That Ending of "Northern Exposure"

2/24/2013

At the recent WGA Awards, Joshua Brand and John Falsey won the Laurel Award for Television. Among the shows they created was Northern Exposure, a series I dearly loved. It's one of the few TV programs I never missed an episode of. I even got my dad to watch it, halfway through, and my dad did not watch series television. Seriously. I don't mean he "didn't watch a show weekly," I mean he didn't even watch even single episodes. He watched sports, the news and PBS, but at that point, the only other network series I recall him watching -- ever -- was Columbo. And that was really more a collection of individual movies. But he and my mother (who watched TV series almost as rarely as he did) fell in love with Northern Exposure and watched it every week.

(I had an additional connection to it. I got written into the series. When my friend Jeff Melvoin worked on Northern Exposure, 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 of '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 in that 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. And in the second to last episode of the series, in fact, one of the sub-plots was Cal getting over his obsession after having broken out, yet again, and so he decided to serve out his sentence and therefore the recurring line was that "I have get back to Ellisberg.")

While thinking about the series, one thing came to mind -- as it always does. The last sequence of the last episode. It's one of the finest endings of a concluding episode as there's ever been on television. Even if you've never seen the show, it's easy to fall in love with it, because it's like a near-perfect music video. But if you did watch the series, it's heart-wrenching in it's beauty.

Underneath it all is the song "Our Town," written and performed by Iris Dement. Watching the sequence, it's hard to believe that the song wasn't commissioned and written specifically for the show and the closing of the last episode. It's that spot-on perfect. But it wasn't, the song (which co-producer Martin Bruestle remembered and suggested) had been written years before. But the way it fits, and the editing is flawless.

Jeff was co-executive producer of the series at that point and since the ratings were falling, he told me that he figured they should start planning for a final episode, not expecting that the show would be brought back another year. If they had returned for another year, then they'd just figure out another ending. But Northern Exposure got its cancellation notice.

There's good and bad about the show getting cancelled and not coming back. The bad is that -- well, it didn't come back, there were no more episodes. The good is that it got to go out like this...

UPDATE: The last time I check, the video for the last scene of Northern Exposure was blocked by NBC Universal, the rights holder. That's fine, it's their right. If it remains down, however, here's the official music video for the song by Iris DeMent which stands in appropriately.

61 Comments

Jayne Funari

7/29/2013 09:21:22 pm

I'm actually going to Roslyn Washington end of Aug 2013 because I just have to stop at the Roslyn cafe mural and have a beer at the Brick :-). Life just wouldn't be complete....

Berlinda Dunbar-Nye

1/12/2015 08:43:30 am

I grew 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

Robert Elisberg

1/12/2015 09:07:22 am

Berlinda, thanks for your note. Very interesting perspective. The show was pretty special, and I'm not remotely surprised it still holds up.

7/30/2013 12:39:00 am

Say hi to the moose...

7/30/2013 08:39:53 am

Will do! Lol.

7/30/2013 08:41:22 am

Will do! Lol

steven

5/26/2014 09:01:57 pm

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".

Allen

12/10/2014 06:33:21 am

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!

James Terrell Byrd

10/22/2017 08:35:54 pm

I agree this was the BEST of all I have ever seen

12/10/2014 08:13:12 am

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.

12/10/2014 08:22:08 am

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 ! :-))

12/10/2014 08:24:48 am

"the Brick" tavern. Sorry , was using voice recognition on my phone.

12/10/2014 09:02:49 am

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.

Kris King link

1/29/2015 09:29:48 am

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.

1/29/2015 09:42:02 am

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.

Ed Pierson

2/10/2015 12:59:47 am

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.

2/10/2015 02:22:54 am

Dear Ed, thanks for your note. I know the show wanted to go on for a few more years, but when a network cancels you that makes it a bit difficult...

