Marilyn wasn't even supposed to be on the show. But without her the show wouldn't have been the same. She had this gentle, firm but transcendent grasp on the human condition. She basically showed us this side of her when we needed it the most. Between her character and the "chris" character, I learned a lot of life lessons.
Marilyn was one of the most memorable things about this great series. It was like she walked among the rest of the cast on a higher plain of existence, and occasionally condescended to tell them when they were screwing up. And I believe all the Native Americans in the show were local people and untrained actors.
Marilyn had an inner beauty that was Devine. She was lovely and was so well acted by Elaine Miles. She put everyone under scrutiny and kept Joel under control. I loved her relationship with the mime artist, I thought that was so incredibly touching because she spoke so little yet with him she couldn't stop talking because he couldn't. But that is the lovely weirdness of Northern Exposure xx
Her name - Whirlwind - is richly ironic. She is really the calm center at the eye of the storm. The stories whirl all around her and she remains placid no matter what.
@@markrenfrow9873 we are binge watching now and almost done, but the episode we watched last night was the one where Marilyn visited the remove village where Joel was living. There was a scene where she and the expert Fisherman at that village were laughing and laughing. I told my husband that I dont' think we've ever seen Marilyn laugh out loud like that before. It was great.
My favorite all time show. I have all the seasons , found some at garage sales, silent auctions and bargain bins. Whenever I need a boost, I watch a few shows. Makes me right with the world for a while.
Marilyn, always seemed to understand better than anyone. With her quiet, calm, measured manner of speaking she seemed to express mystical wisdom. My favorite among many great characters on an unusual tv series.
@@jbrisby Ok, we are starting to get the clues that you've been sending: that you are racist, trash with a small brain and a small heart. Crawl back under your rock.
I know. They challenged the norms of each character too. Like the dream episode, where everyone was flipped. Ed was the at the high end of the social spectrum, and Maurice was a doorman.
Even as a little boy, I always liked hearing older people talk. Eventually, in my 20s I had a job delivering medical supplies to the elderly, which had a lot of off time between deliveries...a lot of seniors are lonely because they don't get too many visitors and can't get around too much, so if you start talking to them, they'll just go on and on. Sometimes I would just stand in their house for over a half hour while they told me all kinds of stories, but I wouldn't mind, because they had so many interesting things to tell. Now I see young people with this "Okay, boomer" nonsense and feel pretty bad that they don't appreciate the knowledge that is stored in the minds of those that came before them.
@@gregfalco4528 As a 67 yr old, I say thanks. But Marilyn is being listened to carefully in this scene because she's a woman, she's not old. It's a running theme in Northern Exposure. Women's opinions matter.
My favorite scene with Marilyn on that show was a man came into the clinic and the doctor was out so Marilyn asked him to sit on the table and she listened to his heart with a stethoscope. She put the stethoscope down and said "You're going to die" the man said "WHAT?" She asked "Do you smoke?" and he said "Yes". Marilyn repeated "You're going to die"
@@brandongarnett6602 There's a lot of Alaska that isn't frozen over. I'm speculating but I'd guess that over time there were many tribes that migrated to and from the Plains region and would have brought horses. Wikipedia could probably tell us all about it. Either way it doesn't really matter because the point of stories like this is they can apply to any person of any culture.
I always remember that moment when Joel left Alaska by walking north back to New York City and when he reached the city, it showed Marilyn and she said, "Goodbye"
With our TV and Radio fitting in as many words in thirty seconds as it can, we've forgotten the power of a story well told. We have speeches now, but not story telling. Elaine/ Marilyn had that exact gift, and I think they stumbled upon it in the show. They always used it in contrast to Rob/ Joel's hyperactive pace to life. It was my favorite show, is my favorite TV show ever. I don't watch TV anymore...it's all garbage.
@@MrRonutoob Occasionally you can find a jewel of a show here and there, but most of it is trash. You are right about that. Sadly it seems any time I find something thought provoking it is all too soon taken off the air. Good quality television just isn't valued these days.
