Customer Reviews

Northern Exposure

5 star:		(138)
4 star:		(44)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

With the glut of completely forgettable TV shows and movies flooding onto DVD, it's nice to see a series of great quality, superior writing, memorable characters, and consistent imagination make it finally to DVD! "Northern Exposure" is a true classic! It'll be great to have it available legally in Region 1 NTSC (there have been bootleg Region 2 PAL versions floating around for a couple years already on eBay, but with extremely poor sound/video synchronization).
The first season only has 8 episodes (since it premiered during the summer of 1990. It might have been better to combine the 1st season with the 7 episodes of season 2 (which ran in April/May 1991, for a 15 episode set, but comprehending the mind of marketing 'geniuses' is bound to lead nowehere.) The first 'regular' seasons with 22-24 episodes only began in September 1991.
Let's hope this release signals that after season 1, the next 5 seasons will also soon see the light of day.

Some of the extras promised for this release:

Deleted Scenes
Video Documentary Footage
Mock Movie Footage
"Unexposed" Footage

(and special limited edition "Parka" packaging!)

From TVShowsOnDVD.com:

Fans have been eagerly awaiting this news since the July '03 report from USA Today that it was in-the-works. Today, TVShowsOnDVD is pleased to tell you that Northern Exposure - The Complete 1st Season will arrive on DVD this May 25th.

The series premiered with a short 8-episode run in the Summer of 1990, an hour long "dramedy" about a Jewish doctor (played by Rob Morrow) who's deal to get paid up for medical school meant he had to go where he was assigned...in Alaska, since the state was the source of the money. Dr. Joel Fleischman is assigned in the end to Cicely, Alaska, a town full of strange but lovable characters including former astronaut Maurice J. Minnifield (Barry Corbin), a radio D.J. ("Chris in the Morning", played by John Corbett) with a strange outlook on life, Ed Chigliak (Darren Burrows )...and Maggie O'Connell, of course, played by co-star Janine Turner.

Universal Home Video announced the DVD release of the debut season this morning, on a 2-disc (double-sided "DVD-14") set running at 384 minutes. List price is $59.98 for this set, which comes in a special limited-edition "Parka" packaging that is sure to be a collectible item. 4x3 video and English Dolby Surround Sound represent the original over-the-air presentation of this show, and on the DVD you also get French and Spanish subtitles to choose from. The discs are closed captioned for the hearing impaired, too.

With such a short season, Universal didn't want to disappoint the fans with too short a DVD release, so they are adding some nice bonus material to this box set. Look for these extras:

Deleted Scenes
Video Documentary Footage
Mock Movie Footage
"Unexposed" Footage

This is a long-awaited, highly-anticipated release that fans have been clamoring for. Universal has delivered with a set that is sure to please everyone. Stay tuned, because we'll be back soon with pictures of the "Parka packaging" cover art.

Let me first apologize to all the furious Northern Exposure fans for the single star rating. I know that's going to burn some people. But Amazon asks for a review of the DVD, and this a honest rating of this DVD set.

The show itself deserves five stars, of course. But you already knew that. There are few people out there who are going to buy this set having never seen the show.

So, to be blunt, this DVD set is really a piece of garbage. It appears that absolutely no thought was put into making it. Well, perhaps they thought about how cheaply they could make it. But that's about it. The weak points:

1. You only get eight episodes. While I know the first season only has eight episodes, it is deceptive to market like other seasons that contain 20 or more epsiodes. Why not combine the first two seasons on one set? Better to rip off the fans, of course.

2. There are only two double-sided discs in the set. This is inexcusably cheap. It is also unecessary, since they could easily fit four episodes on one side of a disc. (Especially since they lack any substantial bonus materials.)

3. Here is my biggest gripe. There are mandatory previews to watch at the beginning of the DVD!!! When I say mandatory, I mean your remote control is locked out, and you have to sit and watch the previews EVERY TIME you put in the disc. Now, before anyone contradicts me, I acknowledge that you can fast forward. But you cannot chapter-skip ahead or jump straight to the main menu. What this does is essentially reduce the DVD medium into an glorified VHS tape. With all the unlimited possibilities of DVDs, this studio gives us almost no bonus materials and decides instead to force us to watch their crappy previews. What's next, Pepsi commercials?

You would think with piracy alledgedly being such a problem for these studios, they would make more of an effort to make a product people would be happy to pay for.

Instead they give us what amounts to a VHS tape on a disc, poorly designed, and cheaply made. Fans who supported this show deserve better. And consumers buying this set deserve better.

Perhaps I am one of the first true NX diehards to review this DVD. I have owned it since the day it was released, and have watched it multiple times. The bottom line is Northern Exposure represents a zenith in television writing and storytelling. DVD simply brings all the richness and texture this wonderful niche of life deserves. NX is a vacation from the sham and drudgery of our daily lives, and should compel us all to demand more from today's television. After all, isn't that why we watch?

NX gave us 5 years of complex characters and witty banter that is as close to theater as TV can come.

Speaking of demanding, I strongly recommend buying this DVD, but also suggest writing Universal about improving production. There have been multiple complaints, so I went back and reviewed my original CBS series VHS tapes versus the DVD. Here is what I found:

1) The music is all original (Kudos Columbia)
2) No scene's are missing, though some Intro scenes have been moved after the title song (Boo Columbia)
3) The DVD's are mislabeled, and no liner notes (Boo Columbia)
4) Original credits font changed (???)
5) Dobly Surround 2.1 (Boo - c'mon and make this 5.1 if your paying all the royalty fees for the music)

The next DVD can be perfection with a modicum of production improvement. Let me just say that diehards really want the original preserved just as it was, with no changes. Just like classic cars!

