Season 1, 8 Episodes - Cicely Welcomes Dr. Joel Fleischman

[BlackberryJam]

Northern Exposure premiered July 20, 1990 with the final episode of that season airing August 30, 1990. 

[BlackberryJam]

So, I started my second rewatch. The first 20 or so minutes of the Pilot is SUPER ANNOYING JOEL. However, the second episode, Joel treats Mr. Anku. At Ed's urging, he goes to dinner at the Anku's. He sits in the sauna with Mr. Anku and Ed. He later makes a house call and Mr. Anku teaches him to dance. His treatment is so very respectful, and he goes out of his way to encourage Mr. Anku to get treatment. He's reasonable and kind. It's this interaction that leads to him being adopted by the tribe later on.

It's just...lovely. That second episode. 

However, it makes the constant character reset annoying. 

[BlackberryJam]

So I've finished S1 for a second time. It's lovely, really lovely. There is such a gentleness. I might go back through each episode, but Joel really is a very caring doctor. 

I struggle with Maggie's defensiveness. She jumps to the worst assumptions with every Joel interaction, even when he's trying to be kind.

I appreciated the introduction of Adam so much more, and Joel's utter delight at finding the garlic press once he takes Ed and Maggie back to Adam's ...hut? 

The Bernard/Chris connection was interesting but not utterly compelling. However, I loved the Aurora Borealis sculpture. Watching Chris and Bernard work on it made me want to be creative again. 

Maurice wanting a son/heir is sweet, even if watching him try to parent Chris is weird. 

Sour note for me was Shelley and her husband Wayne. They just grate. 

[possibilities]

I remember when I originally watched the show years ago, I hated Adam. But in my rewatch, I enjoyed his character.

But I didn't think he had much subtlety, so I wondered why Arkin won an award for his portrayal. But then I did a thought experiment and imagined the same lines being said in different tones-- softly, or more deadpan, and with fear rather than anger. Each variation gave it a totally different feel.

I wonder how much of the portrayal was Arkin's acting choices vs a director's instruction. If you just imagine the words on a page, without directives as to how to deliver them, there are actually a few different ways the character could have gone.

 

[Orcinus orca]

I was so glad that this "summer replacement" series went on to multiple seasons. I suppose some of it seems dated now but, at the time it aired, it really was something very different from the norm.

In re-watching, Joel was not nearly as grating as I remembered.  He really was a good doctor (referring to his patients by number was a hoot, though) and I can now see how "fish out of water" he must have felt.

So may great episodes in this short season. I think I loved the Soapy Sanderson one best.  But I also enjoyed meeting Adam, I thought Ed was beyond adorable, and I really liked Elaine.

Marilyn and Ruth-Anne were my favorites.