Talk:Northern Exposure

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Contents 1 Surreal 2 Awards 3 naming convention 4 moved Chris 5 Maurice and Barbara 6 Music cut from the DVDs 7 Cicely, Alaska is NOT fictional 8 other uses

[edit] Surreal

How is this show surreal? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.182.143.19 (talk • contribs) 18:41, 23 February 2006.

There's a supernatural element. —Tamfang 03:36, 24 February 2006 (UTC)

In literary terms, it's called "Magical Realism." The story may randomly break to a fantastical scene (such as Sigmund Freud in a jailcell with Joel, or the Flying Man, or Ed's low self-esteem), but the observer accepts the break as part of the story-telling technique. --TKE

[edit] Awards

It was incorrectly mentioned that Rob Morrow won a best actor Emmy in 1992. He was nominated in both 1992 and 1993, but did not win either year. Furthermore, the Emmy for "Seoul Mates" was awarded in 1992, not 1993.--Truthiness 20:53, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] naming convention

Someone recently made a point of referring to all characters (except the brothers) by surname in the plot summaries. Is that helpful? Ed and Shelly say "Doctor Fleischman" (as did most others when Joel first arrived); Maggie and sometimes Maurice say "Fleischman"; Joel says "O'Connell"; but I can't think of any other case where surnames are preferred by the characters. —Tamfang 18:54, 27 February 2006 (UTC) —Afterthought: Adam tends to use surnames as a sign of his universal contempt. —Tamfang 01:52, 28 February 2006 (UTC) —Another afterthought: Maurice calls Chris "Stevens" as often as not. —Tamfang 18:34, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

Pursuant to Wikipedia:Naming conventions (people), the last name is preferred over the first unless there are people of the same name (e.g., husband and wife with same last name). Some characters, such as Adam and Eve, have no last names, so that only the first names are available. Jtmichcock 21:45, 27 February 2006 (UTC)

That's a good principle, but in this case (as in many TV shows) most of the characters are much better known by their first names. Anyone who has watched the show will know who 'Maurice' is, far fewer will know 'Minnifield'. Plus there is no danger of confusion as the shows characters names are carefully chosen to ensure there are no duplicates. Fleischman is probably the exception. DJ Clayworth 21:47, 27 February 2006 (UTC)

however, utilizing the first name when doing a single-name reference to a person implies the type of familiarity that an encyclopedia should avoid and, quite frankly, implies some sort of obsessiveness that scares away most readers. I think this article is fully capable of reaching Featured Article status. That's not likely to happen if conventions are tossed out the window. Jtmichcock 21:55, 27 February 2006 (UTC)

To whom does the use of the characters' usual names imply obsessiveness? —Tamfang 01:52, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

If these were real people then yes, it would be overfamiliarity. By they are fictional characters, and in fact we are privy to their deep secrets. This page gives a false sense of how they are know because it quotes both first and last names. In fact the characters are almost always known by their first names, and thei last names are relatively obscue information. I'll bet you're not going to have much luck at the Survivor article persuading them to refer to all the competitors by their last names. DJ Clayworth 03:58, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

That's overstating things a bit; the full names of several of the major characters (Fleischman, O'Connell, Minnifield, Stevens, Vincoeur) are mentioned often enough to be familiar to the casual viewer. —Tamfang 22:42, 26 April 2006 (UTC)

I think bouncing between the conventional and colloquial is unimportant at this point. Most bios and guides are stubs, and should be codified per encyclopedic conventions. On the otherhand, I find "Joel" easier to type than "Fleischman." What we need, if you are a big fan, is a Wikiproject to define the series. I expanded the Maurice article and have been meaning to get around to the others, but laziness pervails. Any thoughts? --TKE 04:30, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

I'm not that much of a fan. I've seen every eposide, but I also think Wikipedia already has way too much stuff on TV shows. We have an article for every episode of the Simpsons, but major parts of art, history and literature have tiny little articles. DJ Clayworth 04:48, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

A good point. One reason I haven't labored much at all. I dunno, it was highly successful and influential in direction and writing; the space is free. If others are into it I'll help, because the show is very complicated. I am whole heartedly against episode guides on here, those are plentiful on the web and can be linked. I think that for a show as colorful as this, character bios are fun to play with. TKE 06:42, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

