Northern Exposure is a show I've known about for years, but always looked the other way. I expected a formulaic show about a culture-shocked doctor who slowly falls for the new home he initially hates. Upon viewing—I am currently midway through the third season—Northern Exposure kidnapped my expectations, took them into the woods and promptly fed them dim sum. That last bit of nonsense is filled with references to the show, but to put it in simpler terms, I adore every single second.
Northern Exposure hides an abundance of quirk and cleverness behind its seemingly generic face. In watching the show, I find moments that leave me saying, "Hey! I always thought *insert more current TV show here* did that first, but here it is in Northern Exposure." At times, the characters will talk to the audience, or an entire episode will take place in a dream. There lies a wonderful world full of rich characters of countless differing and conflicting personalities. It isn't often I find a show where I enjoy every single character, even those who may only appear sporadically.
One of the greatest aspects of the show is just how much it incorporates different cultures and thoughts. The show delivers a story from multiple points of view and takes this very seriously. There is no making fun of something because it's different than the norm for stereotypical Americans and I find it refreshing. There is much I want to say, but I feel the need to wait until I finish the entire series. My goal with this post is to expose those unaware to a show that almost seems as hidden as its setting—the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska. If Cicely was a real town, I'd sure as hell put it on top of my "places to go" list. P.S. It's pronounced like "Sicily" and I can't help but love that as a Sicilian.