Quirky Quality Television: Revisiting Northern Exposure

Special Issue (Volume 1, Number 2) of Critical Studies in Television:

Scholarly Studies for Small Screen Fictions
In tr od uct io n
D a vi d L a ve r y a n d J im m i e C a i n

C ice ly, in oth er wor ds , lik e a ll grea t pas tor a l, is a m yth th a t knows it's a m yth
a nd in vites us , e ver y we ek , to sh are the secr et tha t the lies o f our in noce nce
a re o ur innoc ence . It's a c onse nsu al ha llucina t io n o f th e pr im al G ard en , a nd
w i tho u t the s k e p tic al F l eis hma n i t w ou ld f all ap ar t jus t b ec aus e J o el 's
s k e p tic is m , l ik e tha t o f S h akesp ea r e's f oo ls , k e eps r emi nd in g us th a t th is i dea l
l i t t le pl ace c a n' t b e r ea l : a nd , b y t h e s am e tok en , m us t b e r e al , bec ause w e a l l
d r ea m i t s o d es pe r a te ly .
F rank McCo nne ll

A m o n g t h e c o n tr i b u t o r s to N or ther n Ex posu re ’s s i x year r un o n the A mer ica n

te le vis ion n e twork CBS wer e Da vid C hase (e xecu tive pr od ucer fo r s eas ons F i ve an d
S i x ) , the w r i t ing t eams o f R ob in Gr ee n an d M i tc he ll Bur ges s a nd D ian e Fr olo v and
An drew Sch ne ide r (Two thro ugh Six) , an d d ir ec tors Ja mes H a ym an ( Thr ee , Five , and
Six) , Jack Be nder (Thr ee) , a nd Da niel Attias ( Four an d F i ve) . In the s till la rgely
a u tho r l ess w o r l d o f te le v is ion , e ve n a v id Nor therners s t i l l m i g h t n o t r e c o g n ize a n y o f
t h e s e for - th e - m o s t-p a r t- in v is ib le c o n tr ib u t io n s t o the h it d r a m e d y . N o r w i l l fo llow e r s o f
T he So pran os , the mas ter fu l “no t T V” ser ies C hase wo uld la ter sow on H BO ’s fer tile
g r ou nd , like l y r ec og nize , w i th ou t t h e a id o f t h e In ter net M o vi e D at a Bas e , tha t s e ven
o f his c ollab ora t ors ha d fo llowed him fro m Alaska to New J ersey.
In a con versa tio n with Allen Rucke r, C has e, a dis encha n ted tw enty-p l us year
n e tw or k v et er an , w ou ld ac k now led ge th a t hati ng ‘e v er y th in g tha t c o r por a te Am er ica
h ad to o f fer . I c o nsi der ed n e tw or k T V t o be p r op aga nda f or the c o r por a te s ta t e – th e
p r ogr am min g no t on l y t h e c om me r c i als . I ’m n o t a M ar xi s t an d I neve r w as ver y r ad ic a l ,
b u t tha t ’s w h a t I c ons ide r ed i t to be . T o s om e e x te n t , I s t il l d o .’ 1 N o r ther n Exp os ur e ,
th e ser ies th a t ha d once s upp lied his pa ych ecks , w as n o t i mm une t o h is s c o r n : T he
q ua li t y t el ev i s i on s e r ies t ha t is th e s ub jec t o f t his s pec ia l iss ue o f C r i t ica l S t u d i e s i n
T e lev is i on w as , f or C h ase , ‘pr opa gan da fo r t h e c or p ora t e s ta te . . . . i t w as r a mm in g
h om e e very we ek the m essa ge th a t “ life is n o th ing bu t gr ea t,” “ Am er icans ar e gre a t,”
a nd “ hear tfe l t e mo tio n a nd sh ar ing c onq uers [s ic ] e ver yth in g .” 2
O n Th e Sop r an os C has e has , o f c o urs e , fre ed h i mse lf f r o m th e n eed f or s uc h
m es s a ges , d el i ve r i ng a n e xc e p tio na l s er ies w h ich , as i t c om es to i t s en d i n e ar l y
2 007 , ma y h a ve p ai n te d i ts el f in to a na r r a t iv e c or n er . T he So pran os ’ r e l e n t les s l y d a r k
view o f c onte mp orar y Am er ica , de void o f a ny re de emab le c har ac te r, o ffers us vir tua lly
n o c o mfor ts a nd g i ves us har dl y a n y c aus e t o l ik e i t oth er tha n its ow n br i ll ia nc e .
N o r ther n Exp os ur e d id no t e nd w e l l e i the r . I t s g ood fo r t un e ha d g one up-r iv e r
w i th J o el Fl e is c h man w h en h e w e n t na t i ve in S eas o n S i x , ne v er t o r e tur n , th oug h the
s e r i es c on ti nu ed o n for a s eas on b e for e t he p lu g w as pu l led , bu t in i ts d a y the r e w as
n o th ing qu it e l ik e i t . 3 Fa r from be in g pr opa gan da fo r the d om in an t cu ltu re , it was the
m os t in te llec tua l , imag in a tive , ch alle ng in g d ram ed y se ries o f the ear ly 1 990s , a show
t h a t ga v e us e v er y r e as o n to lik e i t — to c ome r u nn in g , r e ad y to w at c h , la ugh , a nd
t h ink , w hen t he e ag le c r ie d an d t h e mo ose w a lke d the e ar l y mo r ni ng s t r ee ts o f C ic e l y . 4
As the la te F rank McCo nne ll wou ld no te in a br illian t 19 93 p iec e in
Co mmo nwea l, No rthern Ex posur e w as r ea l l y a pas tor a l, a m y th o f a “ S pec ia l P l ace —
t h e S ec r e t G ar d en . . . w h ere y ou c an tak e a l l you r e ve r yda y c ar es and , b y p la y in g a t
a s i mp ler , m ore na tu ra l life , ha ve them c l ar ified a nd he aled .” “ The glor y o f p as tor al,”
Mc Con ne ll a dds , “ is tha t it rec ogn izes pla y as a pr ofoun dly re ligious ac t. . . .” 5
 Northern Exposure Special Issue ii

