MC Notes: 3.13 Things Become Extinct

3.13 Things Become Extinct

Joel: What is this?
Marilyn: Hair of the dog.
Joel: Thank you...that's very considerate. [spits it out.] What is in that?! What is in here?
Marilyn: Hair of the dog. (6)

Original Air Date(1): January 20, 1992

Production Number: 77513

Written by(1): Robin Green, from a story by Mitchell Burgess

Directed by(1): Dean Parisot

Log line(1): A study in self-examination brings on a mid-life crisis for Holling, opens up another door for Ed, and leaves Joel feeling culturally isolated.

Synopsis(1): Ed answers an ad in the Filmmakers magazine to film a vanishing breed - or something that is vanishing. He will receive film credit and ¢50. Now the problem is to find something that is about to become extinct! Finally, he meets Ira Wingfeather (guest star Bryson Liberty) who carves wooden flutes - a dying art. While Ed films Wingfeather's work, he becomes intrigued by the craftsmanship and the history associated with making the flutes. Wingfeather tells him he is the last of the line. His children have no desire to carry on the craft because they have a different life and different music. Wingfeather accepts this as part of life and the cycle of creation and extinction. Ed, however, is troubled at the thought of such beauty being extinguished forever and realizes it is up to him to save it.

While trying to prove to Ed that Jews are not a vanishing Alaskan breed, Joel discovers the scarcity of Jewish names in the local telephone books. He finds there are only two thousand Jews in the entire state of Alaska. But Joel's newfound obsession with finding Alaskan Jews causes him to feel even more isolated than before. Meanwhile, Holling becomes depressed when he gets the news that his Uncle Charlie died - a man who boldly lived his life. Pondering his own mortality, Holling feels life has passed him by and regrets he did not live it as fully as his uncle did. With the help of some 100-proof homemade vodka, Holling takes to the hills where he wallows in a deep mid-life crisis.

Background(2): Ira, 68, was an extra in Hollywood = 1957, did Wagon Train; married four times; kids live in Ft. Lauderdale. Charlie was Holling's father's brother who taught him how to tie a tie; Charlie was backing up Aaron Neville at Tipitina's in New Orleans at the time of his death; Uncle Charlie saw the world. Holling had puppets as a child (Shelly presents his life with a puppet show). Born 1929, Holling Gustave Vincoeur (as broadcast, not in script). Since Stevens don't usually make it past 40 (Dad died at 42, Uncle Roy 8ower, 43), Chris had his midlife crisis at 22 in 1984; just out of the joint, his back went out... lost a whole year, just woke up one day and he was 23; people told him he spent time with a hostess in Macon, GA, couple months in Jemez Mtns. in New Mexico naked in a cave. Velachiske was a Russian town where Joel's grandmother came from; everyone had sheep.

Facts to Wax(2): Holling finds out about Uncle Charlie via latter from Cousin Celeste in Quebec. Holling makes a lime chiffon w/ crushed pineapple pie with graham crust. Every alder branch contains a flute; your job is to find it. Arrowhead Borough is the size of Wyoming; 1,613 people. 2000 Jews in entire state, 50 in Juneau; 1 Cemetery in Fairbanks which is full.

Guest Stars: (7)
Ira Wingfeather - Bryson Liberty
Barber - Jerry Morris

Music: (3)
• I Love You a Thousand Ways - Tim and Mollie O'Brian
[Ed looks for something to film for his project.] (8)

• Tea Dance
[Ira brings his flutes to Ruth-Anne's store.] (8)

• Memories of You - Bennie Goodman
[Ed and Ira talk about Ed filming the making of duck flutes.] (8)

• Someone Took My Place With You - David Parmley
[Holling talks to Shelly as he goes though a box of old things.] (8)

• Family Traditions - Hank Williams, Jr.
Joel and Ed talk in Joel's cabin[.] (8)

• Sleepy Steel

• Acapulco Serenata
[Shelly performs a puppet show for Holling.] (8)

Shelly's Earrings:
Fishing Lures [Talks to Ed about lost art.]
Wooden cutting boards with Vegetables [Discusses rice with Chris in the bar - Holling's taken all the potatoes.]

Additional Thoughts :
Holling is 63 - mid-life for him. Chris was 22 and doesn't remember that year at all for his midlife crisis.

Shelly is a chick-maiden.

Footnotes and additional research:
1. The Revised and Updated Northern Exposure Book, 2nd Ed. by Louis Chunovic (1995)
2. Revised NE Bible: New and Improved fro 94-95 season! Memo from: Ursula Wendel and Cynthia Cohen- Gugisch
3. Print-out of Jude Shabry's music list from the Moose's Guide to Northern Exposure.
4. Intertain 2000 collection of NX music online
5. Geoff's Miscellany- episode guide for 3.13
6. Kevin Wright's Culture NX Quotes for Season 3.
7. MCA TV Promotional Kit dated 9/27/95
8. The Northern Exposure Book, 1st Ed. (1993) by Louis Chunovic

Created 1/13/02 • Updated 2/3/02

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