Airing first in 1990, comedy-drama series Northern Exposure brought an engaging and eccentric vision of small-town Alaskan life to television viewers. Its utopian portrait of a simpler existence reflected an early 1990s concern with scaling down from the yuppie excesses of the 1980s. Set in the fictional town of Cicely, the series began with the arrival of Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow), a native New Yorker, and hinged upon the initial contrast and growing affinity, between the urbane Doctor and the quirky, close-knit, local populace. Created by St. Elsewhere's Joshua Brand and John Falsey, the series had a savvy use of artistic and literary references within its off-beat storylines. Northern Exposure picked up a loyal audience, along with six Emmy awards in the second of its six seasons. The series ended in 1996, its demise hastened by Morrow's departure.

Further Reading:

Chunovic, Louis. The Northern Exposure Book. New York, Citadel Press, 1993, 1995.

Weiner, Ellis. Letters from Cicely. New York, Pocket Books, 1992.