It's an old Zen story. I heard it as the wise farmer and the foolish neighbor. The farmer's reply is always "Who knows what's good or bad?" and then emphasizes that the story has no end
I have the entire series of this show on DVD. My favorite show ever. It was northern exposure and Seinfeld for me and that was it. Never saw one episode of friends, couldn’t care less.
That I would believe. I've worked with a lot of Chinese, and the frustrating thing about them is how passive they are. They won't lift a finger to fix a small problem, but will continue doing what they're doing, almost like robots. They're exactly the kind of people who might come up with a philosophy of bland acceptance.
She was a great actress. I remember as a child watching an old being interviewed and how he viewed all the destruction and despoiling of the landscape .... he I think said they would go so far as to make life impossible for themselves and then the land would start to heal itself again . She exudes that same quiet kind of wisdom and humanity.
I can't remember the real name of the actress who played Marilyn, but I'll bet that the story she tells came from her background. We attended a pow wow for the American Indian Film festival long time ago and "Marilyn" was the pow wow princess, competed in one of the dance categories and her mother was competing in the dance as well. Elaine Miles was Marilyn. This may indeed come from Buddhist lore. I sing a song that has been attributed to buddhists, Native Americans & who knows who else. Wonderful show.
Not likely. You'd be surprised how much Native "culture" was learned from white people, and white people just let them get away with it. Truth is, there's not a lot of authentic Native culture left, and not because white people destroyed it either. They abandoned their culture; while white people seem to be the only ones left who are interested in preserving the fragments that are left.
That's the journey of the mystery of life in a nutshell...it seems sometimes like it takes a lifetime to gain the context needed to have a perspective thats true, yet the more insight you seek, the more you get than u bargain for.
I couldn't stop grinning on my visit, but the Brick wasn't open yet, workers at the side entrance said we could come in and take pictures, good small town folks.
I’m just gonna place my comment here in re: to the episode called: “Democracy in America” its original air date: Feb 24, 1992. I found this episode rather interesting. Democracy is incredibly important & critical for the people who live in the country of Canada & U.S.A. This is posted in case I can’t/don’t ever locate the original video.
Luck is in the eye of the beholder. The human condition is complicated and, although we try to capture it in through simple and small themes, we can't see the origin or the outcome.
I imagine that Darren Burrows probably cracked up more than once listening to Marilyn's long speech delivered in her classic monotone. How many takes did they do? // I just noticed the sound of clothes tumbling in the Laundromat's dryers. // My favorite Marilyn speech is when Doctor Fleischman wonders what she thinks of during the long day. He finally asks her and she answers, "Cleeps."
Love that one too. Another time when he asks what she thinks about she says “blue, mostly.” I say that to quote and honor Marilyn almost every time there’s conversation involving colors. Especially blue, mostly.
@@rr7firefly true it’s all cop or m.d shows now. How many times can you watch a policeman chase a suspect down the street on t.v ? It seems like that’s all their is anymore.
This story appears in many cultures around the world. Identical other than the cultural backdrop. If you read through the comments you will see it. People saying it came from here, it came from there. There are people among the Sufis who study stories around the world. The actual origin of this story is unknown but each culture assumes it began with them. And this is not the only story that appears all over the world.
I watched that show from the Beginning, In rerun, over and over, l know all the characters, I think Chris was my Favorite, I turned 30 along Maggie the Bush pilot. Marilyn , the Doctor Fleischman secretary drive me up the wall with lack of communication, her and her mom, which was her real mom
1:30 Watch the background move up & down. Ed would always give a small head shake to show him understanding something someone has said. He did this through the whole series. But here they steadied his head a bit in post production to make his head look like it wasn't nodding as much, but the background moves as a result.
twin peaks premiered 3 months before northern exposure. i guess it's just a weird coincidence that two shows with so many similar elements (although also being completely different) came out at practically the same time in history.
