Northern Exposure

1. S01E01PilotJuly 12, 1990 8.1Yuppie New York doctor Joel Fleischman accepts a job in picturesque Alaska, unaware he's assigned to a remote village, where he experiences
2. S01E02Brains, Know How and Native IntelligenceJuly 19, 1990 8.0A self-reliant Maggie chides Joel for being helpless when he's beset by problems; Ed's uncle Anku, a medicine man, refuses medical treatment
3. S01E03Soapy SandersonJuly 26, 1990 8.2A hermit goes to extremes when Dr. Joel suggests that he think about the future; Maggie becomes Joel's partner in a land deal in which a Nat
4. S01E04Dreams, Schemes and Putting GreensAugust 2, 1990 8.8Joel is asked to be Holling's best man, but his mind is on helping Maurice sell Alaska to two Japanese businessmen in hopes of playing golf
5. S01E05Russian FluAugust 9, 1990 9.0Flu-stricken townsfolk and the crafty Maggie unwittingly do their part to sabotage Joel's plans for a romantic respite with Elaine, his visi
6. S01E06Sex, Lies and Ed's TapesAugust 16, 1990 8.2A man from Saskatchewan puts Shelly in a pickle and leaves Holling unable to turn his head; Ed's vision for a blockbuster movie is blurred b
7. S01E07A Kodiak MomentAugust 23, 1990 8.2Maurice's choice for an heir results in a father-son squabble; Shelly tags along when Holling and Ed go after the elusive brown bear; Maggie
8. S01E08Season's bestAurora Borealis- A Fairy Tale for Big PeopleAugust 30, 1990 9.2Anticipation of the aurora borealis illuminates dreams for Chris and his soul mate Bernard but the same northern lights bring nightmares for

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

1. S02E01Goodbye to All ThatApril 8, 1991 8.6Shelly becomes mesmerized by TV when a satellite dish is installed at Holling's saloon; Dr. Joel reacts to a Dear John letter from Elaine.
2. S02E02The Big KissApril 15, 1991 8.0Ed turns to an Indian spirit to learn who his parents are; Chris turns to a local beauty for a cure after he's rendered mute by a beautiful
3. S02E03All is VanityApril 22, 1991 8.2Holling elects to get circumcised to be "more in style" for Shelly; Maggie weaves a web of deceit to hoodwink her father; townsfolk stand wa
4. S02E04What I Did for LoveApril 29, 1991 8.0Maggie's dream about Joel's death spooks him enough to consider canceling his visit home, especially after feeling suspicious about his subs
5. S02E05Season's bestSpring BreakMay 6, 1991 9.0Libidos run amok in anticipation of Cicely's spring meltdown: Maggie and Joel invade each other's dreams; Maurice falls for state trooper Se
6. S02E06War and PeaceMay 13, 1991 9.0Celebrations with vodka, borscht and a reading of "War and Peace" greet Russian legend Nikolai on his annual visit; and Chris's poetic lines
7. S02E07Slow DanceMay 20, 1991 8.0The curse of Maggie strikes again, and Rick is struck dead---by a falling satellite; newcomers have more in common with Maurice than he'd li

