History Series / NorthernExposure

* ShoutOut: A number of them:
** An episode where Ed finds [[LampshadeHanging a ring]] from Creator/FedericoFellini and starts seeing the world in Fellini imagery
** "The Russian Flu" ends with Holling, Joel and Elaine doing an extended ''TwinPeaks'' riff.

* ShoutOut: A number of them,such as an episode where Ed finds [[LampshadeHanging a ring]] from Creator/FedericoFellini and starts seeing the world in Fellini imagery, and an episode that ends with Holling, Joel and Elaine doing an extended TwinPeaks riff.

* YouDidntAsk: Marilyn has a habit of being as vague as possible when others need information from her. Ask her if she knows why the WackyHijinks of the week are taking place in Joel's waiting room, the town, or just in Alaska in general, and she'll probably just respond "Yes".

The exception to the "too good to last" rule. Every once in a great while, a show that seems to fit the profile actually makes it. Case in point: ''Northern Exposure''. (Intelligent, well-written show, with a subtle blend of comedy and drama, beloved by a devoted fanbase and critics.) It came on in its first season as a MidseasonReplacement, and had only a handful of episodes. It wasn't picked up for the fall, but was held back as a mid-season replacement again, so its second season also had just a handful of episodes. Which would seem just right for the chopping block -- but it went on to have four full seasons after that.

!!!The story:

* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: One of this show's many AllJustADream episodes ends with this. It's a pretty obvious spoof of the [[TheWizardOfOz trope namer]], right down to the placement of the characters at the dreamer's bedside and window.

*** The legal errors could be overlooked due to the fact that Fleischman got his legal advice from his girlfriend, who was not even a lawyer but a law student, and could have been acting under a WizardOfOz premise that he "could have gone home at any time, but he wouldn't have believed it." However later in the series he did consult with an actual lawyer, who declared the contract "bulletproof."

* AManIsNotAVirgin: Ed plays this out and lampshades it later.

* AbsenteeActor: Starts to happen a lot more from the third season onward, especially when an episode breaks the usual TwoLinesNoWaiting structure and focuses on a single story, perhaps even taking the action out of Cicely in the process.
** Season 3's "Three Amigos" is the first episode in which neither Joel nor Maggie appear. The focus is entirely on Holling and Maurice's friendship, with some of the other main characters only appearing at the beginning and end of the episode.
** On the flipside, Joel and Maggie are the ''only'' main characters to appear in Season 4's "Grosse Point, 48230".
** This almost happened with Maggie in "Tranquility Base", which was not planned to be the finale when it was written. When the writers found out the series had been cancelled, she was hastily written into the end of the episode so that all the characters could be present in the final act.

* EccentricTownsfolk: yes, [[TheAndyGriffithShow Mayberry]] had these, but this show and ''Film/LocalHero'' recreated this trope on television.

** This trope is how this series starts, with an utterly ludicrous contract that is fully explored on the trope page.

* DreamSequence: the entire show was made of these.

* EccentricTownsfolk: yes, [[TheAndyGriffithShow Mayberry]] had these, but this show and ''LocalHero'' recreated this trope on television.

* CatapultNightmare: In "All Is Vanity," Holling becomes convinced fiancée Shelly prefers, ahem, circumcised men and schedules an appointment with Dr Fleischman. He soon has [[BodyHorror second thoughts]].

* CatapultNightmare: In "All Is Vanity," Holling becomes convinced fiancée Shelly prefers, ahem, ''cleaner-looking'' men and schedules an appointment with Dr Fleischman. He soon has [[BodyHorror second thoughts]].

* AbilityOverAppearance: Shelly was written to be Native-American but Caucasian Cynthia Geary ended up getting the part.

* FridayNightDeathSlot: The "burn off episodes in the summer" variety. The show both started and ended this way, with its first season airing entirely in the summer, and the last few episodes of its final season being held back from May sweeps and aired in June and July, presumably because the ratings dropped precipitously after Rob Morrow's departure.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Chris is also [[Film/MyBigFatGreekWedding a vegetarian English professor]] and [[SexAndTheCity dating Carrie until she leaves him for Mr. Big]].
** Creator/JackBlack plays a high school senior in a Season 5 episode.
** Minor example: The German clockmaker in "Nothing's Perfect" is also [[{{Lost}} the immortal guardian of a mysterious island]].

* RealLifeRelative: Marilyn's mother is played by Armenia Miles, the real-life mother of Elaine Miles. Interestingly, Elaine never auditioned for the show, but was offered the part when she accompanied her mother to ''her'' audition.

* AGoodNameForARockBand: Happened in real life when Justin Vernon was home sick with mono, and watching the series on DVD. The scene at the end of "First Snow" where everyone wishes each other "Bon hiver!" inspired his stage name, BonIver.

->"It's like [[Creator/FriedrichNietzsche brother Nietzsche]] said: being human is a complicated gig, so give that dark knight of the soul a hug and howl the eternal yes."

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Northern_Exposure_7162.jpg

->"It's like [[Creator/FriedrichNietzsche brother Nietzsche]] said: being human is a complicated gig, so give that dark night of the soul a hug and howl the eternal yes."

->"It's like brother Nietzsche said: being human is a complicated gig, so give that dark night of the soul a hug and howl the eternal yes."

** JackBlack plays a high school senior in a Season 5 episode.

* ShoutOut: A number of them,such as an episode where Ed finds [[LampshadeHanging a ring]] from FedericoFellini and starts seeing the world in Fellini imagery, and an episode that ends with Holling, Joel and Elaine doing an extended TwinPeaks riff.

* Marilyn Whirlwind, the utterly laconic, native Alaskan receptionist who is the perfect foil to all Fleischman's {{Woody Allen}}esque whining.

The exception to the TooGoodToLast rule. Every once in a great while, a show that seems to fit the profile actually makes it. Case in point: ''Northern Exposure''. (Intelligent, well-written show, with a subtle blend of comedy and drama, beloved by a devoted fanbase and critics.) It came on in its first season as a MidseasonReplacement, and had only a handful of episodes. It wasn't picked up for the fall, but was held back as a mid-season replacement again, so its second season also had just a handful of episodes. Which would seem just right for the chopping block -- but it went on to have four full seasons after that.