Marilyn wasn't even supposed to be on the show. But without her the show wouldn't have been the same. She had this gentle, firm but transcendent grasp on the human condition. She basically showed us this side of her when we needed it the most. Between her character and the "chris" character, I learned a lot of life lessons.
Perspective.
Marilyn was one of the most memorable things about this great series. It was like she walked among the rest of the cast on a higher plain of existence, and occasionally condescended to tell them when they were screwing up. And I believe all the Native Americans in the show were local people and untrained actors.
Graham Greene playing Leonard was an experienced actor. And he was an Oscar nominee.
It's amazing how profound Native Americans are, when white people are writing their lines for them.
*plane
@@jbrisby Hahahahaha - isn't it just.
@@jbrisbybut didn't NE have many different writers? Not all of them were "white". And what does that mean anyway? No one is from "Whitia".
This show was brilliant, and decades ahead of its time.
Marilyn had an inner beauty that was Devine. She was lovely and was so well acted by Elaine Miles. She put everyone under scrutiny and kept Joel under control.
I loved her relationship with the mime artist, I thought that was so incredibly touching because she spoke so little yet with him she couldn't stop talking because he couldn't. But that is the lovely weirdness of Northern Exposure xx
*divine* not devine.
Oh, Marilyn. All these years later, it’s still good to see you and Ed.
Her name - Whirlwind - is richly ironic. She is really the calm center at the eye of the storm. The stories whirl all around her and she remains placid no matter what.
Well said.
Quite profound.
{:-:-:}
I never thought of that; great observation.
Her vacation to Seattle, where she just calmly people-watched, was quintessential Whirlwind.
She rarely smiled, when she did it meant much more.
@@markrenfrow9873 we are binge watching now and almost done, but the episode we watched last night was the one where Marilyn visited the remove village where Joel was living. There was a scene where she and the expert Fisherman at that village were laughing and laughing. I told my husband that I dont' think we've ever seen Marilyn laugh out loud like that before. It was great.
My favorite all time show. I have all the seasons , found some at garage sales, silent auctions and bargain bins. Whenever I need a boost, I watch a few shows. Makes me right with the world for a while.
With the original soundtracks? They removed the original music because licensing ran out and it was too expensive to keep.
Same here! So brilliant and deep at times with philosophical shock on us, yet funny on silly stupid talks.
yeah whimsy and oxymoronic love Northern Exposure too
Amen...
The full series box set is now available.
Marilyn, always seemed to understand better than anyone. With her quiet, calm, measured manner of speaking she seemed to express mystical wisdom. My favorite among many great characters on an unusual tv series.
Too bad Indians don't act like that in real life. They're only wise when white people write their lines.
@@jbrisby Ok, we are starting to get the clues that you've been sending: that you are racist, trash with a small brain and a small heart. Crawl back under your rock.
The polar opposite personalities of Dr. Joel and Marilyn was pure gold!
I know. They challenged the norms of each character too. Like the dream episode, where everyone was flipped. Ed was the at the high end of the social spectrum, and Maurice was a doorman.
I remember this scene so well!
I especially love the way Ed is so respectfully asking her opinion, then seriously listens!!
Even as a little boy, I always liked hearing older people talk. Eventually, in my 20s I had a job delivering medical supplies to the elderly, which had a lot of off time between deliveries...a lot of seniors are lonely because they don't get too many visitors and can't get around too much, so if you start talking to them, they'll just go on and on. Sometimes I would just stand in their house for over a half hour while they told me all kinds of stories, but I wouldn't mind, because they had so many interesting things to tell.
Now I see young people with this "Okay, boomer" nonsense and feel pretty bad that they don't appreciate the knowledge that is stored in the minds of those that came before them.
@@gregfalco4528
As a 67 yr old, I say thanks. But Marilyn is being listened to carefully in this scene because she's a woman, she's not old.
It's a running theme in Northern Exposure. Women's opinions matter.
the sound of the dryer in the background gives this video 10 our of 10 stars. it hits the nostalgia string on the perfect note for me.