Paul

5/19/2015 10:28:48 am

I was born in 1980 and I don’t know why I was drawn to it or why my otherwise strict mother let me stay up so late but I routinely watched the show. I’m sure I didn’t have the capacity to understand all that was going on but I was captivated by it nonetheless. I bought the entire season 7 years ago and have watched it from front to back twice and watched some episodes several more times, I’ve even managed to get my wife hooked on it. I just got back less than two weeks ago from a trip to Seattle. I had to rent a car and see Roslyn with my own two eyes. I had a burger and beer at the Brick, walked through the town and met some very kind people. Northern Exposure and the visit to Roslyn have certainly added much joy to my life. I sincere thank you to everyone involved.

5/19/2015 11:03:50 am

Paul, thanks for your very kind note. I'm going to forward it on to my friend Jeff Melvoin who was the show's co-executive producer in its later years.

Joe Gomez

11/16/2015 11:40:33 am

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 ?

Debby

1/13/2016 08:44:16 pm

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

1/13/2016 09:20:46 pm

Debby, thanks for your note. I've passed it along to my friend Jeff Melvoin, who as I noted wrote for the show and was its co-executive producer for several years. He always loves seeing such things.

Randy Cook

7/18/2016 11:12:35 am

I remember watching Northern Exposure” during it’s first run on CBS between 1990 and 1995.
It instantly became a favorite show of mine, and remains to this day. I grew up on the shores of Lake Huron In Canada in the 1970s, (which felt like middle of no where) and am the same age as Rob Morrow and Janine Turner. I identified strongly with their characters, situations, and the show remains one of my all time favorites.
It had the best written stories and original characters I have ever seen on any TV show, period.
I recently was on disability for 5 months due to a double knee replacement, and re watched the entire show again for the first time in about seven years. I still marvel how good it was and am puzzled why this show is not available on any streaming service.
( I am one of the lucky ones that own all the seasons on DVD)
I wanted to add my two cents about the way the show ended and also seasons five and six , which in my opinion have an unfair reputation of not being as good as the rest of the show.
I have read many comments from various sources about how the show went down hill after season four, and while there are some valid criticisms to be made, I have always
liked season Five very much, and feel there were some good episodes at the beginning of season Six. After Mike Monroe departs Cicely towards the end of Season Four, Joel and Maggie have a chance to start over. They have grown as people, and get the chance to know each other better, even going on dates for the first time. You can sense they are growing closer and starting to realize that they are meant to be together.
Which brings me to the departure of Joel Fleischman from the show. I have read Darren Burrows
book "Northern Exposed" (good read for any fan of the show) and know all about Rob Morrow's desire to get out of his contract for season Six. The writers had to come up with a way to reduce his time on screen, and sending him "Up River" was a good way to accomplish that. Here is my problem with that scenario. Just seven episodes later ( with limited screen time in between,)
Joel is gone - he returns to New York in a non conventional way in "The Quest"
This resolution for his character goes against everything that has transpired in the entire show up to this point. Northern Exposure was essentially the story of how his character, the New York Doctor, is changed by the people and by the town of Cicely. Every important episode in that main story line, even in season six, is leading in the direction that when his time is up and he is no longer under contract, he will stay there with Maggie. "Dinner at Seven Thirty" and "Shofar So Good" , both from the beginning of Season Six, reinforce this idea. Joel's dream of returning to
New York does not have the same appeal as it once did, and he says as much at the end of the
"Dinner at Seven Thirty" episode, stating he would "rather practice Medicine in some hick rural outback than stay here (New York) another minute". He is not the same person he was upon arriving in Cicely, and has grown in so many ways.
He is now a complete person, and the big city has lost it's allure. His relationship with Maggie and the health of the people in this town have become what is important to him. So why does he suddenly up and leave?
Here us how I feel the show should have ended. Keep everything the same up to Episode 15 in season six, (The Quest)/ The scene with Maggie and Joel in the tent is where the whole thing could have turned a different direction. Joel finally realizes that he and Maggie are meant to be together, despite any issues or problems they have had in the past. He confesses this to her and she agrees, stating the same thing to him. He tells her he can't just up and leave the village, that he feels a responsibility to finish the work he started with them. He needs few weeks to complete what needs to be done, then will return to Cicely and to her. The next seven episodes could stand pretty much as they are, with a few minor adjustments, letters from Joel to Maggie, Etc.
Then during the last episode "Tranquility Base", he comes back to town, and to Maggie. Reunites with the townsfolk and show is over. His immediate future is not decided, but the impression left is that he is going to stay right there.

