If "Soapy Sanderson" had run in one of the later seasons of Northern Exposure, we no doubt would have been treated to a joyless and dreary meditation on the nature of aging, or solitude, or suicide or some other such pompous nonsense.
Fortunately, we're still in the first season, where, thankfully, the writers, more often than not, felt these topics were best dealt with using a heavy dose of light comedy. And the result is the beginning of some truly great television.
Soapy Sanderson is the first episode where it really feels like all the disparate elements of this gem of a television series are finally starting to come together - interesting characters, outlandish plots and, at the center of it all, Morrow's causticly petulant Dr Fleischman. And, as a true testament to how great this show is, it's not the main plot (Fleischman's attempts to duplicitously sell off land that he and Maggie have just inherited), that garners the praise here, but, instead, it's the subplots and secondary characters that really start to come to the fore, foreshadowing the strong ensemble nature that this show will eventually take on. Case in point: Ed's introduction to film making by a documentary film crew, as well as how we get to learn more about the citizens of Cicely through their interviews. High points here include the first time we get to hear David Schwartz' beautifully contemplative piano theme that would serve as a sort of leitmotif for Maggie's character throughout much of the series, as well as an early television role from guest star Christa Miller.
Fortunately, we're still in the first season, where, thankfully, the writers, more often than not, felt these topics were best dealt with using a heavy dose of light comedy. And the result is the beginning of some truly great television.
Soapy Sanderson is the first episode where it really feels like all the disparate elements of this gem of a television series are finally starting to come together - interesting characters, outlandish plots and, at the center of it all, Morrow's causticly petulant Dr Fleischman. And, as a true testament to how great this show is, it's not the main plot (Fleischman's attempts to duplicitously sell off land that he and Maggie have just inherited), that garners the praise here, but, instead, it's the subplots and secondary characters that really start to come to the fore, foreshadowing the strong ensemble nature that this show will eventually take on. Case in point: Ed's introduction to film making by a documentary film crew, as well as how we get to learn more about the citizens of Cicely through their interviews. High points here include the first time we get to hear David Schwartz' beautifully contemplative piano theme that would serve as a sort of leitmotif for Maggie's character throughout much of the series, as well as an early television role from guest star Christa Miller.