I was thinking the same thing.
My favorite scene with Marilyn on that show was a man came into the clinic and the doctor was out so Marilyn asked him to sit on the table and she listened to his heart with a stethoscope. She put the stethoscope down and said "You're going to die" the man said "WHAT?" She asked "Do you smoke?" and he said "Yes". Marilyn repeated "You're going to die"
NE oughta be required viewing for every single American. best show ever.
I watched S1E1 with my 15 year old son a few weeks ago. Now we're on S3E13...
Marilyn is so beautiful and wise. She is a peaceful soul.
Let's all thank the white writers for creating such a wonderful character.
@@jbrisby white writers who copied the wisdom tales of the Native Americans. Yes let's thank them for making it available to us masses
@@jbrisbyu really seem to think u have a point, good for you
This is actually taken from a Zen Buddhist story but it is relevant for this great series.
I always thought the northern exposure writers were extremely bright, well read and informed ahead of their time
Ok that makes more sense because I don’t think Alaskan Natives had horse’s
@@brandongarnett6602 There's a lot of Alaska that isn't frozen over. I'm speculating but I'd guess that over time there were many tribes that migrated to and from the Plains region and would have brought horses. Wikipedia could probably tell us all about it. Either way it doesn't really matter because the point of stories like this is they can apply to any person of any culture.
@@brandongarnett6602 No natives had horses, until they stole them from the Europeans.
@@TGIFrank Plains Indians didn't have horses either, until they stole them from the Europeans.
amazing bit of northern exposure. like no other series
"if you don't want Ants... _Don't leave food out!"_ -Marilyn
I wish more people knew this show and lived by its wisdom but if it was more popular it wouldn't be so unique and special to me.
The show was a big hit, actually.
My 2 favorite characters.
I always remember that moment when Joel left Alaska by walking north back to New York City and when he reached the city, it showed Marilyn and she said, "Goodbye"
I wish I could have Elaine miles tell me a story for some reason I find her voice somewhat soothing like a native female mr Rodgers or something
With our TV and Radio fitting in as many words in thirty seconds as it can, we've forgotten the power of a story well told. We have speeches now, but not story telling. Elaine/ Marilyn had that exact gift, and I think they stumbled upon it in the show. They always used it in contrast to Rob/ Joel's hyperactive pace to life. It was my favorite show, is my favorite TV show ever. I don't watch TV anymore...it's all garbage.
She's my cousin and she's acting. IRL she's loud and funny.
Tachi-Yaqui Metal Native-Hu'usu 666- That's great, there, chief.
@@MrRonutoob Occasionally you can find a jewel of a show here and there, but most of it is trash. You are right about that. Sadly it seems any time I find something thought provoking it is all too soon taken off the air. Good quality television just isn't valued these days.
Same. Her voice is so soothing
I miss this show. She was so cute ❤
Beautiful. Beautifully spoken, delivered, written and remembered.
This story made a big impression on me and I think about and retell it often.
Maybe it's a good thing u do
It's an old Zen story. I heard it as the wise farmer and the foolish neighbor. The farmer's reply is always "Who knows what's good or bad?" and then emphasizes that the story has no end
I have the entire series of this show on DVD. My favorite show ever. It was northern exposure and Seinfeld for me and that was it. Never saw one episode of friends, couldn’t care less.
Whoever you are, I love you!!
@@angelikkax6353 right back Atcha! 😊
What episode is this?
One of my favorite TV shows.
The most beautiful scene of the entire series.
Except maybe Ruth Anne dancing on her own grave while she can!
@@WoodysAR Good point.
Marilyn was such a cutie 😊 . I just loved her cheeks
Thank you, Marilyn!
Love the sound of Ron's dryer in the background. Adds some drama.
Thank you. I miss this show.
Me too!
I always loved Marilyn - she was the show's center. :)
My brother and I loved this show, well written and warm.
