’ve mentioned in numerous articles, notably this one here about the show’s ending, I’m a huge fan of the series Northern Exposure. And I’ve explained my additional connection to it, that I got written into the show.
(As I explained, my Jeff Melvoin worked on the show as co-executive producer in its later years. At one point, he decided to write an episode that brought back a character named 'Cal' who had a bizarre obsession for a violin owned by the character 'Maurice.' But Jeff needed a name for the sanitarium where the patient broke out of, and a town where it was located. He decided on "The State Home for the Criminally Insane, at Ellisberg." Jeff felt that having two l's made it look more like a town name. I recall that in the episode, the violinist was asked what the institution was like. "They're a mean and vindictive lot at Ellisberg," he said. The episode proved so popular that they brought the character and Ellisberg back several times -- including the second-to-last episode of the series, where Cal's subplot was about "I have to get back to Ellisberg.")
Anyway, I was recently browsing YouTube and came across this one-minute clip. I only have the very slightest recollection of it, which is surprising because the sequence is remarkable. It’s not just that the cast does what’s known as “breaking the fourth wall,” talking directly to the audience, -- and actually, to be more accurate, they explode the fourth wall, in ways I don’t think I’ve ever seen in a TV show or movie – but they do it while staying in character, addressing the plot and theme. It’s pretty bizarre and great. And just so Northern Exposure.
Break the fourth wall, but stay in character and address the plot and theme.
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