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

1. S03E01The Bumpy Road to LoveSeptember 23, 1991 8.3Joel is in for a stormy night when Adam requests a house call for Eve; Maggie discovers Rick's unfaithfulness.
2. S03E02Only YouSeptember 30, 1991 8.8Maurice accuses Holling of snapping an unflattering photograph; Chris becomes fixated on a woman out of his reach.
3. S03E03Oy, WildernessOctober 7, 1991 8.3An emergency landing in Maggie's plane sends Maggie foraging for food, while Joel blubbers about the menu; and a visit from Shelly's best fr
4. S03E04Animals 'R' UsOctober 14, 1991 7.8Maggie thinks that a reincarnated Rick is living a dog's life; Maurice sees himself as an ostrich-farm tycoon; Ed films the human landscape
5. S03E05Jules et JoelOctober 28, 1991 6.3Mental ghouls and goblins haunt Joel after a fall, bringing to Cicely Jules (Rob Morrow in a dual role), his slick twin brother who trades p
6. S03E06Season's bestThe Body in QuestionNovember 4, 1991 9.0Chris's discovery of a frozen century-old corpse has Joel rethinking the course of history, Maurice plotting a new enterprise, Shelly ponder
7. S03E07RootsNovember 11, 1991 7.8The widow Elaine shows up unexpectedly and gets a cold reception from ex-fiancé Joel, until Maggie unintentionally plays matchmaker; a new c
8. S03E08A-Hunting We Will GoNovember 18, 1991 8.8After grousing about the hunting frenzy sweeping Cicely, Joel joins Chris and Holling to experience the ritual first hand; Ed fears that Rut
9. S03E09Get RealDecember 9, 1991 8.0A bus breaks down in Cicely, carrying a traveling troupe whose nonverbal "flying man" takes a fancy to Marilyn. But there's heartache in sto
10. S03E10Seoul MatesDecember 16, 1991 7.5The holidays are celebrated with a pageant by the townsfolk, and bring mixed blessings for Maggie, a first Christmas tree for Joel, and a fo
11. S03E11Dateline: CicelyJanuary 6, 1992 9.0Maurice tries to spice up his newspaper's coverage by hiring an unnamed reporter given to clandestine meetings; Maggie talks to the trees, b
12. S03E12Our TribeJanuary 13, 1992 9.0Joel reluctantly undergoes a cultural conversion after receiving a goat as a gift from a grateful village elder, who insists on "adopting" h
13. S03E13Things Become ExtinctJanuary 20, 1992 8.0Ed becomes immersed in the heritage of the resident elder he has chosen for the subject of a new film; Holling suffers a midlife crisis at a
14. S03E14Burning Down the HouseFebruary 3, 1992 8.8Tempers sizzle with the arrival of Maggie's "pathologically polite" mother, who brings alarming news; the creative process inflames Chris wi
15. S03E15Democracy in AmericaFebruary 24, 1992 9.0Mayoral incumbent Holling has a formidable opponent---his friend Edna, who's got a bee in her bonnet over a promise never followed up on.
16. S03E16Three AmigosMarch 2, 1992 8.0Holling and Maurice carry out a promise to bury a companion miles from civilization, but they're bogged down with problems, including the ma
17. S03E17Lost and FoundMarch 9, 1992 7.8Joel hears the ghost of a loner who committed suicide in the house 40 years ago; Eve complains of new ailments; Maurice considers it an hono
18. S03E18My Mother, My SisterMarch 16, 1992 6.5An infant abandoned in Joel's waiting room gets plenty of TLC from residents; Shelly receives a surprise visit from her mother.
19. S03E19Wake Up CallMarch 23, 1992 7.3Spring has sprung in Cicely, and with it come crocuses, free eggs at the Brick, a rebirth for Shelly, a diagnostic refresher for Joel, and a
20. S03E20The Final FrontierApril 27, 1992 9.0Japanese tourists converge on Cicely to perform a ritual under the Northern Lights; Holling goes looking for Jesse the bear; and curiosity g
21. S03E21It Happened in JuneauMay 4, 1992 7.0Joel looks forward to a weekend in Juneau, hoping to spend it with attractive female physicians. But, instead, he winds up in a hotel suite
22. S03E22Our WeddingMay 11, 1992 7.5The wedding of Adam and Eve reveals a secret about the bride; at the Brick, the menfolk guzzle and puzzle over the gulf between men and wome
23. S03E23CicelyMay 18, 1992 8.0An elderly visitor recounts Cicely's beginnings with tales of what was once a cultural mecca, known as "the Paris of the North," settled by