I. MISS. THE. SHOW. SO. MUCH.
This series should be playing on Netflix or hulu
It is streaming on Amazon prime in 2024.
Listening to her is pure ASMR
Was thinking of this scene just the other day, which I had not seen since the night it aired. Thank you.
The Taoist story of the chinese farmer. Perfect!
I would not trust anything Chinese
That I would believe. I've worked with a lot of Chinese, and the frustrating thing about them is how passive they are. They won't lift a finger to fix a small problem, but will continue doing what they're doing, almost like robots. They're exactly the kind of people who might come up with a philosophy of bland acceptance.
She was a great actress. I remember as a child watching an old being interviewed and how he viewed all the destruction and despoiling of the landscape .... he I think said they would go so far as to make life impossible for themselves and then the land would start to heal itself again . She exudes that same quiet kind of wisdom and humanity.
I actually sat and had coffee with the guy in this scene when he was filming a show in chico, ca. Nice guy. His real hair color is blonde.
I can't remember the real name of the actress who played Marilyn, but I'll bet that the story she tells came from her background. We attended a pow wow for the American Indian Film festival long time ago and "Marilyn" was the pow wow princess, competed in one of the dance categories and her mother was competing in the dance as well. Elaine Miles was Marilyn. This may indeed come from Buddhist lore. I sing a song that has been attributed to buddhists, Native Americans & who knows who else. Wonderful show.
Elaine Miles, it says she was born in Oregon, of Cayuse/Nez ancestry. 😁
Not likely. You'd be surprised how much Native "culture" was learned from white people, and white people just let them get away with it. Truth is, there's not a lot of authentic Native culture left, and not because white people destroyed it either. They abandoned their culture; while white people seem to be the only ones left who are interested in preserving the fragments that are left.
No, the story is an old Buddhist story. This show was written by white writers.
That's the journey of the mystery of life in a nutshell...it seems sometimes like it takes a lifetime to gain the context needed to have a perspective thats true, yet the more insight you seek, the more you get than u bargain for.
Loved seeing her on Last of Us
Been looking for this forever
Thought it was a story Joseph Campbell told in power of myth
Many thanks!
This story is an all time classic. It should be taught in preschool.
Loved my visit to Roslyn, WA and getting dinner at The Brick.
I couldn't stop grinning on my visit, but the Brick wasn't open yet, workers at the side entrance said we could come in and take pictures, good small town folks.
Fav scene of Marilyn Whirlwind (actress: Elaine Miles~Tlingit, Raven Clan) 🪶
That is a Zen Koan of a show 🙏
Well, now I’m crying.
I’m just gonna place my comment here in re: to the episode called: “Democracy in America” its original air date: Feb 24, 1992. I found this episode rather interesting. Democracy is incredibly important & critical for the people who live in the country of Canada & U.S.A. This is posted in case I can’t/don’t ever locate the original video.
The god of chance and circumstance is never clear. One action affects another and so on and so on.
I've heard that story many many times before. I was always told it was a Chinese story.
... in a laundromat no less, with the sound of the drying clothes in the background. Transcendant wisdom juxtaposed with the mudane everyday life.
And, thus, why, 'only time will tell.'
superb writing
Maybe NE will come back now that she pops up in S1 E6 of The Last of Us. ?
Marilyn had a Gorgeous head of hair, and was very pretty when she smiled
Luck is in the eye of the beholder. The human condition is complicated and, although we try to capture it in through simple and small themes, we can't see the origin or the outcome.
I imagine that Darren Burrows probably cracked up more than once listening to Marilyn's long speech delivered in her classic monotone. How many takes did they do? // I just noticed the sound of clothes tumbling in the Laundromat's dryers. // My favorite Marilyn speech is when Doctor Fleischman wonders what she thinks of during the long day. He finally asks her and she answers, "Cleeps."
@Pam Schobelock Yes, it was paperclips. But I remember Marilyn answering Joel with that one word, CLEEPS. He had to figure out what she meant.