Show lover from Bosnia

4/10/2019 04:57:22 pm

I am so agree with you about ending and Joel and Maggie love story.It shuld end like that.

Bepina

12/5/2021 10:15:33 am

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.

12/7/2021 12:55:27 pm

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.

Savoy IL

12/14/2022 02:35:57 pm

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.

12/14/2022 05:12:12 pm

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.

7/18/2016 11:16:53 am

Just wanted to add this because I intended to check the box regarding notifying me of comments by email but did not the first time.

7/18/2016 11:30:03 am

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.

Brian Burt

7/30/2016 12:43:21 pm

I loved this show. I used to have to record it on my vcr. My gf couldn't stand it, used to have to watch it by myself. Just ordered the complete series on Dvd. Can't wait for it to get here.

7/30/2016 01:15:48 pm

Brian, thanks for your note. I don't know what all your debates were like, but in this case I'm going to have to go with your judgment...

Shawn Selders link

11/14/2016 07:50:47 am

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.

11/16/2016 12:15:19 am

Shawn, thanks much for your note. The show was indeed a gem. I've passed along your very nice words to my friend Jeff Melvoin, who as I noted, served as the co-executive producer of "Northern Exposure" for several years.

Jose Sinclair

1/23/2017 12:02:47 am

I also just re-watched Northern Exposure on DVD, after seeing it live on tv in the 90s, then again on videotape.. it still hold up, it still resonates, it still moves me to tears, joy, laughter, nostalgia, and to love of nature and simple values of community and sharing. No other tv show in history has done this for me - and I started watching tv with the Jackie Gleason show in the 50s, thanks to the Honeymooners segments.

Shawn mentioned some great shows, I agree with all of them.. for me, NE ranks up there with the few other great hour long shows like The Wire, Skins, Breaking Bad, Six Feet Under.. Of this group, it had the most humor, the folkie kind like Will Rogers would appreciate, not like modern sitcoms filled with as many one-liners as possible - so it certainly created warmer feelings than any other show I've seen.

I was actually sad to reach the end of the series on dvd, because it means I'll hold off watching it again (a 4th time) for a couple of years, at least. Everyone who hasn't should see it out again on dvd, and watch all the deleted scenes as well.

KUDOS and thanks to all involved with creating an all-time classic!

1/31/2017 10:46:19 am

Jose, thanks for your thoughtful note. I passed it along to my friend Jeff Melvoin, who was a co-executive producer on the show, and it made his day.

Ansel Grogan

4/18/2017 12:15:31 pm

Robert please ask Jeff about rumours of the return of NE ... Thanks

4/20/2017 10:42:01 am

Ansel, thanks for your note. I spoke with Jeff, and he says that efforts to do something with "Northern Exposure" fizzled due to lack of interest with NBC. He believes there's another group trying something, but he doesn't know what, and thinks it a very long-shot.

As whimsy would have it, he's currently in Toronto with Rob Morrow who is guest-starring in an episode of "Designated Survivor" which Jeff is the showrunner of.

J Thompson

6/16/2017 07:06:09 pm

My husband and I just finished watching the Northern Exposure DVD series for the second time-all 6 seasons over about 10 months. We watched the original TV series as well in the 90's. I looked at him and said what are we going to watch now? What a testament it is that we enjoy it time and time again. Such an enduring and endearing classic!

Robert J Elisberg

6/18/2017 08:56:28 am

I guess all that leaves is watching it a third time...

I hope at least you noticed the repeated references to the town of Ellisberg that my friend Jeff Melvoin created, where the hospital for the "criminally insane" sat. (He intentionally spelled name wrong because it seemed more like how a town would spell it...) If not, well...then I guess you really DO have to watch the series a third time.

