Northern Exposure
Brains, Know How and Native Intelligence
TV Flash files “Brains, Know How and Native Intelligence” as hour 2 of 110 in the TV Flash guide — Northern Exposure (1990–1995) on CBS, season 1, episode 2, aired 1990-07-19, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E02: listed hour 2 of 110 in the Northern Exposure guide, hour 2 of 8 in season 1. It aired 1990-07-19 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Pilot” (S01E01). Next is “Soapy Sanderson” (S01E03).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
A self-reliant Maggie chides Joel for being helpless when he's beset by problems; Ed's uncle Anku, a medicine man, refuses medical treatment; and Chris reads Walt Whitman over the airwaves, angering Maurice, who prefers show tunes on his station.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Brains, Know How and Native Intelligence sit in the Northern Exposure guide?
S01E02 is listed hour 2 of 110 — hour 2 of 8 in season 1, season 1 episode 2.
When did Northern Exposure S01E02 air?
Brains, Know How and Native Intelligence aired 1990-07-19 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Where is it set?
The fictional town of Cicely, Alaska — fish-out-of-water prestige with magical-realist touches uncommon on network TV then.
In the series
Why this series still plays
A Manhattan doctor indentured to Cicely, Alaska, where townsfolk out-weird his culture shock and moose have better agents than most guest stars. Brand and Falsey's CBS dramedy mixes magical realism, small-town philosophy, and fish-out-of-water comedy with prestige softness. Gentle-weird quality TV — the aurora, the radio station, and the town as character.
Flash: July 12, 1990, CBS, a Manhattan doctor indentured to Cicely, Alaska, where townsfolk out-weird his culture shock and moose have better billing than most guest stars. Joshua Brand and John Falsey mixed magical realism, small-town philosophy, and fish-out-of-water comedy with prestige softness. Rob Morrow's Joel sparred with Janine Turner's pilot Maggie. Barry Corbin, John Cullum, John Corbett, Cynthia Geary made eccentricity feel civic. The aurora was a character. So was the radio station. Six seasons of…
Filed against
- Rob Morrow as Joel Fleischman
Rob Morrow's Joel Fleischman landed Northern Exposure as a Manhattan doctor indentured to Cicely, Alaska — townsfolk out-weirding his culture shock, moose with better agents than most guest stars. Brand and Falsey's CBS dramedy with…
- Janine Turner as Maggie O'Connell
Janine Turner’s Maggie O’Connell flew Northern Exposure’s Cicely like a dare to a Manhattan doctor — moose weather, magical realism, small-town philosophy, fish-out-of-water comedy with prestige softness. 1990s CBS dramedy as a town that…
- Barry Corbin as Maurice Minnifield
Barry Corbin’s Maurice Minnifield owned Cicely like a moose with better representation — Northern Exposure as a Manhattan doctor indentured to Alaska, townsfolk out-weirding culture shock, Brand and Falsey’s CBS dramedy of magical realism…
- John Cullum as Holling Vincoeur
John Cullum’s Holling Vincoeur kept Northern Exposure’s Brick open — Cicely, Alaska as magical-realism appointment TV, a Manhattan doctor indentured to townsfolk who out-weird his culture shock. Brand and Falsey’s CBS dramedy with…
- John Corbett as Chris Stevens
John Corbett’s Chris Stevens DJ’d Northern Exposure into small-town philosophy — a Manhattan doctor indentured to Cicely, Alaska, townsfolk out-weirding his culture shock, moose with better agents than most guest stars. Brand and Falsey’s…
- Cynthia Geary as Shelly Tambo
Cynthia Geary’s Shelly Tambo made Northern Exposure’s Cicely feel like a crush — Manhattan doctor indentured to Alaska, townsfolk who out-weird his culture shock, a bartender with a giggle that did more world-building than most guest…