5.19 The Gift of the Maggie

Maurice: The orchid, the aristocrat of the flower family. The most sophisticated plant on earth. Clearly a cut above. But, it's got petals like everybody else. The lowly daisy, the cheap carnation, half-baked azelia. Like these, the orchid needs warmth. It needs care and kindness to get by. These flowers need you people. No, I need you. (6)

Original Air Date(1): March 28, 1994

Production Number (7): 77717

Written by(1): Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess

Directed by(1): Pat McKee

Log line(1): Maurice learns about the give-and-take of friendship; Joel is depressed when he has no one to to "talk shop" with; Chris learns a life lesson from a benevolent deer.

Synopsis(1): When his furnace explodes, Maurice evacuates for a week to avoid asbestos. Holling insists that Maurice bunk with him and Shelley, but Maurice is uncomfortable there and he angers Holling by insisting on paying for room and board. Yet when Maurice makes a radio plea for temporary homes for his prize orchids, Holling is first in line to offer help.

Proud of correctly diagnosing a rare syndrome, Joel realizes he has no medical peers with whom to share his excitement. To ease his ensuing depression, Maggie arranges a dinner party with an internist from a nearby clinic, Pete Mellon (guest star Hank Stratton). Ed reveals that Maggie has bribed Pete with free flights to Juneau to spend time with Joel, who confronts her and confesses feeling like a pathetic fool. She admits trying to make him happy about being in Alaska and, thus, about their relationship.

Chris sights a deer in the scope of his hunting rifle. As they exchange stares, Chris can't pull the trigger. At home, a bottle of Buckhorn liquor waits on the doorstep. Puzzled, Chris returns to leave an apple on a stump as thanks. On his way home, he finds a fifty-dollar bill and the apple gone. Pondering the "meaningful coincidence," Chris leaves a second gift of a sack of grain. Departing, he stumbles and flings his rifle irretrievably deep into the river.

Guest Stars(7):
Walt - Moultrie Patten
Owen - George Barril
Elaine - Kia Sian
P.W. Stevens, Jr. - Fred Applegate
Lt. Commander Pete Melon, M.D. - Hank Stratton
Lilliane - Carol Rave

Music: (3)
• Menuett (Bach)

• On the Alamo - Benny Goodman

• Carlos

• Carninando Por La Calle - Gypsy Kings
[Joel talks to Commander Pete at Maggie's house.]

• The Cowboy Waltz - Great Western Orchestra

Shelly's Earrings:
Tropical birds [Puts Maurice to bed.]
Plate and silverware [Dinner with Maurice.]

Additional Notes:
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 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 5.
7. MCA TV Promotional Kit dated 9/27/95
8. The Northern Exposure Book, 1st Ed. (1993) by Louis Chunovic

Created 2/12/02

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