N o r ther n Exp os ur e w as a lw a ys a t p la y , alw ay s in p la y , a nd i t r e qui r e d us to p la y w i th

it.

R e a d y t o p l a y i t s ow n s p e c ia l k i n d o f g a m e , te l e vis i o n s t u d i e s , n o t s u r p r i s in g l y , h a s
p a i d m o r e th a n a f e w v i s i ts t o C i c e l y . No rthe rn Expos ur e, a f ter al l, s e eme d to nee d
v i ewe r s /r ea ders w i th o ur s p eci al s k il ls . Som eo ne h ad t o mak e s e nse o f t hese
f as c in a ti ng, ecc en tr ic c h arac t er s , t h ose pr o lifer a t ing l i te r ar y a l lus io ns , thos e c h arm in g
tro pes , th ose m ythe mes ga lor e .
T ho ugh w e d o no t ye t h a ve a book on N o r th er n Ex p os u r e , the per io dic al Mid -
A t l an t ic Alma n ac d e vo t e d m o s t o f a n i s s u e t o t h e se r i e s , 6 i nc lu din g es s a ys b y
Cr aw ford , Pr ing le and Shear er , a nd Ta ylor (“ Lan dscape o f the Wes t” 7) ; an d A n ne t te M .
T a y lor h as a u tho r ed ( o r c o- a u tho r ed) no les s th an thr e e s i gn i fic a n t es s a ys o n the
s h ow : the a bo ve - na me d p iece , ‘Cu l tu r a l H er it a ge in N o r t h e r n E x p o s u r e ,’ ‘Landsc ape o f
t h e W es t in N o r t her n E x p os ur e ,’ 8 a nd ( w i th D a v id U pc h urc h) ‘N o r t h e r n E x p o s u r e a nd
M y t ho lo g y o f t he G lo ba l C o mm uni t y , ’ 9 w hic h t ak en to ge th er o f fe r s o me t hi ng like a
sus tained im ag in al geo gra ph y o f N E .
N o r ther n Exp os ur e has to da te insp ir ed a var ie ty of o the r essa ys . F em in is t
th em es have bee n e xp lo red in Le da M. C ooks and R og er C . Aden ’s ‘Nor ther n
Exposure 's S e nse o f P l ace : C ons truc t in g an d M ar g inal iz in g the M a tr iar c ha l
C o m m u n i t y,’ 10 Ma r y B e th Pr in gl e an d C yn th ia L . Sh ear er’ s ‘ Th e Fem a le Sp ir i t o f
N o r ther n Ex p os ur e's C icely, Alaska,’ 11 a nd Sas ha T or r es ’ ‘ Lesb is c h e M igr a ti on en ,
te le visu elle fr on tiers : N o r t her n E x p os ur e .’ 12 I a in C raw fo rd h as i n ves t ig a ted i ts
i n te r te x tu a li t y i n ‘R e a d in g T V : Int e r t e xu a l i t y i n No rthern Ex posur e .’ 13 Its Jew ishness
h as be en th e focus o f M ic hae l L . Hec h t, e t a l ’s ’Look in g thr oug h 'N or th er n E x p os ur e '
a t J ew is h A m er ic an id en t i t y an d t h e c om mu nic a ti on th eor y o f i de n ti t y ’ 14 a nd a c hap t er
i n D a v i d Z u r a w ik ’ s Th e J ew s o f P r i me T i me : ‘Dr . Fl eis c h ma n and t he C a p tivi t y
N a r r a t i ve . ’ 15 T he c r ea ted c om mun it y o f t he s er ies has a t tr act ed th e a t t en t ion of