Oh, and I'm a grad student in history, but I stay away from most detail articles. But, I did make metion of Benjamin Harrison being the VI ;) -- TKE 06:47, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

Interestingly it's the overviews of history that are the tough ones. I'm trying to write Christian literature, but it's such a huge topic that I'd need to take a short university course to even write an overview. DJ Clayworth 20:54, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] moved Chris

In Chris Stevens, someone wrote two paragraphs about a hip-hop vocalist by that name. So I undid that, and moved our Chris to Chris Stevens (Northern Exposure) to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence. —Tamfang 22:38, 26 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Maurice and Barbara

Someone wrote "Maurice lived alone, until late in the series, when he falls in love with rigid police officer, Barbara Semanski". I don't remember Maurice and Barbara living together; she may have spent a few nights at his place, but I don't think that's the same thing. Anyone have any different memories? DJ Clayworth 13:23, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

Also Maurice fell in love with Semanski, not late in the series but early. Season 2 Episode 13 is her first appearance. I'll have to watch that DVD to see if that was when the love interest started. Devtrash 02:20, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

He was attracted to her from their first meeting; it took him some time to get her to acknowledge his attention. —Tamfang 03:48, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Yeah they worked out together, they hunted together. Then she caught him passing off illegal deductions on his taxes and they broke up. I just finished Season 4, and they're not back together yet, so I think Season 5. Devtrash 23:58, 10 June 2006 (UTC)

I think his interest in her is reciprocated relatively early on (season 3?), but stymied when she overhears him discussing how to fiddle his tax returns. They certainly get together (though don't stay together) from a relatively early point in the whole run. I've got the DVDs at home somewhere - if I remember I'll try to work out exactly when all this happens. Cheers, --Plumbago 10:12, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Barbara only heard Maurice's lawyer (or accountant) telling Maurice's answering-machine about a possible dodge. Maurice could have wiggled out of it by calling back and saying, with Barbara listening, that he had no intention of taking that outrageous suggestion – or by arguing that the dodge wasn't illegal. Instead he tried to defend himself with "everyone cheats," exactly the wrong approach. —Tamfang 00:57, 11 June 2006 (UTC)

My point here was that as far as I can recall, Barbara never lived with Maurice in any meaningful sense. She may have stayed over at his place a few times before they split, but it was never my understanding that she moved in. DJ Clayworth 18:19, 1 August 2006 (UTC)

She didn't. The last ep (Tranquilty Base) leaves it open, as Semanski is present as hostess at Maurice's house party. The viewer is invited to believe that she and Maurice are at least trying to have a future, but it is in no way definitive as to whether Semanski lives with Maurice. Simply, no evidence at all that they lived together.Geoff Owen 00:26, 6 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Music cut from the DVDs

Should there be a section on how some of the music was cut from the DVDs? Devtrash 02:23, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Absolutely - but this would require a proper music guide for the show, which does not yet exist on Wikipedia. The rationale would be two-fold: 'List of' original music versus DVD music and the reason why Universal saw fit to change the music on the DVD. One for development.

Music played a signifcant role in the show: not necessarily seminal, but it used a wide variety of artists and genres in a manner not seen too often previously. To prove this via citation would be difficult, but it would be a point worth making. The main article says nothing at this date about music which is an oversight, I think.Geoff Owen 00:16, 6 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Cicely, Alaska is NOT fictional

Cicely, Alaska is NOT a fictional town - this should be corrected. A small town called Cicely acctually exists in Alaska.

Look here for reference: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=62.080743,-149.941406&sspn=1.250078,3.746338&q=Cicely+Alaska&ie=UTF8&ll=62.179976,-149.889811&spn=0.002433,0.007317&t=h&om=1

Close but no cigar: that does not show a Cicely on the map, it shows Talkeetna and cites [1]:

TALKEETNA has a palpable small-town Alaska feel: rumor has it that this eclectic hamlet was the model for Cicely in TV's Northern Exposure . . . .

Even if there were a genuine town named Cicely in Alaska, the one portrayed in NX would remain as fictional as Springfield. —Tamfang 16:53, 1 August 2006 (UTC)

Talkeetna is nothing like Cicely of the TV show. Whoever wrote that must be trying to get publicity for that town. Sad. — Flask

[edit] other uses

This section should and has been dealt with throught the conventional disambiguation methods. I'm going to delete it. Olleicua 01:15, 19 December 2006 (UTC)