6/18/2017 09:27:37 am

10/23/2017 05:27:29 am

I did notice Ellisberg for sure. That doesn’t mean I don’t need to rewatch the series again though. The little things like watching for which crazy earrings Shelley wears in different episodes never gets old. As well as Chris’ quotes. Especially the one about women using their intuition to support their decision making while men only go by the facts. Or something to that effect. I wrote that down as well as the original author of the quote but can’t seem to remember where that paper is now. At any rate those quotes also made the show for me.

10/23/2017 10:35:21 am

J, thanks for the note. And if you noticed "Ellisberg," then hat's off, you are quite the fan. Even without re-watching.

K Cooper

12/31/2017 08:03:50 pm

I need to say this, and this seems like the place to do it, but this show saved my life. When Northern Exposure first aired, I was not "coming of age" because I was struggling just to even "come out." Honest to god, I did not think I was going to make it. I was majorly depressed for years. This was before the Internet (as we know it) so I thought I was the only gay person on the planet, and - daily - I just wanted to die. But one thing kept me going. "Just make it till next Monday night" I would tell myself. It was all I could do. And it was what I did. No matter how bad I felt, it was "Just make it till Monday night." This show was not just a cute amusing entertainment for me, it was like looking through a portal to place where everyone could be who they were. Where people could be weird, or strange, or eccentric, or disagree, or even fight ... but never stop caring about each other. It was a magical place, but also a realistic paradise, where houses burned down, and people still died. I'm sure you may be thinking I most strongly identified with the Ron and Eric characters, but - even though having gay characters was amazing - I cared just as much about every other character, and was just about bursting with the love I had for the town.

Two years ago, I broke free from my life on the east coast and traveled the country. I stopped in Roslyn, not knowing what to expect. Well, I just cried. I couldn't believe I was actually there, in the place that saved my life. In the town with all these people I cared so much about (though, yes, they are characters, I get it). Doesn't matter, that town will be a touchstone for me until the day I die.

This fall, a two-year relationship ended. We had started watching Northern Exposure together, at my suggestion, but then we broke up, just before the 3rd season really got going. I left the 3rd season with him, saying, "You HAVE to watch it, this is when the whole thing comes into its own, this is what we were building up to," almost as if the show and our relationship were somehow tied. "This is when things really get good." Seasons 3 and 4 are definitely my favorites, although 5 and 6 still have moments, here and there, of pure Northern Exposure magic.

But, anyway, it was a very hard fall after the breakup and I was very alone, in a city 3000 miles from friends and family, and I had no money to go out and "be single." So this left me to watch seasons 3, 4, 5, and 6 all by myself. Depressing at first, because I wanted so much to share it with my ex, it became a staple in my life these last few months. (P.S. I took a second trip to the town with my ex, a few months before we broke up, so even more so, sometimes watching scenes in town would choke me up.)

I just finished the very last episode of the series, tonight. And when it got to the "Town" song, I cried. I rewound and watched it again. And again, I cried. Not depressing tears, but tears of gratefulness and genuine friendship with a show that - twice in my life now - has been there for me at my very worst times, the same way the characters always were for each other.

So, whoever you can get this message out to, please thank the people involved in this show a million times a million times a million for making it. I think the creators and cast and crew have a clue by now, for sure, of how important this show was to people, but they created something better than popular, they created something with heart. And that is where this show will always live, for so many of us, in our hearts -- sometimes even sustaining the broken ones.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. <3

1/1/2018 09:34:34 pm

K, Thanks much for your rich note. And rest assured that I will send a copy of it to my friend Jeff Melvoin who, as I noted, joined the series during its run as executive producer. Perhaps he'll pass it along to others, but at the very least know that it will get to Jeff.

Lynda

7/6/2018 08:40:22 am

This show! I watched it when it originally aired when I was young, and I have the fondest memories of my father (now passed away) laughing and loving this show. I wasn't old enough to appreciate what transpired on screen at the time, but I appreciated his appreciation of it. I remember that he loved the character Ed.

Our family finally got our hands on some DVDs, courtesy of the public library, and rewatched it. As an adult, I feel I was able to fully appreciate the show. I know I'm not alone, as the library had long waiting lists for each season. I've read articles about that there are ownership issues and issues over the music, but this needs to get on streaming media and get more exposure.