Jess ica J oh ns ton and Jos eph R aa b’s ‘The U to pian Com mu nity o f N o r t her n E x p os ur e .’ 16
Es th er Rom e yn and Jack Ku ge lm ass ’s ‘Writing Alaska , Wr iting th e Na tion : ' N o r th e r n
Exposure ' a nd th e Ques t f or a N ew A mer ica ’ 17 a nd W il la r d A . U nde r w oo d’s ‘T he I mag e
o f A mer ica t hr ou gh a C o n te mpora r y A lask an Mo de l : N o r t her n Ex p os ur e's C e le bra t io n
o f D i ve r s i ty ’ 18 ha ve cons id ere d N o r t her n Ex p os ur e as a dis tinc tly Am er ican n arra tive .
An d the s er ies ’ co n trib u tions to th e de velopm en t o f c on tem pora r y te le vis ion h as be en
t h e foc us of C hr is t in e S c o dar i’s en tr y i n Th e Encyc lo ped ia o f Te lev ision , 19 M ic h ae l J .
Por ter ’s ‘Th e F unc tion o f Sc en es in T ele vis ion N arra tives ,’ 20 an d B e ts y W il l ia ms ’
‘ N orth t o th e Fu tu re: N or t h er n E x p os u r e and Qualit y T e lev is ion.’ 21
T hes e pa ges o f fer the fulles t, an d m ost mu lti- fac e ted, co nsider ation o f N o r th e r n
E x p o s u r e to da te . R ho nda W i lcox ( in an awa rd-w inn ing , pre v io usly pu blish ed essa y,
r epr in te d he re) 22 i n te r pr e ts ma le an d fem a le , b od y a nd s p ir i t , in N E ’s dr ea mlife. Ja ne t
Mc C ab e d is c us s es the s er ies ’ a lter a tion o f “ mascu line fro n tier myth olog y.” Da vid
L a ver y t ak es a l ook at a n ep iso de o f N E in wh ich C hr is m us t wres tle w i th pos t-
s truc tura l ist cr itic al the or y. F elic ia C han tend ers a narra tolog ica l ass essm ent. J im mie
Ca in e xa min es re al and me ta ph oric war in NE . Meg Al brinck c ompares it to a
su rpr ising ly s im i lar BBC co usin . Jo hn Z ub iza rre ta e xplor es the du plic itous ro le o f
d o u b l in g i n N E , an d D a v id Sc o tt D i f fr ien t ’s m i ni- mo nog r ap h o f fer s a me t ic u lo us
a na l ys is o f t h e r o le of m o v ies in t h e s er ies .

1
A l l e n R u c k e r , Th e So pra nos : A F a mily History , N ew Am er ican Libr ar y, 20 00 .
 Northern Exposure Special Issue iii

2
F or m ore o n Chas e’s views o n te le vis ion , se e Da vid L a ver y and Ro ber t J . T ho mpso n ,

‘ D a v id C h ase , The S op r an os , and Te le vis ion C rea tivity’, Th is Th in g o f O ur s :

I nv es ti ga t in g T he Sop ran os , Colu mb ia Un ive rsity Press , 2 002 , pp .18- 25 .

3
I n i ts d a y , N o r ther n Exp os ur e was , o f c ourse , o ften c om par ed to its co n tem po rar y

Tw in Peaks , b o th e x am p les o f w h a t R ob er t J . T ho mps o n w ou ld de em ‘q uir k y q ua li t y ’ .

