Northern Exposure
All is Vanity
TV Flash files “All is Vanity” as hour 11 of 110 in the TV Flash guide — Northern Exposure (1990–1995) on CBS, season 2, episode 3, aired 1991-04-22, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S02E03: listed hour 11 of 110 in the Northern Exposure guide, hour 3 of 7 in season 2. It aired 1991-04-22 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “The Big Kiss” (S02E02). Next is “What I Did for Love” (S02E04).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
Holling elects to get circumcised to be "more in style" for Shelly; Maggie weaves a web of deceit to hoodwink her father; townsfolk stand watch over the corpse of Mr. Unknown Person.
Viewer FAQ
Where does All is Vanity sit in the Northern Exposure guide?
S02E03 is listed hour 11 of 110 — hour 3 of 7 in season 2, season 2 episode 3.
When did Northern Exposure S02E03 air?
All is Vanity aired 1991-04-22 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…