I saw the cast's reunion a few years back and that they indicated interest in a brief reboot. I wonder how that would work, what the plots would be. Ruth Anne would be sorely missed, of course. It's hard to watch through to the end of this show, specifically because of how it ends, as noted above. I always felt that Joel's ending was wrong. I understand they needed to tie up loose ends with Rob's character, but I wish they'd left it more open-ended. I always felt that, even if he didn't voluntarily stay in Cicely (which I believe all the story strands from prior years were headed towards), he'd not have returned to NY. I think Rob said in an interview once that he didn't believe the character would have just gone back to his normal life. When I think about the ending, I liked the episode The Quest, just not the ending. Someone above suggested it'd have been better if he realized in the pup tent that he needed to stay, and then they could have written around Rob's absence somehow, with him, as they say, staying on up river through the winter or whatever, and having him return at the end. I understand that they were trying to keep the door open for more shows and couldn't have Joel's character still be around forever without the actor having committed to filming anymore, but....ah, it's just disappointing.

I like to think of The Quest as Maggie's dream and that Joel's postcard at the end really does come from him, as he's gone home for a visit or for family obligations or something, but that he shows back up again and they stay together. All of their relationship "hurdles" at the end felt forced - the gun thing was particularly insane. It's just a shame they felt their hand was forced into ending things this way. I didn't like Maggie together with Chris. I felt like they lost their way a bit with Ed. I feel like they struggled to know what to do with Holling and Shelly in season 6. And, as likeable a person as Paul P. is, they never quite knew what to do with them, either. It was like "well, we need a Jewish doctor from NY, since that's kind of the whole premise of the show, but we can't just reboot that with Maggie just ending things with Joel, so let's make him married and this time the wife will have trouble settling in." I did like Maurice ending up with his state trooper gal.

Long ramble short, if there is a reboot, I'd love for it to be used to set things right with the previous missed ending. Let us revisit them all these years later and find out Joel came back after a few months in NY, got back with Maggie, and settled down in Cicely for good. Let us see what theirs and all of these characters' lives became. I don't see any of them having left Cicely. Let's pay homage to Ruth-Anne's passing. Let's see how Ed finally made his way in life - did the film festival take off? Ron and Erik - are they still there? Did Maurice ever manage to make Cicely a successful tourist destination.

The articles I'd seen indicated someone had even been hired to write and a 10-episode arc was being formulated. I'd love to see this - it sounds like you have some insight, and I'd love to hear that something's coming.

Otherwise, pass along thank yous for the show. Watching it again made me feel close to my father. These characters almost feel like family as well. It's just such a wonderful concept and execution (through most of it) with such well-balanced and interesting characters. I wish the show had closed with more resolution, though, and I'd love to see that air - even with having to tackle 25 years' worth of time having passed.

7/7/2018 11:55:32 pm

Dear Lynda, thanks much for your detailed, thoughtful look at the show. I'll pass it along to my friend Jeff Melvoin, was as I noted was its Co-Executive Producer for several years. Whenever I've asked him about the talk about bringing the show back, he looks sort of wistful and says (for specific reasons), it's not likely. As for how you wish the show would have ended, keep this in mind -- when they wrote and filmed the last episode, they hadn't been cancelled yet. As I wrote in the article, for all they knew, they might be back. Because Jeff had the foresight of thinking this *might* be the end, he and some others focused on writing an episode that, while not wrapping everything up, would at least be a satisfying finale, if that's what it turned out to be. Which alas, it did.

Ann Lieseke

8/11/2018 11:55:20 am

I just finished the series again. Especially sentimental as it was recorded on VHS for me by my dad. Complete with all advertising. I never watched tv as a kid. Didn't like it. Nor do I as an adult. I'm not certain how I even saw my first episode to fall in love with the show, but I did. My favorite was when Chris was proving for his doctorate. Casey at the Bat part was absolutely briliant. I have not watched a series since.

8/11/2018 09:32:37 pm

Ann, thanks for your note. Better late than never...