A s T hom pso n w ou ld w r i te :

In J uly 1990 , C BS o f fe red up som e th in g for a ll thos e viewe rs who we re

sp end in g th e su mme r wo nde ring wh o killed L aur a Palm er . T hou gh N or th ern

Exposure w a s s e t i n t h e fic ti o n a l t o w n o f C i c e l y , A l a s k a , i t w a s fi l m e d i n

R os l yn , W as h in g ton , jus t down th e r o ad a p iec e fro m S n oqu al mie , t he tow n t h a t

s to od in for Twin Peaks . T he s im i lar i ties be tw een the two s hows d id n' t s to p w i th

t h e s c en er y e i th er . N o r t her n Ex p os ur e ha d its own r ura l q uirkiness , sur rea l

s tor y l in es , a nd e ns em b le o f of f c e n ter ed c h arac t er s . I t w as n' t jus t a n i mi t a ti on ,

h ow e ve r . N o r t her n Ex p os ur e ha d a lr ead y bee n conc eive d an d de ve lo ped be fo re

Tw in Peaks pr em ie red . The s t rik ing s i milar i ties b e twe en th ese two

i nd epe nd en t l y c r e a ted s er ies s ug ges ts th a t q ua li t y T V w as f ol lowi ng a d is ti nc t

e v ol u ti ona r y p a th . T he ar t is t ic m an da te f or in no va t io n th a t ha d eng end ere d

Tw in Peaks h ad a ppar en tly be en yie ld ing s im i lar resu lts e lsew here as we ll

( Te lev ision’s Se co nd G olden Age : Fro m Hill Stree t Blues to ER , C o n ti nuu m ,

1 996 , pp .16 0-6 1) .

4
F rank McCo nne ll’s th oug h ts on N o r t her n E x p os ur e ’s m oos e mus t b e qu o ted : ‘As the

o nl y r ea l l y " n a tura l " thi ng in t he w h ol e s how , th a t ha iry a nd c h arm i ng fe l low r e m inds

us a t the be gi nn in g o f e v er y i ns ta l men t how f i c ti ona l , c o ns truc t ed , a nd h um an is a l l

t h a t fo ll ows h is in i ti al s tr o l l thr ou gh tow n . A r e al mo ose in a m ad e- u p tow n: w as n' t i t

M ar y An ne M oor e [sic ] wh o de fine d po e tr y as im ag inary g ard ens w i th r ea l toa ds in

th em ?’ ‘Nor th ern Ex pos ure , ’ C ommo n w ea l , 1 20 , 1 9 , 5 No vem ber 1 993 , p .19.

5
I b i d , p .20 .
 Northern Exposure Special Issue iv

6
‘Pop ular Cu ltu re M ee ts N o r t her n E x p os ur e : T hre e Persp ec tives on the Po pular C BS

P r o g r a m ’ , T he Mi d- A tl an t ic A l man ac k : Th e J o urn al o f t h e M id- A t la n tic

P o pu lar / Ame r ic an C ul t ur e As s oc i a t ion , 3 , 19 94 , p p .13- 39 .

7
‘ La nds c a pe o f the W es t in N or th er n Exp os u r e ’, T h e M i d- A tl an t ic Al ma nack : T he

J o urn al o f t h e M id- A t la n tic P opu la r / A mer ican C ul t ure As s oc ia t io n , 3 , 199 4 , pp .2 3- 33 .

8
‘ C u l tur a l H e r i t a g e in N o r t her n E x p os ur e ’, i n S . El izab e th B ir d , e d , D r ess in g i n

F ea t hers : T he C ons truc t io n o f the A mer ica n P o pu lar C u l tu r e , Wes tview Press , 1 996 ,

2 29- 44 .
9
‘ N or t hern E x p os ur e an d M y th o log y o f the Gl ob al C omm un i t y ’ , J ou r na l o f Pop ul ar

C u l tu r e , 3 0, 2 , Fa ll, pp .75- 85 .
10
L eda M . Co oks an d Ro ger C . Ade n (1 995) , ‘ N or t hern E x p os ur e ’s S e nse o f P l ace :

C o ns truc t in g an d M ar g in al iz in g th e M at r i ar c h al C om mun i t y ’ , W o me n ’s S t u d ies in

C o mmu n ic a t io n , 18 , 1 , Sp ring , p p .1– 17 .

