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What if "Twin Peaks" was a surreal sitcom instead of a twisted mystery? It might look something like the classic CBS series "Northern Exposure," which ran for six seasons beginning in 1990. Sure, David Lynch and Mark Frost brought some humor to "Twin Peaks," but "Northern Exposure" is much more purely a sitcom with some similarly strange elements, and it's a real treat. 

"Northern Exposure" follows Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow), a New York City doctor who had his med school tuition paid for on the promise that he would practice medicine for four years in the state of Alaska, which sorely needed doctors. He ends up in the tiny fictional town of Cicely, where he'll be the town's primary doctor despite being fresh out of med school. Cicely is a strange little town with a real cast of characters, and as Joel gets to know his new neighbors as they...

Valerie Mahaffey has sadly passed away at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer. She will be remembered for her work in Young Sheldon and Jack and Jill, and also for starring alongside Tim Allen in Jungle 2 Jungle. We send our condolences to Mahaffey’s friends and family during this difficult time.

It’s unclear how long she had been battling cancer. Mahaffey was born on June 16, 1953, in Sumatra, Indonesia. Hailing from an American family, her father was a petroleum worker, which led to their family moving around during her childhood. She spent many of her early years in Indonesia, Nigeria, and the U.K. It wasn’t until she was 16 that her family relocated to Austin, Texas, and she ultimately graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts before beginning her Broadway and Hollywood careers.

Mahaffey made her acting debut in 1997 on Tell Me My Name,...

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Virgin River is a feel-good romantic drama series created by Sue Tenney. Based on the novel series of the same name by Robyn Carr, the Netflix series is one of the most feel-good and coziest shows, and maybe that’s why it has garnered one of the most loyal fan bases in the television community. It revolves around Melinda “Mel” Monroe, a nurse practitioner and midwife who moves to the small North Californian town of Virgin River in hopes of getting a fresh start. Virgin River stars Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Colin Lawrence, Jenny Cooper, Lauren Hammersley, Annette O’Toole, Tim Matheson, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Grayson Gurnsey, Zibby Allen, Marco Grazzini, and Kai Bradbury. So, if you loved the feel-good story, small town setting, and likable characters in Virgin River, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

St Elsewhere's Dr. Mark Craig mentions working with Mash's Bj Hunnicutt in Korea, linking the two shows. St Elsewhere shares a universe with Mash and many other series, including Homicide: Life on the Streets and Oz. The controversial ending of St Elsewhere suggests the show (and Mash) are all an elaborate fantasy.

Classic sitcom Mash may very well share a universe with another hit medical drama. Mash's season 1 ratings were so poor it was almost canceled, and it was only saved after it rebounded during re-runs. Ultimately, Mash ran for 11 seasons and left a major impact on television as a medium. As the years wore on, it became a hybrid of comedy and drama, mixing quips and clever wordplay with genuinely emotional scenes. It speaks to how large a cultural shadow it left that no reboot attempts have been made since it ended in 1983.

In the decades since,...

In the age of streaming, we’ve come to expect that every movie and TV series must be streaming somewhere; Of course, that’s not always the case as one beloved ’90s TV show just made its streaming debut for the first time ever. All six seasons of Northern Exposure are now streaming on Prime Video, marking the first time the series has streamed on any platform.

Northern Exposure starred Rob Morrow as Joel Fleischman, a recently graduated New York City physician who is sent to practice in Anchorage, Alaska, for several years to repay the state of Alaska for underwriting his medical education. He’s assigned to the remote town of Cicely, occupied by a variety of quirky and eccentric characters. The ensemble cast included Barry Corbin, Janine Turner, John Cullum, Cynthia Geary, John Corbett, Darren E. Burrows, Peg Phillips, Eliane Miles, Paul Provenza, and Teri Polo.

Morrow wound...

All six seasons of the classic multiple Emmy-winning dramedy Northern Exposure are currently streaming on Prime Video, the first time the series has streamed on any platform. Before the episodes were quietly uploaded to Prime, the series was only available for digital purchase or on DVD.

Northern Exposure starred Rob Morrow as Dr. Joel Fleischman, a recently graduated New York City physician, who is forced to practice in a small town in Alaska in order to repay the state for underwriting his medical education.