Season 3 ranked & reviewed

1. S04E01Northwest PassagesSeptember 28, 1992 7.5Fear of aging grips Maggie on her birthday. Her solution: a native ritual for laying the past to rest.
2. S04E02Season's bestMidnight SunOctober 5, 1992 9.0The midnight sun warms Joel's libido and brings to town an adventure-seeking salesman. Meanwhile, Shelly's cheerleading outfit arouses Holli
3. S04E03Nothing's PerfectOctober 12, 1992 8.3Chris runs over a dog and events add up to romance for him and its mathematician owner; Maurice purchases a magnificent timepiece, fine-tune
4. S04E04HeroesOctober 19, 1992 8.0Adam Ant plays a rock star who cooks up a gig with Native American drummers and becomes the subject of Ed's film. Meanwhile, Chris muses ove
5. S04E05Blowing BubblesNovember 2, 1992 7.8Cicely's wholesome environment beckons the hyperallergic Mike, who lives in a geodesic dome, and Ruth-Ann's yuppie son Matthew.
6. S04E06On Your OwnNovember 9, 1992 8.0Silent "Flying Man" Enrico Bellati returns to Cicely with a group of whimsical mimes. Meanwhile, finding a ruby ring inside a fish conjures
7. S04E07The Bad SeedNovember 16, 1992 7.8Valerie Perrine plays the daughter Holling never knew he had, and---after she appears out of the blue---wishes he'd never met, for Holling s
8. S04E08ThanksgivingNovember 23, 1992 8.3Cicely's Day of the Dead Parade and Thanksgiving feast evoke phantasmagorical figures and the colors and aromas of fall. Meanwhile, Cicely's
9. S04E09Do the Right ThingNovember 30, 1992 8.8A KGB spy claiming to have a dossier on Maurice shakes up Cicely; a health inspector puts in his two-cents worth at the Brick; the death of
10. S04E10Crime and PunishmentDecember 14, 1992 9.0When the law catches up with Chris, his extradition hearing becomes an arena for philosophical discourse.
11. S04E11Survival of the SpeciesJanuary 4, 1993 9.0After unearthing Native American artifacts in her yard, Maggie wages war against men, particularly Maurice, who sees dollar signs in the dis
12. S04E12RevelationsJanuary 11, 1993 7.3Feeling caught up in the secular world, Chris seeks rejuvenation at a monastery; and landlord Maurice fumes after Ruth-Anne pays off the sto
13. S04E13DuetsJanuary 18, 1993 6.3Ed gets another visit from his invisible spiritual guide, who again claims to have tracked down Ed's father; a blind piano tuner strikes a d
14. S04E14Grosse Pointe, 48230February 1, 1993 6.0Maggie's family wreaks havoc on Joel when he accompanies her home for her grandmother's birthday.
15. S04E15Learning CurveFebruary 8, 1993 7.8A headstrong schoolteacher clashes with Maggie and gives Holling little hope of gaining his high-school diploma; mother hen Joel fusses when
16. S04E16Ill WindFebruary 15, 1993 8.0Ill winds blow in, bringing with them metaphysical bumps and bruises for Joel, who asks for trouble and gets it from Maggie. Meanwhile, Chri
17. S04E17Love's Labour MislaidFebruary 21, 1993 7.3Joel blows up at Maggie for forgetting their romp in the hay; Uncle Anku urges Ed to marry; birdwatchers Holling and Ruth-Anne head for the
18. S04E18Northern LightsMarch 1, 1993 8.0The winter solstice opens Chris to new creative pursuits, but it encourages Joel to betray his Hippocratic oath after he's denied a vacation
19. S04E19Family FeudMarch 8, 1993 7.3The unveiling of the Whirlwind family's totem pole by Leonard prompts a family feud; Shelly marries to stop a barrage of hallucinations.
20. S04E20HomesickMarch 15, 1993 7.8The romantic mood of Maggie's dinner for Mike is doused by his announcement that he's leaving; Shelly's redecorating takes its toll on Holli
21. S04E21The Big FeastMarch 22, 1993 7.5To celebrate KBHR's silver jubilee, Maurice throws a soiree, which brings Adam and Eve to town and leaves an uninvited Joel feeling miffed.
22. S04E22Kaddish, for Uncle MannyMay 3, 1993 7.3Residents search for other Jews to join in a kaddish for Joel's dead uncle; Chris and Bernard join in a blood feud with the West Virginia Mi
23. S04E23Mud and BloodMay 10, 1993 7.8The arrival of a truffle-hunting pig and the onslaught of mosquitoes signal springtime in Cicely, which also finds Holling obsessed with the
24. S04E24Sleeping with the EnemyMay 17, 1993 7.3Memories of Maurice's wartime archenemy surface after Duk Won arrives and asks permission to marry; Ed has a plan to keep his ancestors' Tli
25. S04E25Old TreeMay 24, 1993 6.5Maurice sounds the death knell for Cicely's 300-year-old tree, as Joel looks for a way to save it; Shelly spontaneously breaks out in song,

