5.10 First Snow

Chris: Oh the snow the beautiful snow filling the sky and earth below. Over the house tops and over the streets, over the heads of people you meet. Dancing flirting skimming along. Oh the snow the beautiful snow how the flakes gather and laugh as they go. Whirling about in their maddening fun it plays in its glee with everyone. Chasing laughing hurrying by it lights on the face and sparkles the eye. And even the dogs with a bark and a bound snap at the crystals that eddy around. The town is alive and its heart in a glow to welcome the coming of beautiful snow. Bon Hiver Cicely. (6)

Original Air Date(1): December 13, 1993

Production Number (7): 77709

Written by(1): Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider

Directed by(1): Dan Attias

Log line(1): Joel is traumatized by the natural death of an older patient and friend; Maurice is devastated when Shelly lies about ever loving him; Maggie has a nagging sense that something is missing when she spruces up her house for winter hibernation.

Synopsis(1): Awaiting the first snowfall, Cicely is alive with activity as folks begin the traditions of preparing for the harsh Alaskan winter. Holling, in charge of digging graves before the ground freezes, obtains a count of who may need one. Believing her body is "winding down," Nedra Larkin (guest star Harriet Medin) gives her name for the list. Upset at his friend's insistence on dying, Joel stubbornly examines Nedra and gives her a clean bill of health. Unfortunately, she dies from old age and becomes the first friend and patient Dr. Fleischman has ever lost, leaving him feeling bewildered and helpless.

Reminiscing about their now dead love affair, Maurice walks down memory lane with Shelly. Because her relationship will Holling is so involved, Shelly is embarrassed that she ever had feelings for Maurice, and denies she ever said "I love you." After hearing Shelly's negation of special memory, he becomes depressed and does not emerge from his house for days. To cure her guilty conscience and to reduce her Pinocchio-like growing nose, Shelly confesses to Maurice that she fibbed to save face.

In anticipation of being snowed in during winter, Maggie decides to finally spend some tim sprucing up her house. After painting, buying new furniture, adopting goldfish, and hanging wall tapestries, she still feels that something is missing. When Joel wanders in after the death of his friend, Maggie feels the perfect fit in the situation and admits to herself that what was missing was Joel.

Guest Stars: (7)
Dave the Cook - William J. White
Nedra Larkin - Harriet Medin
Allen Larkin - Rich Hawkins
Darlene Larkin - Sylvia Scott
Walt - Moultrie Patten
Owen - George Barril
Dennis - Domenic Deleo

Music: (3)
• It's You I Love - Beausoleil

• Ph'ahana - Peter Moon Band

• Te Deum (Dvorak)

• Black Boots & Blue Jeans - Wylie & Wild West Show

• Spanish Nights - Earl Klugh
[At the end with snow falling.]

Shelly's Earrings:
[A HUGE thanks to Ed in Spain for his help with the earrings and the awesome pictures!]

Additional Notes:
Nedra's dogs - two are named Whiskey and Tyrone. Mush comes from the French word March meaning To Go.

Maggie's chair - see it here (bottom of the page.)

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 for 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
6. Kevin Wright's Culture NX Quotes for Season 5.
7. MCA TV Promotional Kit dated 9/27/95
8. The Northern Exposure Book, 1st Ed. (1993) by Louis Chunovic

Created 2/19/02 • Updated 2/24/02

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