Created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, the series ran on CBS from 1990-1995. Over the course of its run, it received 39 Emmy nominations, winning seven, including the 1992 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Valerie Mahaffrey, as well as four Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globes.

The ensemble cast also included Barry Corbin, Janine Turner, John Cullum, Darren E. Burrows,...

An award-winning cult classic series from the early 1990s has been made available on streaming for the first time.

Created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, Northern Exposure originally aired for six seasons between 1990 and 1995. The show was a big hit during its run, as it included several prestigious awards, such as the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. The series was previously released on DVD and Blu-ray, but it's never been available to watch on a streaming service. Per TVLine, that has now changed after Amazon's Prime Video quietly made all six seasons of Northern Exposure available to stream in HD quality and its original 4:3 aspect ratio.

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Related The Best Sitcoms of All Time, Ranked Sitcoms formed the backbone of television for decades. But some of the best may also serve as the most unexpected as the years go on.

Licensing issues were likely why the...

Prime Video has quietly uploaded all six seasons of the beloved 1990s show Northern Exposure, allowing viewers to stream it for the first time. The show, which followed a New York City physician moving to a small Alaskan town, became more focused on the ensemble and citizens of Alaska as it went on. Northern Exposure was an awards juggernaut, winning 27 out of 57 nominations and even the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in 1992.

A beloved 1990s show, Northern Exposure, is streaming for the first time ever. Co-created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, who also created shows like St. Elsewhere and I’ll Fly Away, the dramedy ran for six seasons and 110 episodes. It focused on a New York City physician as he moved to a small Alaskan town. Although it has been made available on DVD and Blu-ray, Northern Exposure hasn’t streamed anywhere because of rights issues.

That's now changed,...

Who’s ready for a return trip to Cicely, Alaska?

After years stuck in streaming limbo, early ’90s classic Northern Exposure — the fifth most sought-after, non-streaming show in a July TVLine poll — is now available to binge Stateside on Prime Video. All six seasons (110 episodes) have quietly been uploaded to the service in high definition and retain their original 4:3 aspect ratio.

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At first glance, it appears two episodes were...

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On Oct. 26, 1982, NBC introduced St. Elsewhere to TV audiences. The ensemble medical drama went on to run for six seasons on the network. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, as included in a TeleVisions column, is below:

Passing in Review: St. Elsewhere (NBC, Tuesday, 10-11 p.m.) The critics are having a field day. “Well written,” they’ve called it. “Touching.” “Gritty.” And a variety of other words and phrases all meant to tell us that St. Elsewhere, the new hour-long slice-of-life medical drama on NBC, is topnotch television. They’ve compared it to that other prized hour of TV drama, Hill Street Blues. And well they should. Both come from Mtm Enterprises, and both have a similar type of stark realism base which at once repels and attracts — like much of reality. While Hill Street gets its story lines and plots from police life,...

Peter Bogdanovich helped usher in a new era in Hollywood with “The Last Picture Show” and “Paper Moon,” films that played homage to the movies from an earlier age, but movies that revolutionized the form with a fresh style and sexual frankness.

But many people recognize Bogdanovich not for his directing, but for his role as Elliot Kupferberg, the urbane, slightly inscrutable psychiatrist to whom Dr. Jennifer Melfi spills her own secrets on “The Sopranos.” Bogdanovich, who died Thursday at age 82, also directed a pivotal fifth season episode of the series, “Sentimental Education,” in which Carmela embarks on an affair with her son’s guidance counselor.

“The Sopranos” creator David Chase spoke with Variety about his long friendship with Bogdanovich and his appreciation for his work as an actor and an artist. Here are his (lightly) edited comments:

I met Peter after I took over a show called “Northern Exposure.

The stars of Northern Exposure — Rob Morrow, Janine Turner, Barry Corbin, Cynthia Geary and John Corbett — reunited to kick off this week’s Vulture Festival. During the panel Monday, the cast members reminisced about their time starring in the CBS series, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, though there was no mention of a revival series that was originally announced in 2018.