Season 4 ranked & reviewed

1. S05E01Three DoctorsSeptember 20, 1993 7.0While Joel is afflicted with "glacier dropsy," Leonard cares for his patients, including Ed, who's been "sleepflying," and Shelly, who's sto
2. S05E02The Mystery of the Old Curio ShopSeptember 27, 1993 7.3A baffling experience at an antique shop entangles Maggie in a Nancy Drew-like mystery; Maurice refuses to grow old gracefully; and Joel dis
3. S05E03Jaws of LifeOctober 4, 1993 7.7Maurice's likeness is cast in wax; Chris discovers he'll be on the planet for the long haul; and the dentist comes to town.
4. S05E04Altered EgosOctober 11, 1993 7.7Chris faces a metaphysical conundrum when Bernard's girlfriend, who once lived with Chris, can't tell the brothers apart.
5. S05E05A River Doesn't Run Through ItOctober 25, 1993 8.7A randy high-schooler asks Maggie to be homecoming queen; a by-the-book IRS agent scours Ruth-Anne's accounts; and Maurice wheels and deals
6. S05E06Birds of a FeatherNovember 1, 1993 8.0When Joel's parents first visit Cicely, his mother soars with the eagles, while his dad outshines Joel at the Brick. Meanwhile, Holling conf
7. S05E07RosebudNovember 8, 1993 8.7Ed organizes Cicely's first film festival; Leonard searches for "the white collective unconscious" in Western folklore.
8. S05E08Heal ThyselfNovember 15, 1993 8.7Ed diagnoses a patient who then falls for him, but his low self-esteem brings a visit from the Green Man; Holling ridicules pregnancy and ge
9. S05E09A Cup of JoeNovember 22, 1993 7.0Ed discovers an alarming tale of cannibalism that later gnaws at Holling and Ruth-Anne; anxiety eats at Chris over his written pilot's exam.
10. S05E10Season's bestFirst SnowDecember 13, 1993 9.0Residents anticipate winter's snow. But for Joel, an elderly patient's claims that she's dying bring guilt and self-reproachment; and Shelly
11. S05E11Baby BluesJanuary 3, 1994 8.0Maggie throws a shower for Shelly; a Hollywood agent takes an interest in Ed's script; Chris tries to get in touch with his "inner woman."
12. S05E12Mr. SandmanJanuary 10, 1994 7.8The aurora borealis brings a strange lucidity---and dream swapping---to Cicely residents, sending Holling into psychotherapy and creating fr
13. S05E13Mite Makes RightJanuary 17, 1994 8.0A violinist begs Maurice not to lock a prized Guarnerius away; dust mites awaken fear in Maggie; and Chris reaches an artistic impasse.
14. S05E14A Bolt from the BlueJanuary 24, 1994 9.0Adam has some wacko ideas about the fireworks experts Maurice hired; a ranger loses his job but refuses to leave his post; and Ed is struck
15. S05E15Hello, I Love YouJanuary 31, 1994 9.0Shelley has second thoughts about delivering her baby in Anchorage; Walt endures frostbite just to be with Ruth-Anne; and Joel outstitches M
16. S05E16Northern HospitalityFebruary 28, 1994 8.3At Joel's first dinner party, friends suffer the consequences of his hospitality; Shelly returns to her Canadian roots; and townsfolk grouse
17. S05E17Una Volta in L'InvernoMarch 7, 1994 9.0Caribou run amok on Main Street during cabin-fever season, which finds Walt abusing his prescription for seasonal affective disorder, Joel a
18. S05E18Fish StoryMarch 14, 1994 7.3Joel tries to reel in a monster fish; Ruth-Anne abandons the store and takes off on a Harley.
19. S05E19The Gift of the MaggieMarch 28, 1994 7.7Joel finds a kindred spirit with whom to exchange "doctor talk"; the Tambo-Vincoeurs take in Maurice following an explosion at his home; and
20. S05E20A Wing and a PrayerApril 11, 1994 7.7Shelly is confronted with a loss of faith on the eve of Miranda's baptism, while Ed contemplates redemption after spreading details of Ruth-
21. S05E21I Feel the Earth MoveMay 2, 1994 8.0Only Maurice is aghast over the nuptials of Erick and Ron. Meanwhile, Maggie feels stomach-turning dizziness around Joel.
22. S05E22Grand PrixMay 9, 1994 8.0Wheelchair athletes converge on Cicely; the Green Man of low self-esteem pays Ed another visit; Ted discovers that the rich really are diffe
23. S05E23Blood TiesMay 16, 1994 7.3During the annual blood drive, Ed is alerted to a Cicely resident with his same rare blood type; Joel may be losing Maggie to an old beau.
24. S05E24Lovers and MadmenMay 23, 1994 8.0Cal gets a pass from the asylum to help Maurice entertain Off. Semanski; Chris's image of an old flame is a distorted one; Joel stumbles upo