11
M ar y Be th P r ing le and C y n th ia L . Sh ear er , ‘ Th e F emal e Sp ir i t o f N o r ther n

Exposure's C icely, Alask a ,’ Th e M i d- Atlan tic Alma nack : T he Jo urn al o f the M i d-

A t l a n t ic Pop u l a r / A m e r i c an C ulture Assoc i a tio n , 3 , 1 994, p p . 34- 39.

12
S a s h a T or r es, ‘ Lesb is c h e M igr ati on en , te lev i s ue l le fr on t ie r s : N or th er n Exp os u r e ’,

M on tage /AV: Z eitsc hrift für The or ie und Gesch ich te au diovis ue lle r Ko mmunika tion , 4 ,

2 , pp .4 0-62 .
13
Ia in Cr aw fo rd , ‘Rea din g T V : In t e r te x t u a l i t y i n N or th er n E x p os ur e ’, T he Mi d- A tl an t ic

A l ma nack : T he J o urn al o f th e M id- A t lan t ic Po pu lar / A mer ica n C u l tur e Ass oc i a ti on , 3 ,

1 994 , pp .14 -22 .

14
M ic hae l Hec h t, e t a l ., ‘Jew ish Am er ican ide n tity: A Co mm un ica tio n T heor y o f Iden tity

An alys is o f th e Te le vis ion Series N o r t her n E x p os ur e , ’ J o urn al o f C o mmu n ic a t io n , 5 2 ,

4 , 200 2 , pp.8 52– 869 .

15
David Zuraw ik , T he J ew s o f P r ime T i me , Br and eis U nivers i ty Press , 200 3 .
 Northern Exposure Special Issue v

16
Jess ica J oh ns ton and Jos e f Raab , ‘T he U top ia n Co mmu nity o f Nor th ern Ex pos ure ’,

Po pu lar Cultur e Rev iew , 5 , 2 , A ug us t 19 94 , p p .73 - 85 .

17
E s the r Rom e yn and Jack Ku ge lm ass , ‘W riting Alask a , Wr iting the N a tion : No rther n

Exposure an d the Ques t for a New Am er ica ’, in T heo D' ha en a nd Ha ns Ber tens , eds ,

'W r i t in g' N a t io n an d 'W r i ti ng ' R eg io n i n A me r ic a . VU Un ive rsity Press , 1996 , pp . 2 52-

67.
18
U n derw ood , W i ll ard A . an d J a nic e M . U nd er w ood , ‘ ’The I mag e o f A m er ica thr oug h a

C o n te mpora r y A las k an Mo de l : N o r t her n Ex p os ur e' s C e le b r a t io n o f D i ve r s i ty ’ , i n W i l l

W r ig h t an d S t e ve n Kap la n , eds , T he I mag e o f A mer ica i n L i te r a tur e, Me di a , a nd

S oc ie ty , p p. 3 58- 60 .
19
S c o dar i , C h r is t in e , ‘ N o r t her n Ex p os ur e : U .S . D r a m e d y ’ , i n E nc y c lop ed ia o f

T e lev is i on

< h t t p : / /w w w .m use um .t v / ar c hi v es / e t v /N / h tm lN /n or th er ne x po /n o ther ne xp o .h tm. >

20
M ic hae l J . Por ter , ‘Th e F unc tion o f Sc en es in T ele vis ion N arra tives ’ . C r e a t i v e

Scre enwr i tin g , 1 , 2 , Su mm er , 1 99 6 , pp . 94-1 16 .

21
B e ts y W il l i a m s , ‘ N o r th t o the F u t u r e : Nor t he rn Expos ur e a n d Q u a l i t y T e l e v i s i o n ’ ,

S p ec ta tor , 1 3 , 3 , 1 993, p p .28- 39 . Re pub lishe d in Hor ace N ewco mb , ed , T el ev is i on :

T he Cr itical View , O xfo rd Un ivers i ty Press , 1 994 , pp . 14 1-5 4 .

22
R h ond a V . W ilc o x , '” In Y our D r ea ms , F le is c h ma n” : D r . F les h an d t h e D r e am o f t he

S p ir i t i n Nor th ern Ex pos ure , ’ Stud ies in Popu la r Cu lture , 15 ,2 , 199 3 , pp .1-13 . Include d

i n th is issue .