LET THE SERIES ROLL!

As most of you who are interested in buying this set already know, Northern Exposure is a great television show. The sharp intelligence of its creators is evident in every aspect of the production: from the characters to the wonderful music. The DVD set features amazing visual quality, nice extras and ALL THE SONGS FROM THE ORIGINAL BROADCASTS. This is no small feat. Remember, there are great shows from the same era released on DVD (i.e. Wiseguy, Felicity, etc.) that have not been able to secure rights to songs that were crucial to their original success. Northern Exposure is more dependent on the original soundtrack than other shows. For example, during a single episode included in this set, "A Kodiak Moment," the music ranges wide: from an aria from Verdi's "Rigoletto" to "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell to Shep & The Limelights' "Daddy's Home." All that in one episode, and it's all here on DVD. Yeah, it's an expensive set. But Universal should be praised for taking the time to do right by the show, especially for spending the money to secure the music. That is what we, as consumers, are paying for and it is worth it. Wait a couple of months until the set is discounted, but please do not let the price of this set sway you from owning a wonderful piece of television history.

THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE PRODUCT NOT THE SHOW:

LIke everyone here I have been anxiously awaiting the reslease of this DVD.
and no price would stop me from buying it. ( I suspect the unscrupulous money mongers at Universal know this about NX fans and feel no regret taking advantage of this)

When I unwrapped the DVD and subsequently unzipped the packaing I opened the case, and much to my surprise and dissapointment I found no insert , I thought at first this was a mistake, but then when I put in the DVD to see they had mislabeled the discs, And I saw the menu layout I realized it was no mistake, it was a sign of shoddy craftsmanship

As a person who authors DVD's for a living I know how simple it is to make a ONE and it really takes someone who just does not care or an absolute nimrod to a make a DVD this bad.

Presentation really is everything in this buisness and Universal has shown their true colors with this product, they care nothing for the show only ripping people off.

All of this I can forgive , but be forewarned I have only watched three of the episodes and so far two of them have left off the first establishing 3 minute intro before the credtis. THIS IS UNBELIEVEABLE!!! and anyone who knows the show understands why this is an atrocity.

I would have rathered Universal not release it at all if they were not going to do it right!

OK, the 1 star is not because I don't like Northern Exposure. On the contrary. The one star is for the pathetic organization of this DVD.

Not only is this DVD too overpriced for 8 episodes (give me a break!)

It is incoherently organized on two sides of each DVD, which are not clearly marked.

I was willing to overpay for the DVD. But aren't we, the fans, entitled to a quality DVD in exchange?

First, let me say that I LOVE this show. I never missed an episode when it was on television. I give this 2 stars because of other issues abound.

The price is completely whacked considering this show is a decade old, there are only 2 discs with eight episodes (yes, I know there were only 8 the first season, but hence my reason for complaining about the price!!!), the lack of extra features for such a series, AND....the thing that REALLY ticked me off....it seems that since they are charging an exhorbitant price for this set, they COULD have paid someone with a brain to arrange the episodes in PROPER order on the discs!!!! (The pilot episode is on SIDE 2 of the first disc!!!!) What a shame. Universal should tuck their head between their legs for such a marketing disaster!!!

Masterfully written, witty, observant, and heart warming, Northern Exposure is not only enjoyable to watch, but has affected me on a deeper level. Through its various characters, each with their own unique traits, quirks and perspectives on life, it has helped me deal with the cold, stark reality of our existence.

Joel, the neurotic New York jewish doctor, whose acerbic wit and cynical quips keep me loving and pitying him at the same time. "And what does glued on macaroni represent, man's inhumanity to man?"

Maurice, the capitalist racontuer, Lord of the manor, strong yet ready to crumble at the same time. His quiet desperation and lonliness echo the emptiness that we all feel due to our consumer driven, materialistic society. All the trapping of his riches and accomplishments cannot hide his aching heart.

Chris, the irrepresable dime-store philosopher, whose obervances of the human plight help to give us some perspective that we are not alone in our questioning of suffering. Long winded, but ultimately a fellow searcher who yearns to find meaning in this thing we call life.

Walt, the former Merrill Lynch broker, who has chucked the wheeling and dealing of Wall Street for life in the outback as a trapper. His addiction to the light visor episode is priceless.

Adam, the shadowy ex-CIA operative gourmet, with his holey blue beanie and shoeless feet, quick with a crack or a put-down, but showing up to save Maurice's feast at the last minute. His grudging respect of Mauric'e code and Joel's professionalism give his character a depth that could have easily been missed if the show's writers had decided to use him strictly as comic relief.

The list goes on and on, Maggie, Marilyn, Ed, Holling & Shelley, Ruth-Ann, Officer Semanski....I love you all. I think everone who loves this show understands what I'm trying to say here. This show has trancended television to become something more. Art? Philosophy? I won't try to categorize it, but it has been an important influence in my life, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Any time I'm feeling down, I know that my friends in Cicely, Alaska share my pain and can help me through.

Every couple months I search for Northern Exposure on the internet. I find the same things , but I also find more things. Interest is still growing. My suggestion for the studios is this: Release the series on DVD and make money. You will also make alot of people happy. Or don't, but have the guts to take a stand either way. Tell the fans now what the plan is. It will be gobbled up if released. Just look at the stuff people are buying. Northern Exposure had fine writng, interesting stories and a great cast. That's all I have to say because anyone reading this is most likely a fan already, but to those who are not in the know; if it comes out do yourself a favor and at least rent a couple discs, I strongly doubt you will be disappointed. Thanks for reading.