Northern Exposure - Series 5 - Complete

Although some of the scripts could only be appreciated to their fullest by a fellow 'landsman,' Northern Exposure consistently rides the crest of the wave with its creativity, sensitivity, and well-tuned focus on the human condition.

The dynamic between Dr. Joel Fleischman, played by Rob Morrow and Maggie O'Connell, played by Janine Turner, is in my humble opinion, the cementing thread that binds the show together throughout the episodes. Should the script writers mess with this dysfunctional on and off couple too much and the entire show would drop like a house of cards. Yet sadly, one rhetorically asks how long can this mélange of hormones and Jewish guilt continue before the viewers move on to a new toy? Whereas most series of that era catered to people with the mental capacity of a guppy, N.E. celebrated intelligence, human sensitivity and individuality. This is no more evident than as demonstrated by Chris (John Corbett), who inspired the community over the radio waves, as he rhetorically argued over the likes of Kafka and the human spirit on the town's local radio station.

If you're looking for something that's purely superficial, inane, and deliberately dumbed down for the great american masses, this series is most likely not for you. But if you're longing for a series that will actually entertain whilst challenging your emotions, supercharging your senses, and demanding reflection, this is the ticket baby!

Sheer genius. Kudos to the writers. And I should think, due to the intensity of some of the issues covered, the wrap party for these talented performers must have been emotional beyond words!

Five wags from The Venerable Mr. Piddles - my Jack Russell. That's the highest accolade he offers!

We only watched the first four episodes on the first disk and I won't be adding any more. If the deep and meaningful is you then go for it but it's not as good as the first three series and the fourth was ok. Joel is still saying 'you people' and not accepting who he is after four series, it's a bit tiresome and you know that he and Maggie will probably never get together. The first three series were good but beyond that we were bored, bored, oh and bored.

I watched the whole of Northern Exposure when it was tucked away on TV in the mid 1990's when I looked forward to each episode with much anticipation as it such was a joy to watch. More than 10 years later its still a joy. Full of odd ball characters who got themselves into improbable situations but always had friends to help them out. The script is as sharp and witty as ever it was and if such a place exists I for one would love to move there.

Despite this being the fifth series of Northern Exposure, there are no signs of staleness creeping in. This marvellous series continues to charm with it's excellent and unusual plotlines, brilliant acting and breathtaking scenery. If you're a fan, then you'll already know this, if you aren't, I suggest that you start with series one, then watch them all in sequence.

I can't wait for series six to be released on DVD. This is one show that I'm glad I took the trouble to watch again, so many years after it was originally aired. It hasn't dated a single bit, I'm glad that they're all coming out on DVD at last.