Season 5 ranked & reviewed

1. S06E01Dinner at Seven-ThirtySeptember 19, 1994 7.3Joel's herb-induced dream transforms Cicely's folksy regulars into New York sophisticates.
2. S06E02Eye of the BeholderSeptember 26, 1994 7.3PI-in-training Ed spies on Hayden Keys, who may be faking injury; the purchase of an antique dollhouse sets Shelly to dreaming on a grand sc
3. S06E03Shofar, So GoodOctober 3, 1994 7.3Joel must atone for his sins when he's visited by a rabbi---the ghost of Yom Kippur past, present and future; Maurice welcomes an honored gu
4. S06E04The LetterOctober 10, 1994 8.0Joel finds a strange lump on his head; Shelly has bad luck after chucking a chain letter; a barber parks his pole in Cicely; and Maggie rece
5. S06E05The RobeOctober 17, 1994 8.0Shelly makes a deal with the devil; Ed bungles Joel's tests on a pill for the common cold; and Chris introduces a co-host.
6. S06E06ZaryaOctober 31, 1994 7.7Marilyn's tale of her grandfather's encounter in Alaska with Russian princess Anastasia unfolds on-screen in filmmaker Ed's vision of Cicely
7. S06E07Full Upright PositionNovember 7, 1994 8.0Electricity generates a new art project for Chris; sparks fly between Joel and Maggie on a Russian flight bound for St. Petersburg; Maurice
8. S06E08Up RiverNovember 14, 1994 8.7A conflict with Maggie over firearms drives Joel to the outback to live in a remote village; a contractor destroys Chris's way of life; Ruth
9. S06E09Season's bestSons of the TundraNovember 28, 1994 9.0Paul Provenza and Teri Polo join the cast as Cicely's new doctor Phillip Capra and his journalist wife Michelle, who feel that they've stepp
10. S06E10RealpolitikDecember 12, 1994 8.0Maggie finds herself in the seat of power as Cicely's mayor but must contend with Chris's screwball fixation; Marilyn buys a champion stud h
11. S06E11The Great MushroomJanuary 4, 1995 8.0Maggie treks into the Manonash village to visit Joel, who she fears is in imminent danger; an elderly couple asks to stay the night at Phil
12. S06E12Mi Casa, Su CasaJanuary 11, 1995 8.0Marilyn shatters Joel's inner peace on a visit to Manonash; Ed takes advantage of Maurice's hospitality; and a house is not Holling's idea o
13. S06E13HornsJanuary 18, 1995 8.0Cicely's new bottled water alters gender behavior and causes women to display an overactive sex drive; violinist Cal becomes a fugitive; and
14. S06E14The Mommy's CurseFebruary 1, 1995 8.0A visit from Maggie's mom reveals that the two O'Connell women have a lot in common; Ruth-Anne clashes with new employee Walt over canned go
15. S06E15The QuestFebruary 8, 1995 8.0Joel enlists Maggie to join him on a quest for the mythical Jeweled City of the North; Chris slaps Phil with a malpractice lawsuit; and crit
16. S06E16Lucky PeopleFebruary 15, 1995 8.0While Cicelians honor Founders Day, newcomers Phil and Michelle experience buyers' remorse over purchasing a big spread; Maurice claims that
17. S06E17The GraduateMarch 8, 1995 8.0Chris's visiting professors get into an argument over his master's dissertation; Maggie buys Cicely's neglected movie house; and a young man
18. S06E18Little ItalyMarch 15, 1995 6.0Phil gets caught up in a feud between two of Cicely's Italian families; Ruth-Anne begins a series for National Public Radio; Holling finally
19. S06E19BallsApril 6, 1995 6.7During a bowling invitational, Phil and Michelle seem headed for splitsville. Meanwhile, Ed sets his sights on the sophisticated Heather.
20. S06E20Buss StopApril 24, 1995 7.0Michelle mounts a production of "Bus Stop," which infects Cicelians with the acting bug but sparks creative differences and petty jealousies
21. S06E21Ursa MinorJuly 12, 1995 7.3"Parenthood" sours for Ed after he brings home a cuddly bear cub to nurture; and Chris's dream experiments entangle him with a saucy hotel m
22. S06E22Let's DanceJuly 19, 1995 7.0Fugitive violinist Cal wants to turn himself in with help from Maurice and Off. Semanski; Phil offends the locals; Chris pairs up with a jud
23. S06E23Tranquility BaseJuly 26, 1995 6.6The sun sets---one last time---on the town of Cicely as friends gather at Maurice's summer lodge for relaxation, renewal and reflection.

Season 6 ranked & reviewed