Just started "Northern Exposure"...help please!
 

Hey everyone...

My wife and I just started Northern Exposure, and we understand that it was a really acclaimed show when it aired. However, we're really hating Dr. Fleischman so far, and I'm wondering if this changes and we should at least stick our S1 and go from there, or will our dislike only increase as the show wears on?

So far, he reminds me of Carrie Bradshaw...self-involved and a real bitch.

Thanks for any info...

Well, he's sort of the heart of the show. Its basically a fish out of water tale and essentially you experience the town and the characters from his prospective. His character does evolve and grow to an extent. Its such a great show I'd recommend that you stick with it a while, maybe he will grow on you.

I've been watching this for the first time through Netflix. Just finished the first season, and I really enjoyed it. The last episode "Aurora Borealis" was particularly great. Season 2's in my queue now.

I so wanted to like this show, as I had heard great things about it from many different people whose opinions I trust. However, I tried to get through the first season on three different occasions, but I couldn't. I just didn't like the characters at all. The only likable character for me was Ed, but it wasn't enough for me to keep watching.

Yeah, I felt the same way about Fleischman. I watched the show for the entertaining scripts and well-acted quirky characters. My wife had a crush on Chris (John Corbett).

I used to watch this show fairly regularly when it was on TV but haven't really felt compelled to wach the DVDs... and I have the first three seasons. Then again, I have the first four or five seasons of 24 and have only watched Season 1. At least I got all of these seasons at great prices, about $16 or $17 each.

But anyway, as mentioned above, Fleischman was of course the main character - he slowly comes around and learns to love the people of the small town. But if you still don't get into the show after a season, I wouldn't bother watching anymore.

Some good TV series that I have watched on DVD include LOST, Desperate Housewives, Eerie Indiana, Wonderfalls, and Firefly (the last three were all one season shows).

I watched when it was on but got sick of it before it went off, so I haven't watched it since.

Yeah, Fleischman is pretty much the main character, but he's also pretty much a jerk. He got better, but he was always something of a jerk. I still liked it though until I just got tired of some of the cutesy things about it.

I remember the DVDTalk reviewer having the same feelings as you, but then loving the show by the 2nd or 3rd season. You might want to take a look at those reviews & see how they match up.

Fleischman is the main character, but he does soften some & the quirky townsfolk are a very big part of the show - not just background. I loved it from the beginning, but haven't watched it in a while. If I remember right, some of the main characters like Shelly & Chris-In-The-Morning are barely even in the early episodes...

You have to take Fleishman as what he's supposed to be in the beginning... the arrogant city type, but that is the whole point of the show, the clash of lifestyles. I've only watched the first season, but he seems to have embraced the small town lifestyle a bit even by the end of the first season. I'd at least give it 3 or 4 episodes because there really are a great dynamic of characters in this show.

Rather than start a new thread I figured I'd bump this.

Best Buy is running a sale on Northern Exposure S.1 & S.2 this week. I've never seen any episodes before but I was thinking about checking it out. Can anyone give me a recommendation? Maybe like, if you like _______________, then you will probably like Northern Exposure.

I tend to like serials, or shows that follow a larger story. But I'm open to checking this out based on what I've heard. Thanks in advance!

That's a difficult task because I don't think there's ever been another show like Northern Exposure. There are shared elements in shows like Twin Peaks, Picket Fences and other "quirky" dramatic comedies, but it's still a stretch to compare NE to those.

You could almost do more appropriate comparisons to movies actually. There are a lot of classic and foreign film references, namely Bergman and Woody Allen. Russian literature is also mentioned often, as is Carl Jung.

It's not all intellectual and serious though. There's a folksy charm where you slowly get to know all the characters and become invested in them. I can definitely see where it'd be for some people more than others, but you should give the show a chance.

Wonderfalls and Maximum Bob. Off the top of my head I cant think of any others because its not really a show you can necessarily pin a label on.

Ive tried to watch this show on 3 different occasions and ALWAYS fall asleep during an episode. I keep hearing how great it is...but I just can't get through an episode. Im gonna try ONE more time...

Northern Exposue reminds me a little of Gilmore Girls in that both are set in small towns full of eccentric characters. Of course, the Gilmore embrace the eccentricity (and are part of it), while Joel fights against it.

Thanks for the responses. I think I'll give it a whirl.

S1 & 2 sleeping bag DVD editions on sale now at BB for $9.99 each!