“Your chance of having a hit television is probably as good as your chance of going to space and circling Earth,” Corbin said about Northern Exposure’s success. “The casting fit, the location fit, the music fit. Everything fit.”

Corbin, who starred as astronaut and retired Marine fighter pilot Maurice J. Minnifield, agreed with his fellow cast mates that all the elements behind Northern Exposure made for a high-performing series that stood out from other shows at the time.

When the Emmy-winning series hit the air in 1990, Northern Exposure...

Throughout 2020, we will continue to update this photo gallery with major celebrity deaths from film, television, theater and music.

The year has included the losses of honorary Oscar recipient Kirk Douglas, Oscar winner and NBA legend Kobe Bryant, Oscar-nominated writer and director Buck Henry, Oscar nominees Max von Sydow and Stuart Whitman, “Monty Python” co-founder Terry Jones, TV Hall of Fame journalist Jim Lehrer, Emmy winners John Karlen, James Lipton and Gene Reynolds, plus Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member and Rush drummer Neil Peart.

Our previous gallery from 2019 featured many names, including Oscar winner Andre Previn, Oscar nominees Doris Day, Diahann Carroll, Albert Finney, Peter Fonda, Robert Forster and John Singleton, Emmy winners Tim Conway and Rip Torn, Tony Awards champ Hal Prince, comedian and actor Bob Einstein, TV producer and writer John Falsey, actress Carol Channing, actress Katherine Helmond, actor Luke Perry, singer James Ingram and Daytime Emmy winner Kristoff St. John.

Throughout 2019, we will continue to update this photo gallery with major celebrity deaths from film, television, theater and music.

The year has included the losses of Oscar winner Andre Previn, Oscar nominees Doris Day, Diahann Carroll, Albert Finney, Peter Fonda, Robert Forster and John Singleton, Emmy winners Tim Conway and Rip Torn, Tony Awards champ Hal Prince, comedian and actor Bob Einstein, TV producer and writer John Falsey, actress Carol Channing, actress Katherine Helmond, actor Luke Perry, singer James Ingram and Daytime Emmy winner Kristoff St. John.

The special “In Memoriam” segment on the 2019 Emmy Awards ceremony will be especially tearful this year. Beloved television legends Tim Conway, Doris Day, Bob Einstein, Valerie Harper, Katherine Helmond, Peggy Lipton, Penny Marshall, Luke Perry, John Singleton and Rip Torn will certainly be just a few people honored with in a musical tribute performed by pop star Halsey.

Let’s take a look back at these TV icons as well as over 60 others who have died since mid-September last year. Many will be included in the memoriam for the live Emmys ceremony for Fox on September 22.

SEECelebrity Deaths 2019: In Memoriam Gallery

Tim Conway died on May 14 at age 85. The comedy legend won six Emmy Awards during his lengthy career, including four for “The Carol Burnett Show,” one for “Coach” and one for “30 Rock.” He was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 2002.

Legendary singer and actress...

John Falsey, a television writer best known for his work with co-writer Joshua Brand on the acclaimed television series “St. Elsewhere,” “Northern Exposure” and I’ll Fly Away, died Jan. 3 in Iowa City. He was 67.

Falsey’s death was first announced to the New York Times by his brother, James Falsey, who said the death was caused by complications from a head injury sustained during a fall in the writer’s home.

Nominated for 11 Emmy Awards throughout his television career, Falsey took home his first win in 1987 for the hit show “A Year in the Life,” which followed the lives of the fictional Gardner family for one year. Two more Emmys came just five years later in 1992 for “Northern Exposure,” which won in the outstanding dramatic series category, and “I’ll Fly Away,” which took home an award for Brand’s writing in its pilot episode.

Originating in New Haven Conn.

John Falsey, the co-creator with Joshua Brand of the groundbreaking St. Elsewhere, Northern Exposure, I’ll Fly Away, and writer of other classics of the 1980s and ’90s, died Jan. 3 in Iowa City, Iowa. He was 67.

Falsey’s death was announced to The New York Times by brother James Falsey, who said the cause of death was complications of a head injury sustained in a fall at home.

