6.6 Zarya

Mikhail (Joel): As a scientist, I am not sure anymore that life can be reduced to a class struggle, to dialectical materialism, or any set of formulas. Life is spontaneous and it is unpredictable, it is magical. I think that we have struggled so hard with the tangible that we have forgotten the intangible. (6)

Original Air Date(2): October 31, 1994

Production Number: 77719

Written by(1): Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider

Directed by(1): Jim Charleston

Log line(1): Ed employs storytelling techniques of an old tale about Russian treaty negotiations between Princess Anastasia (guest star Tushka Bergen) and Lenin (guest star Christopher Neame) in Cicely to cure Marilyn's pain in her leg.

Synopsis(1): Sensing there is a link between the pain Marilyn is having in her leg and a story her grandfather told her, Ed wants to film Marilyn recounting the story. Although she doesn't recall the ending, Ed wants to start the story and see if it will create itself. Afterthe first day of filming as Ed watches the work at home, a negative scratch on the film parts like a curtain into a vision of the tale.

It all began when Marilyn's grandfather, Emery Whirlwind escorted Princess Anastasia to Cicely. She had fled to Alaska after her family was killed in the Russian Revolution and was coming for secret talks with the leader of the Revolution, Lenin. Lenin was hoping to get the people back on his side since Socialism wasn't working and many Russians liked the late Czar so the support of his daughter would be of great help. While the talks drag on, Emery is enchanted with Anastasia and gives her an engraved comb for her hair made of whale bone. Touched by this and moved by the openness of the townsfolk, Anastasia asks him to meet her to go kiting. And, at that point, Marilyn's memory fades.

When Ed is asleep, the moviola mysteriously begins running and the vision continues. Anastasia has a glorious time flying kites and is reluctant to return to her life. As everyone sits impatiently waiting, they rush back on bicycles when she veers out of control. With an injured leg, he and the princess return too late and the treaty is lost. She leaves Cicely and that is the last he ever saw her.

Meanwhile, between political debates, a great passion develops between the princess' lady-in-waiting, Marina and Lenin's doctor, Mikhail. Jazz is brought to Cicely and the world's first off-road vehicle is developed.

Character Crossovers:
Joel - Mikhail, Lenin's Doctor
Maggie - Marina
Maurice - Mace
Ed - Emery Whirlwind
Holling - Abe
Shelly - Sally
Chris - Kit
Ruth-Anne - Rhoda

Guest Stars: (1)
Anastasia Romanoff - Tushka Bergen
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin - Christopher Neame
Feliks Dzerzhinsky - Michael Des Barres
Walt - Moultrie Patten
Hayden Keyes - James L. Dunn
Privy Councilor - Ian Abercrombie
Capt. of the Guard - Sergi Mihailov
Soviet Officer - Andrew Hammoude
Stunt coordinator - Fred Lerner
Stunts - A. Michael Learner, Anne Ellis

Details(2): Use of natural light and low lit sets create the mood; ornate costumes and period hair and makaup bring the piece to life.

"Zarya" -- "Cicely II" with a twist.

Marilyn's grandfather is Emery Whirlwind, guide and trapper -- known by his people as "Tuhnuk", meaning "back".

Anastasia Romanov -- better known as Empress of all Russia, Princess of Livonia and Courland, Sovereign of Novgorod and Duchess of Ditsmarsen and Oldenburg.

Everything Anastasia owns can fit into 40 steamer trunks.

Countess Orlova's table included: meat pies, smoked salmon, caviar (red and black), sweet cakes, dried fruit, black bread and tea.

MOST MEMORABLE QUOTE: "We've struggled so hard with the tangible, we've forgotten the intangible".

Music: [Help! Email me if you know these missing tunes.]
• classical piece when Lenin arrives in Cicely.

• jazz piece in the Bearded Nail (a group from a bordello in New Orleans).

• piece in the Brick when Ed and Marilyn walk in.

• classical piece while Mikhail walks in the rain and finds Marina.

Additional Notes :
This was supposed to be the season finale for Season 5 but wasn't completed in time - it falls in that place in the Production Bible.

Bearded Nail - this was the name of the Brick in the movie The Runner Stumbles, also filmed in Roslyn, WA in 1979.

Ruth-Anne gives Walt Syrup of Heroin for his cough.

The agreement is known as the Treaty of Cicely.

Zarya means "sunrise". From Joseph G. in the My-Cicely email list:
Zarya' (Sunrise) was the radio call sign adopted by Soviet mission control when Yuri Gagarin went into orbit. The name has persisted, and endured the breakup of the Soviet Union. Originally, Zarya was located at the Baikonur cosmodrome but since 1973, and the Soyuz 12 mission, Spaceflight Control Centre ('TsUP') has been at Kaliningrad, a town near Moscow. Following the break-up of the USSR, the town was re-named Korolyov in honour of the first 'Chief Designer'. Zarya' was the name actually painted on the side of the first space station to reach orbit, even though the station's name was changed to 'Salyut' shortly before launch. The name 'Zarya' now adorns the first element of the International Space Station (ISS), which was launched into orbit by Protonrocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome 1998 November.

Footnotes and additional research:
1. MCA TV Promotional Kit dated 9/27/95
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
6. Kevin Wright's Culture NX Quotes for Season 6.

Created 2/20/01 • Updated 2/21/02

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