Pamela Timmons

10/20/2018 02:52:00 pm

Does anyone remember the season and scene where there were 'Gargoyles sitting on rock boulders'?

10/23/2018 07:17:06 am

Pamela, thanks for your note. I certainly can't speak for others here, but on my own behalf I don't have any recollection of that. I know that doesn't help, but I didn't want you question to go un-replied to. Perhaps someone else will chime in with an actual answer...

10/23/2018 08:15:48 am

Hi again! I just tried to send you a message of thanks for getting back to me. When I attached a photo of the item the message went away, so not sure if it was sent!

10/23/2018 05:10:43 pm

You're welcome -- though considering I didn't have an answer, I didn't do much...

12/7/2018 09:14:01 am

Well, sounds like they're rebooting it after all (or at least making an attempt to do so). Very curious if you've seen this news and have any thoughts or insight on it.

12/7/2018 03:05:28 pm

Lynda, thanks for your note. I do have some thoughts and tiny insight on a possible reboot. The thought is that I dearly loved the show and would love to see more of the characters. The insight is that the actors have been talking about rebooting the show for a while, but from the studio and production end, I'm told that there are SO many hurdles it's likely a non-starter. Obviously that can change. But unless it does, a return unfortunately seems unlikely.

Firthy

3/30/2019 07:31:19 pm

I don't why I re-started watching this but I just did and now that I'm a lot older, I've come to appreciate ALL the characters and the stories now.

Back then when the series first aired, I had only just become a teenager and I was only interested in the Joel/Maggie dynamic. I only saw occasional episodes (we only had one TV and with a family of 10 siblings, it was difficult to watch something in peace, let alone watch something that everybody can agree on) and by the time S4 rolled around, I just lost interest; too many missed episodes and then Maggie seemed like she had a new boyfriend (I remember seeing Anthony Edwards was with Maggie?) and that was NOT something my young (foolish, romantic J/M-diehard) heart could take, lol. I totally missed seeing S5 and S6. I don't think it was even aired here at all.

So now I'm re-watching and it just brings a LOT of happiness when I remember seeing specific scenes (like when J/M threw the ashes over the peaks, Idk why but that stuck with me even almost 30 years later haha) and then I'm doubly gleeful when I see the new-to-me scenes like Rick's funeral (wtf lmao) and of course, Adam! I totally missed him in my first watch and he is such a hilarious character.

Anyway, please pass my thanks to your friend Jeff (along with countless others) who made the show possible. It's a testament to their great work that the show still brings a lot of joy to people today.

Take care!

(P.S., Sorry for any mistakes, English is not my first language)

4/1/2019 01:58:35 pm

Dear Firthy, Thanks very much for your long, thoughtful and appreciated note. And it was eloquently stated, far more so than many for whom English *is* their first language...

Just know that I've forwarded your note to my friend Jeff, and I'm certain he will be very pleased to get it.

JoAnne

5/30/2019 12:32:40 pm

With all the angst about the ending of Game of Thrones I got to thinking about that perfect ending of Northern Exposure and came across this thread. It feels so good to share with all of you.

I began watching the finale with dread, as like so many others of you this rich, gentle show was with me through some very hard times. As soon as the opening theme began to play each week, I knew that despite everything else going on in my life, for one magical hour everything would be just perfect.

As the finale drew to a close and Iris's beautiful song began to play and nothing earth-shattering was happening onscreen I realized that the writers really knew and loved both their characters and their viewers. The sweet, wistful music brought on a flood of emotion from this faithful viewer who now knew that the inevitable end was really happening, whether I was ready for it or not - but there was no drama, no twists, no surprises. These wonderful characters we had grown to love were just continuing on with their lives together up there in their little town in Alaska. They weren't going anywhere, but they were casually closing their doors and pulling down their shades, gently shutting us out and letting us know that our time with them was over.

Their stories were not coming to an end, but it was time for us to leave them and move on. It gave me such comfort to feel as if they would be carrying on without us, and even now I think about the good folks of Cicily and wonder what they might be doing now.