Nominated for 11 Emmy Awards, Falsey shared three wins with Brand, the first in 1987 for A Year in the Life, which won the outstanding mini-series trophy. The second and third followed in 1992, when Northern Exposure was named outstanding dramatic series and I’ll Fly Away took the best writing award for its pilot episode.

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Falsey was a story editor for CBS’ The White Shadow starring Ken Howard; Brand was a writer on the show. After that show ended, Brand sold...

Kirsten Howard Nov 21, 2018

Dr. Joel Fleischman is heading back to Alaska, as a Northern Exposure revival skids into development...

Beloved '90s "fish out of water" series Northern Exposure is heading for a revival at CBS.

THR has noted that original star Rob Morrow is set to return alongside show creators Joshua Brand and John Falsey for a brand new season of Northern Exposure, which will see Morrow's character Dr. Joel Fleischman heading back to the icy cold landscapes of Cicely, Alaska, "for the funeral of an old friend" and "reuniting with some of his former neighbors" while interacting with "a new set of quirky characters."

Brand is currently bashing out a script for a first episode of the proposed revival, and Morrow's charming co-star John Corbett, who went on to play the mistreated Aiden over several seasons of HBO's Sex And The City, is currently on board as a producer.

You feel that chill in the air? Yep, CBS is developing a revival of the quirky Emmy-winning dramedy Northern Exposure, according to a report from our sister site Variety.

Rob Morrow, who starred in the original 1990-95 series as Dr. Joel Fleischman, will reprise his role in the revival, with original creators Josh Brand and John Falsey on board as executive producers. (Brand will pen the revival.) John Corbett, who played local radio DJ Chris Stevens in the original series, will also serve as an producer, but is not confirmed to reprise his on-screen role as of yet.

The new...

“Northern Exposure” might be the next series to get the revival treatment, with CBS currently developing the project, an individual with knowledge of production tells TheWrap.

Original series star Rob Morrow will be reprising his role as Dr. Joel Fleischman for the in-the-works revival, and also executive produce.

An insider says John Corbett, another original “Northern Exposure” star, will be producing, and also return from time-to-time as his character Chris Stevens. No word yet on which other cast members will make a comeback.

Also Read: 'Northern Exposure' Reboot: Cast Tells 'Today' Show 'Something Is in the Works' (Video)

Here’s the official logline for the project: When Dr. Joel Fleischman returns to Cicely, Alaska for the funeral of an old friend, he finds a new set of quirky characters and reunites with old ones in this continuation of the classic series.

“Northern Exposure” creator Josh Brand...

A revival of “Northern Exposure” is currently in development at CBS, Variety has learned.

Original series star Rob Morrow will reprise his role as Dr. Joel Fleischman, who returns to Cicely, Alaska, for the funeral of an old friend. Once there, he finds a new set of quirky characters and reunites with old ones.

Morrow will also executive produce in addition to starring. Fellow original series star John Corbett is attached as a producer, though he is not set to appear in the revival at this time.

Josh Brand will write and executive produce, with Morrow, John Falsey, and Ben Silverman executive producing. Universal Television will produce. Brand and Falsey co-created the original series. The duo also co-created the medical drama “St. Elsewhere” as well as shows like “A Year in the Life,” “Going to Extremes,” and “I’ll Fly Away.”

“Northern Exposure” ran for six seasons and over 100 episodes...

A long-talked-about revival of CBS’ cult fave drama series "Northern Exposure" is moving forward. The project has been put in development at CBS with original series star Rob Morrow set to reprise his role and executive produce. It hails from original series co-creators Josh Brand and John Falsey, actor John Corbett, Morrow, Ben Silverman and Universal TV.

Written by Brand, the revival centers on Dr. Joel Fleischman, played by Morrow, who returns to Cicely, Alaska, for the funeral of an old friend and finds a new set of quirky characters and reunites with old ones in this continuation of the classic series.

CBS is developing a reboot of its 1990s dramedy Northern Exposure, with series star Rob Morrow and creators Joshua Brand and John Falsey attached.

The project would be a continuation of the show, which initially ran from 1990 to 1995 and won seven Emmys, including one for best drama series. It would have Morrow's Dr. Joel Fleischman returning to Cicely, Alaska, for the funeral of an old friend and reuniting with some of his former neighbors and meeting a new set of quirky characters.

