6.12 Mi Casa, Su Casa

Joel: Dr. Joel Fleischman in nature. Not exactly the man you knew. He couldn't see past the Hudson River if he tried. He like his fish smoked or preferable hand sliced from Zabars on a sliced bagel served with onions. Nature, to him, was an irritant. Birds didn't sing, they woke him up. A body of water wasn't life, it was a golf hazard.. (6)

Original Air Date(2): January 11, 1995

Production Number: 77811

Written by(1): Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess

Directed by(1): Dan Attias

Log line(1): Marilyn travels to Manonash for a potlatch and questions Joel's conception of himself; Maurice leaves Ed in charge while he's off on a hunting trip, and Shelly and Holling contemplate purchasing their first home.

Synopsis(1): When Marilyn comes to Manonash for a potlatch, she silently notices the changes that have occurred in Joel, from his manner of dress to his ability to adapt to a remote and primitive lifestyle. Meanwhile, Joel feels it necessary to convince Marilyn that he's a changed man and reverts back to old behaviors, talking away as Marilyn sits as the "queen of silence." She feels he has not changed whatsoever until she sees the progress he is making through a wooden bowl he carved with painstaking detail and patience. Marilyn touches him - by the compliment of a gift of babiches she made with goose feathers "to help him go lightly through life."

Ed is overwhelmed and awed by the scope of his charge when Maurice asks him to house sit while he is away on a hunting trip. Ed is reserved when first left alone in the expansive house, but soon adjusts and begins to enjoy the luxurious atmosphere. Continuing Maurice's policy of "mi casa su casa," Ed entertains guests the entire time, raiding Maurice's kitchen and wine cellar and ordering extravagant flowers for a dinner party. With his ego inflated while basking in the party glow, he begins adopting Maurice's ways including wearing his clothes and being bossy and condescending towards his friends. When Maurice returns home unexpectedly early, Ed is humbled as Maurice chastises him for his ridiculous behavior.

Shelly and Holling are working with Maggie to find a house to buy so they can move out from above the bar but Holling finds error with every one, no matter how insignificant the problem may be. When Maggie pushes Holling to face facts that he really doesn't want to buy a house, he realizes she's right. Shelly is furious at his selfishness and returns to one of the houses they had been close to buying to see what it would feel like to live there. Surprisingly, she experiences feelings of loneliness and emptiness in the house, and ends up agreeing with Holling to stay in their cozy apartment above the bar.

Details(2): Joel's new look: matted hair, animal skins, caribou mukluks and the ever present mustard sweater.

Manonash Cuisine: Ootkut roots, black bear with fat, beaver tail, dried ducks, geese, Dall sheep, stewed rabbit, salmon.

Ed's spread: '17 Port, '73 Margaux, Kobe beet, potatoes boulangere, carmelized shallots, lobster ravioli, baked Alaska, French tulips.

Most Memorable Quote: "Writers. Bunch of babies."

Guest Stars: (1)
Phil Capra - Paul Provenza
Michelle Capra - Teri Polo
Owen - George Barril (also appeared in 5.6, 5.10, 5.17, 5.18, 5.19, 6.2, 6.15, 6.17 and 6.23)
Villager - Alvin A. Casimir Jr.
Joey - Pajuta Conway-Hourie
Officer Barbara Semanski - Diane Delano
Hayden Keyes - James L. Dunn
Estelle - Teresa Steinley
Two-Clocks - Sam Vlahos

Music: [Help! Email me if you know these missing tunes.]
• cajun tune in the Brick when Ed talks to Shelly about Maurice's house took over him.

• more cajun at Joey's party at the end when Marilyn asks Joel to dance

Shelly's Earrings:
Fish? [Holling and her go though Barbara's house for another walk-through.]

Bunch of grapes? [Argues with Officer Semanski about the picninc table.]
White houses [Talks to Ed about being in Maurice's house.]

Additional Notes :
Marilyn makes Joel some babiches with goose feathers to help him go lightly through life.

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 3/2/02

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