Love that one too. Another time when he asks what she thinks about she says “blue, mostly.” I say that to quote and honor Marilyn almost every time there’s conversation involving colors. Especially blue, mostly.
@@ralphdesmond Life after the tv show "Northern Exposures" just isn't the same.
@@rr7firefly true it’s all cop or m.d shows now. How many times can you watch a policeman chase a suspect down the street on t.v ? It seems like that’s all their is anymore.
She had the wisdom of an old soul..
This story appears in many cultures around the world. Identical other than the cultural backdrop.
If you read through the comments you will see it. People saying it came from here, it came from there.
There are people among the Sufis who study stories around the world. The actual origin of this story is unknown but each culture assumes it began with them.
And this is not the only story that appears all over the world.
One distinct memory from this great show was Fleischman calling Marilyn guileless. Without guile.
O M G this story is in the paul McKenna I have been listening to.
Favorite line in this series was by Jack Black " Total Kibble"
I watched that show from the Beginning, In rerun, over and over, l know all the characters, I think Chris was my Favorite, I turned 30 along Maggie the Bush pilot. Marilyn , the Doctor Fleischman secretary drive me up the wall with lack of communication, her and her mom, which was her real mom
I liked her eagle story
This is the Chinese farmer story.
This is actually an old zen fable with the words changed up a bit. It’s called ‘Is That So?’
This is the story from the Tao called the Farmer.
This was great.
Even the camera is nodding in agreement at the end
I miss Marilyn and her "Galactic Void Of Disapproval"
Oh, do I love NE!
1:30 Watch the background move up & down.
Ed would always give a small head shake to show him understanding something someone has said. He did this through the whole series.
But here they steadied his head a bit in post production to make his head look like it wasn't nodding as much, but the background moves as a result.
At least I *_think_* that's what they did here. Perhaps I'm wrong.
It was just an error in this clip. I'm watching the actual episode as I type. His head nodded like usual, but the camera/background remained still.
Marilyn went on an adventure in New York City. Joel went to New York to find her.
rehashing this old Taoist tale made the show kinda deep.
Best advice. SF
I really miss this show. I want to see a redo but it will never be the same. what a great show.
Are there full episodes anywhere?
Charlie's War: "We'll see."
I miss the filming your tv era of UA-cam
I wonder if people now would have the patience to watch this.
Im here because of The Last of Us
Brilliant
Taken from a Chinese story/fable I believe
Lol i recently watched a movie where they told the same story but it was with people from Feudal Japan. Can't remember the movie anymore.
Charlie Wilson's War has the same story. Philipp Seymour Hoffman tells it from an Asian perspective.
I didn't know Rosanne was on that show
This is an old Buddhist story. Still good.
Throughout my life everything showed me its not-fun side including things that looked lucky at first.
What episode is this?
How's the laundry coming along?
Did Alaskan Natives have horses?
No natives had horses until they stole them from the European settlers.
Exposer?
Lol You have a good eye! I just saw that. 😉
And so castles made of sand....
did David Lynch copy this show with Twin Peaks ?
twin peaks premiered 3 months before northern exposure. i guess it's just a weird coincidence that two shows with so many similar elements (although also being completely different) came out at practically the same time in history.
there are, however, obviously tongue-in-cheek references to twin peaks made in a couple of northern exposure episodes
That's profound.
{:-:-:}
Can you help me with the episode number of this scene? I didn't find it. This is my favorit..
S5 - Episode 14; scene is towards end
@@brianmcUtube the episode is "a bolt from the blue" ed gets struck by lightening.
@@calvinwebb7989 He didn't need any lightening, he's already white.
could this story be told any sloowwwer
i wish! good idea
Clothes dryer in the background?
Yes, Marilyn and Ed are in the laundromat when this conversation takes place.
such a soothing sound
He wost famous quote:
I want a VACATION
I remember that episode; she sat on a bench in Seatle and just watched people going about their business...typical of her character.
" I want an ADVENTURE."
The song they play while she explores Seattle moved into my top 10!!