Starring:
Rob Morrow as Dr. Joel Fleischman
Barry Corbin as Maurice J. Minnifield
Janine Turner as Mary Margaret ‘Maggie’ O’Connell
John Cullum as Holling Gustaf Vincoeur
Darren E. Burrows as Edward ‘Ed’ Chigliak
John Corbett as Christopher ‘Chris’ Stevens
Cynthia Geary as Shelly Marie Tambo Vincoeur
Elaine Miles as Marilyn Whirlwind
Peg Phillips as Ruth-Anne Miller
Special Features:
Deleted and/or Extended Scenes
Unexposed Scenes
Lost Storylines
Other Info:
Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Dolby Digital 2.0 Sound
French and Spanish Subtitles
French Language Track
Running Time: 17 Hours 37 Minutes
Synopsis:
The following is text from the DVD cover for the first season:
“This 7-time Emmy award-winning series is a remarkable blend of quirky humor and heartwarming storytelling. With an ensemble cast including Rob Morrow (Quiz Show), John Corbett (Sex and the City), and Janine Turner (Cliffhanger), Season 1 of Northern Exposure takes you back to where it all began. Fresh out of New York’s Columbia University, cocky young Dr. Joel Fleischman (Morrow) is looking forward to his comfortable position in Alaska’s largest city. Upon his arrival, Joel finds himself a fish-out-of-water as he’s instead assigned to a tiny Alaskan village where the offbeat locals would love him to stay forever. Relive the complete first season of the show TV Guide calls ”one of television’s truly fine series.'”
Northern Exposure The Complete Third Season is not rated.
The Series:
I used to watch Northern Exposure when it first aired in the 90’s. I thought it was funny, quirky, and a unique entry to evening television. However, as I revisited it on DVD for the first time in years, I found it oddly annoying. Dr. Joel Fleischman’s constant whining really got on my nerves and his romantic bickering with Maggie O’Connell got really old. I found DJ Chris Stevens hippie philosophy to be extremely grating and the quaint naiveté of the locals overdone. The plots of some of the episodes also came across as being too fanciful to fit with the rest of the show (like the flashback to the beginning of the town or the time Chris starts speaking backwards). For whatever reason, Northern Exposure lost all its charm for me.
That being said, I recognize that there are legions of Northern Exposure fans out there and they’ll be glad to pick up this DVD set. (They may not be so happy that some of the original music used in the show has been changed.) I wouldn’t recommend picking up this third season unless you already own the previous two seasons. If you’re going to own Northern Exposure, you might as well start at the beginning. And if you’re one of those people who have never seen Northern Exposure, then I recommend it if you’re into quirky comedies and shows with long, drawn out romantic relationships. That being said, I recommend it in small doses.
The Extras:
There are a few bonus features included on this DVD:
Deleted and/or Extended Scenes There are a number of deleted scenes from various episodes. I won’t go into them all here, but there will be plenty to keep fans happy.
Unexposed Scenes This is kind of a series of blooper reels from the shows. Considering how much footage they shot making the series, there are a ton of bloopers. There’s a lot of flubbed lines, practical jokes on the set, and more. This is the highlight of the bonus features. Also included is some footage of Ed’s independent films.
Lost Storylines In each episode, there are several storylines all woven together. Sometimes those storylines are dropped for the sake of time, but they are included here. Again, it’s sure to please Northern Exposure fans.
The Bottom Line:
This Northern Exposure DVD should please fans of the series and anyone looking for a quirky comedy. However, that quirkiness is best taken in small doses or it can get annoying fast.
