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Magical Realism: “Northern Exposure” 25 Years Later (2015)

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Re: Magical Realism: “Northern Exposure” 25 Years Later (2015)

#41

Post by snozolli »

Kon5ole wrote: post #3

Such a great show, but difficult to classify. No drama, action or nailbites, no big belly laughs, more like smiles and chuckles. I was just a little happier after having watched most episodes. Very few shows like that, but Ted Lasso actually reminded me a lot of NEX in how it made me feel.

I don't know if it quite meets the criteria, but I really enjoyed Lodge 49, particularly after watching awful people doing awful things in Succession. I've also enjoyed everything that Steve Conrad has made, for similar feel-good reasons.

Re: Magical Realism: “Northern Exposure” 25 Years Later (2015)

#43

Post by ZeroGravitas »

Kon5ole wrote: post #3

Such a great show, but difficult to classify. No drama, action or nailbites, no big belly laughs, more like smiles and chuckles. I was just a little happier after having watched most episodes. Very few shows like that, but Ted Lasso actually reminded me a lot of NEX in how it made me feel.

The Detectorists might fill this same niche.

Re: Magical Realism: “Northern Exposure” 25 Years Later (2015)

#45

Post by perilunar »

revicon wrote: post #42

This show's use of music really made it magical One of my favorite scenes: https://vimeo.com/151017533

Loved that scene!

Makes me want to find all the old LEDs from broken kids toys and Christmas lights and wire them all up to a power supply...

Re: Magical Realism: “Northern Exposure” 25 Years Later (2015)

#46

Post by nephihaha »

magarnicle wrote: post #29
nephihaha wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had the same thought. Like its friendlier younger sister. I think Twin Peaks fans realised early on the main point of the show wasn't so much who killed Laura Palmer, but the weird and wonderful characters in the place. Northern Exposure doesn't really have a One-eyed Jacks or a Bob... But it does have a Bigfoot character that could be right out of it.

I'm not so sure about that assessment of Twin Peaks. Look at the back half of season 2, where the "weird and wonderful characters" become the focus of the show. It's barely watchable. When Lynch came back for the final episode of that season he refocused it on Laura Palmer and brought back characters that hadn't been seen for many episodes, like Laura's mum or Audrey's brother. They weren't much fun, one being wracke…

Series 2 did overfocus on the characters, but the eccentric characters were there at the beginning. Log Lady was the most outlandish but Pete Martell and Audrey Horne get introduced early on and are quirky. Dale Cooper himself is pretty strange.

I always thought the most boring major character in Twin Peaks was James Hurley, the would be biker.

I never watched the third series. I think I got part way through the first episode and never bothered with the rest.

Re: Magical Realism: “Northern Exposure” 25 Years Later (2015)

#47

Post by nephihaha »

mrexroad wrote: post #33
nephihaha wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a touch of Mork and Mindy to Resident Alien too. But yes, I do see a bit of Northern Exposure in Resident Alien, and in Due South which popped along a few years later... And a touch of Twin Peaks in Northern Exposure itself.

Due South… now there’s a name I have not heard in many years. Youth in the 90’s had all sorts of quirky content available and we had enough free time to consume it all while doing a lot of nothing along the way (in a good way).

I was reminded of Due South a few years ago, because I was visiting someone who was watching it. Nowhere near as bizarre as TP or Northern Exposure, but it was there. Twin Peaks definitely opened the way for less formulaic material.

Even Malcolm in the Middle had some quirky Alaskan side plot with one of the brothers going over there and marrying a native woman.

Re: Magical Realism: “Northern Exposure” 25 Years Later (2015)

#49

Post by Sharlin »

pndy wrote: post #48

As many shows or films from that period the title was "customized" in Poland and "Northern Exposure" was known as " Przystanek Alaska " - "Station Alaska". My dad enjoy it especially credits with moose.

In Finland it was Villi pohjola - "The Wild North"

Re: Magical Realism: “Northern Exposure” 25 Years Later (2015)

#50

Post by prohobo »

Kon5ole wrote: post #3

Such a great show, but difficult to classify. No drama, action or nailbites, no big belly laughs, more like smiles and chuckles. I was just a little happier after having watched most episodes. Very few shows like that, but Ted Lasso actually reminded me a lot of NEX in how it made me feel.

Just started watching Widow's Bay, which to me has a similar vibe, but a much better hook: folk horror as the plot driver.

I can't watch Northern Exposure anymore. It's too alienated from the modern world, it feels like an artifact from a different civilization rather than anything I can relate to now, which is sad.

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