THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 8, 1995 TAG: 9502080052
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY BONKO
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
THE LONG AND, dare I say, excruciating wait for Dr. Joel Fleischman to leave Cicely, Alaska, and ``Northern Exposure'' ends tonight at 10 on CBS. In a situation not unlike David Caruso's departure from ``NYPD Blue'' last season, Rob Morrow's fade from ``Northern Exposure'' has been played out for weeks.
Too long.
The Fleischman character left Cicely for the hermit's life north of the Arctic Circle weeks ago, making tonight's episode almost anti-climatic.
While watching recent episodes in which Fleischman transforms from a bagel-munching Manhattanite to a beaver-skinning backwoodsman, I found myself saying, ``So, leave, already. Go, Joel. Go.''
If a lead actor decides to leave a successful series, thereby jeopardizing the future of that series, I believe that character should be written out and disposed of immediately. Spare us the goodbyes.
When I caught up with the show's executive producers - we chatted long distance from the show's location near Redmond, Wash., - they played it cute about tonight's finale for Fleischman.
How will be leave? By bus? Plane? Dogsled?
``Joel departs in a very unusual way,'' said David Chase, who was joined by Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov.
They said the episode with Morrow's last scenes was filmed in December. I hear that he and Maggie O'Connell (Janine Turner) go off in search of the Jeweled City of the North. Why not? Fleischman's been acting dipsy for weeks.
``Northern Exposure'' has yet to be renewed for next season and was recently moved with little fanfare by CBS from its safe and secure time slot at 10 p.m. Monday to 10 p.m. Wednesday. ``Chicago Hope'' now airs Monday nights at 10.
Chase, Schneider and Frolov said they and their families missed last week's episode because they forgot about the change of time and day.
They were not alone. I also forgot.
The ratings for ``Northern Exposure'' have not been good since moving day.
The executive producers estimate the chances that CBS will renew ``Northern Exposure'' for a seventh season are better than 50-50. Make in 80-20 in favor of renewing, said Schneider. He says there are plenty of stories still to be told about the curious folk who live in a remote Alaskan village.
``We'll have no trouble keeping the ball rolling,'' said Chase.
However, ``Northern Exposure'' was a series in decline even before Morrow said he was leaving to make movies. Nothing unusual about that. The life expectancy of a typical TV drama is five seasons. I don't see how the series can survive the departure of Dr. Fleischman. The whole quirky premise of the show was built around him.
Hip, young Jewish doctor with street smarts forced by contract to work in a burg where nothing much happens unless you count when Holling Vincoeur over at The Brick announces it's Tuna-Melt Day.
When Morrow said he was going, the producers moved quickly to bring in Paul Provenza as the new doc in Cicely. Nice try. Doc Capra says he wants to be there. Fleischman never wanted that.
Chase said the producers decided they were going to shift the focus away from Fleischman even if Morrow had stayed. ``In six seasons, we had established the other characters so well in the minds of the viewers that they could easily carry the show from this point on,'' said Chase. ``Maggie O'Connell is coming into her own.''
The sexual tension between O'Connell and Fleischman crackled on screen. It kept us watching. Now that's been blown away.
``We created a unique, entertaining show that is not like anything else on television,'' said Chase. ``There is no reason we can't continue.''
Yes there is. The producers tonight lose their main man. by CNB