5.16 Northern Hospitality

 

 

 

 


Original Air Date(1): February 28, 1994 • Production number (7): 77716
Written by(1):
Barbara Hall and Jordan BuddeDirected by(1): Oz Scott


Maggie: “You haven't vacuumed, Fleischman? What's this, petrified corn chips?”

Log line (1): Maggie teaches Joel a lesson in social etiquette; Chris is shaken when a KBHR listener blames him in his suicide note; Shelly takes Randi to Canada to see her roots.
Synopsis (1):

After making a glutton of himself at one of Adam's (guest star Adam Arkin) famous dinner parties, Joel becomes a bit ruffled by his chastisements. Maggie later explains that his comments referred to everyone's observation that Joel never reciprocates dinner parties. Completely clueless as to the custom, Joel resigns himself to throw a party. Unfortunately, he only puts forth a halfhearted effort that does not go unnoticed by his mildly annoyed guests. Afterward, when Joel obsesses that he may have poisoned the group with bad mushrooms, Maggie counsels him that he is simply feeling guilty for giving a lousy party and he can learn from this experience.

Chris, one morning, plays an eerie, melancholy song that he used to miss while doing time. Meanwhile, a listener, Edgar Hankins, commits suicide, leaving a note blaming Chris for the sad song he played on the radio. Grappling with the weight of his responsibility, Chris alters his play list to only upbeat tunes. After Adam berates him, and folks at a town meeting claim his new songs are boring, Chris rethinks his decision and brings the whole spectrum of emotions back to KBHR.

When Shelly finds out that Holling gave up his Canadian citizenship, she is flabbergasted that he feels no ties to Canada. Worried that Randi won't grow up knowing that country's beauty, Shelly takes a trip with the baby to visit a friend for Winterfest. Initially, she is overly enthusiastic about everything in Canada until she realizes that it is just another place and she built it all up in her mind. When Holling meets her as a surprise, she knows that it's love, not geography, that will give Randi a home.

Trivia
(Production Bible):

You know, I usually like it when Holling sings, but ...

WINE OF THE WEEK: An Australian Cabernet sauvignon

Guest character in search of a personality: EDNA HANCOCK

About this Joel is-worried-because-he-may-have-poisoned-his-dinner guests story, didn't we already do this in "Jules et Joel?" I think so. Remember Chris' Mea Culpa caller?

Viewers in Canada were up in arms over the perceived Canada-bashing. One viewer threatened a lawsuit for her emotional duress. Hey, it wasn't my favorite episode either, but it wasn't that bad.

Guest stars (9): Walt - Moultrie Patten
Adam - Adam Arkin
Mayor Edna Hancock - Rita Taggart
Iris - Ocean Hellman

Border guard - Bruce Baum
Professor Howard Mink - Burke Pearson
Store Clerk - Susan Conners
Townsperson - Krisha Fairchild (Also appeared in 3.23)
Townsperson - Craig Hunsenga
Woodsy Man - James L. Dunn
Music:
(Note music listed is from the original TV airings. The DVD may differ. )

Pencil Neck Geek - Freddie Blassie
[Edgar Hankins at his taxidermy desk.]

The Rain, the Park and Other Things - The Cowsills

Red Rubber Ball - The Cyrkle

26 Miles Across the Sea - The Four Preps

O Marie - Daniel Lanois

This Land is Your Land
[Holling sings as he "rescues" Shelly from Canada.]

Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix

Shelly’s Earrings:

Bunch of green balls - grapes? [Talks about being a Canadian with Holling.]
Maple leaves? [Talks to Adam, Dave & Holling about being Candian.]
Milk bottle and ? [At the Winterfest.]

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