Brand is writing the script and will executive produce with Falsey, Morrow and Ben Silverman. John ...

There’s a famous episode of South Park called “Simpsons Already Did It,” where Butters proposes various schemes that he then has to abandon upon being reminded that someone on The Simpsons had previously tried it. It was a reflection of the innovation and influence of Bart, Homer and friends, and of the long shadow they cast over so many shows that followed them. It’s damn hard for any animated comedy — including The Simpsons itself, which, like South Park, is still making new episodes 16 years after “Simpsons Already Did...

The Sopranos was named the best-written show in television history by the Writers Guild of America, edging out an eclectic collection of some of the most beloved and admired series. Members of the Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) voted online for the 101 Best Written TV Series, with David Chase’s iconic “family” drama topping Seinfeld, The Twilight Zone, All in the Family, and M*A*S*H*.

“At their core, all of these wonderful series began with the words of the writers who created them and were sustained by the writers...

There are certain images that stick with me from my childhood TV consumption: turtles eating pizza in a sewer; Kevin Sorbo in leather pants; and a moose serenely walking down the street. The latter image is the opening to one of my favorite TV shows of all time – Northern Exposure. I didn’t remember much other than that moose until I watched the entire series on DVD several years ago. The re-discovered show was instantly a favorite for its consistently philosophical, yet comedic, treatment of the human condition. I still don’t run into many people who remember the dramedy. It seems to be largely forgotten, which is strange considering that it won two Peabody Awards and the series creators, Joshua Brand and John Falsey, and many of the show’s writers would go on to create and write episodes of The Sopranos. While my list of favorite shows continues to grow,...

Famed executive producer Henry passed away on Mar. 18, reportedly of a heart attack. He was 66 years old.

Henry Bromell, executive producer of the critically acclaimed Showtime series Homeland, passed away at the age of 66 on Monday, March. 18.

His agent and friend Peter Bendek told The Associated Press that Henry died at a Los Angeles area hospital. According to the Los Angeles Times, his death was caused by a heart attack.

“We are deeply saddened by our dear friend Henry Bromell, who has been part of the Showtime family for over a decade,” Showtime executives said in a statement regarding the producer, who worked on the Claire Danes and Damian Lewis-starring show since its premiere in 2011. “Henry was an immensely talented and prolific writer, director and showrunner, and his work on Brotherhood and Homeland was nothing short of brilliant.”

“His passion, warmth, humor and generosity will be greatly missed,” the statement continued.

Joshua Brand and John Falsey, who co-created hit TV series including Northern Exposure, St. Elsewhere and I’ll Fly Away, have been awarded the WGA West‘s 2013 Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television. The honor, the guild’s lifetime achievement award for outstanding television writing, will be bestowed February 17 during the WGA Awards‘ West Coast ceremony at the Jw Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live. “Writers Joshua Brand and John Falsey’s have left an indelible imprint on the television landscape, co-creating some of TV’s most enduring, memorable series that have both entertained and moved a generation of viewers”, said Wgaw president Christopher Keyser. “Defined by an expert blend of sharp observation, dry wit, and honest emotion, their work is, like a singer with a five-octave range, breathtaking in its scope and its power. Together, Brand and Falsey have created an enviable legacy that both veteran and up-and-coming writers...

FX is saddling up for "Reconstruction," a period Western from "St. Elsewhere" co-creator Joshua Brand and director-producer Peter Horton.

The drama, which is in development, is set in a Missouri town during the post-Civil War Reconstruction era and centers on Jason, a proper East Coast gentleman who returns from the war a changed man and seeks refuge in the border state.

"He ends up searching for his own salvation and becomes a reluctant savior for the town," Horton said.

Horton and Brand met 20 years ago when Brand directed Horton in an episode of "thirtysomething." They remained friends and occasional collaborators and came up with the idea for "Reconstruction" when discussing the realities of the today's world: the economic crisis and the situation in the Middle East, including war-ravaged Iraq.

"We thought a good way to tell the story would be through the allegory of the Western," Horton said. "How does...