What if “Twin Peaks” was a surreal sitcom instead of a twisted mystery? It might look something like the classic CBS series “Northern Exposure,” which ran for six seasons beginning in 1990. Sure, David Lynch and Mark Frost brought some humor to “Twin Peaks,” but “Northern Exposure” is much more purely a sitcom with some similarly strange elements, and it’s a real treat. 

“Northern Exposure” follows Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow), a New York City doctor who had his med school tuition paid for on the promise that he would practice medicine for four years in the state of Alaska, which sorely needed doctors. He ends up in the tiny fictional town of Cicely, where he’ll be the town’s primary doctor despite being fresh out of med school. Cicely is a strange little town with a real cast of characters, and as Joel gets to know his new neighbors as they come through the doors of his clinic, he realizes that some of what’s happening in Cicely might actually be supernatural. Developed by “St. Elsewhere” creators Joshua Brand and John Falsey, “Northern Exposure” was a wonderfully weird look into one of America’s northernmost towns that pairs perfectly with the more terrifying tones of “Twin Peaks.” 

Though there are a few things that haven’t aged brilliantly, including the first few seasons’ treatment of its Indigenous characters, “Northern Exposure” still often feels ahead of its time. The story is relatively anti-capitalist, as one of the main villains is a bigoted businessman named Maurice Minnifield (Barry Corbin) who wants to turn a large swath of land near Cicely into the “Alaskan Riviera.” There’s also some positive queer representation via Ron (Doug Ballard) and Erick (Don McManus), a gay couple who own the Sourdough Inn and even spend one episode planning their wedding. While “Northern Exposure” doesn’t always do right by its marginalized characters because the show was made in the early 1990s and those were much less enlightened times, its heart usually feels like its in the right place (much like “Twin Peaks”). 

“Northern Exposure” is also delightfully weird, with elements that may or may not be supernatural and a huge cast of wacky characters. Though it never gets quite as bizarre as the infamous ending of “St. Elsewhere,” there’s plenty here that makes it more than the average ’90s sitcom. If you want a series with some beautiful shots of Washington vistas (that served as Alaska), lots of laughs, and a surprising amount of drama, then look no further than “Northern Exposure,” which is currently streaming on Prime Video. Tell the moose I sent you.