To me it was a perfect ending and I even called in to CBC when they were discussing best endings of TV shows. In my mind no other has come close to making me feel the way Northern Exposure did, and that is a testament to the amazing writers and everyone involved with this little gem of a tv show. Thanks to them all!

5/30/2019 02:22:39 pm

JoAnne, thanks much for your thoughtful note. I'll pass it along to my friend Jeff Melvoin who I know will appreciate it.

And I agree with you, too -- so many shows feel they have to "end" the program, come up with some concluding episode that's dramatic and puts an exclamation point on it all, finishing everything. When in truth, it's not an end to everything, but just closing out this particular story. And the characters go on.

("Everybody Loves Raymond" handled things very well, too, I think. Coming up with a story that was headed in a very dramatic direction -- but they resolved it in a satisfying way and ended the series with everyone just sitting around the table eating. Life goes on.)

Matthew Goodrich

12/8/2020 01:45:59 am

This evening, I completed the show as a first-time viewer. Like so many others in this forum, I took my time with it, watching it over a period of 12 months with my partner (a long-time fan). Well worth the investment!

Such a heart-warming cast of quirky characters. It’s got subtle elements of Twin Peaks without the nightmare element, and stands alone as being its own thing (despite its slightly clunky yet adorable attempt to pay homage to its darker cousin in Season 1).

Loved the philosophical musings, the playful humour, the brave writing, and the way this show made me feel. Every time the theme-song played I’d feel like I was slipping into a warm bathtub. My partner and I would always whistle the tune to our greyhound who, in her better moods, seemed to enjoy it as much as we did. Weird I know. But hey!

Like some of the others here, I found the Maggie/Chris relationship stilted, and like Morrow, I really didn’t buy Joel’s final decision to boat off to New York (literal or mythical). If there’s one thing that felt true about this show, it was Joel’s slow affection for this town seeping into his ego and healing him of his neurosis. Hell! Throughout Season 6 he had become like some kind of Yoda figure—so, producer uncertainty or not, this felt like an extreme betrayal to his character. The ending was sweet—the final montage gorgeous. I love what someone said about the slow, lowering of curtains—not being shut out so much as gently encouraged to move on from the community we came to love. But for me, a finale montage without Joel Fleischman, the man who took us there in the first place, just felt like a sorely missed opportunity.

All the same, unlike many, I found Season 6 to be one of the stronger seasons. The opening episode, ‘Dinner at Seven-Thirty’, set almost entirely in NY, had me groaning in fear, but as the episodes progressed, the season really found its stride. Season 6 contains some of my favourite episodes—some had me weeping. Season 6 contains some of the most tender and heart-warming moments of the entire series—Maggie coming to terms with her 15-year-old self, Joel’s outrageous marriage proposal in the midst of an overheated Russian airliner, Ed messing up Joel’s blood tests and becoming surrogate mother to a baby bear, Walt suiting up romantically for Ruth-Anne, Joel and Maggie’s quest for the mythical jewelled city of the North, and Marilyn knowingly, telepathically, wishing Joel farewell with the simple word: ‘Goodbye’.

To boil down my humble opinion—misgivings aside, there was far more to love in Season 6 than there was to be disappointed by.

Postscript: I didn’t notice the Ellisberg typo. But, rest assured, I have more than enough reasons to watch it again and again and again…Right until the day they lower my box.

Postscript 2: As I understand it, Morrow, Burrows and the series creator Joshua Brand are hard at work on getting the series revived. It might be a long shot, but never say never I suppose.

All right, I’ve rambled on enough. Thanks for starting this lovely little thread, Robert. All the best!

Matt.

12/9/2020 11:26:10 am

Matt, congrats on finishing the series, and thanks for your long, thoughtful note. I'll pass it along to my friend Jeff Melvoin.

Just so you know, as much as some have been discussing a "Northern Exposure" return, my understanding is that there are big hurdles in the way, mainly studio and legal. But I guess we have to put this in the "We'll see..."

Robert Elisberg. Or Ellisberg. Or...oh, you know..

That Ending of "Northern Exposure"

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