Four series that deserve a streaming home
More small-town escapes for fans of ‘Virgin River’ and ‘Schitt’s Creek’
Daydreams of packing up the pieces of your life in a suitcase and leaving it all behind — for the clean air, the big yard, and the quirky but can’t-do-without neighbours is not an uncommon delusion.
Nor, an unheard-of real-life phenomenon. Most of us citydwellers can recount the now mythologized tale of at least one friend who left behind all the conveniences for a new lease on rustic or suburban life.
Could our fascination with this way of life be part of the attraction to fictional places like Schitt’s Creek or Virgin River?
Last September, “Schitt’s Creek,” a little Canadian show about the oddly lovable Rose family who fell from great financial fortune only to find themselves, literally and figuratively in the less than charmingly named small town, broke the record for most Emmy’s won for one single season, their sixth and final one.
And, Netflix’s runaway hit “Virgin River,” which sees a nurse, Mel Monroe, leaving her sad but sun-soaked life in L.A. for a cabin and a fresh start in a small town nestled in the forests of Northern California, has remained one of the mostwatched streaming series in Canada since the second season launched in November 2020.
This is the year of daydreamers leaping after all. Home sales in suburban and rural Canada are trending. As Re/max so poetically puts it, “households are considering significant lifestyle changes by relocating to less-dense cities and neighbourhoods.”
So, places like Goodwood, Ontario (a.k.a. Schitt’s Creek) or the naturally wondrous locations in the vicinity of Vancouver like Squamish and Snug Cove, Bowen Island (a.k.a. Virgin River) may be seeing more former city folk in their scenic thoroughfares.
So, daydreamers and series streamers, if you are looking for more fictional towns to explore and want to live vicariously through characters who have hit the open road, these are four shows that, curiously, are not streaming anywhere right now, but should be.
Early 2021 is the time to bring these shows back. Again, as Re/ Max so elegantly put it, “despite the disruption of the virus, consumers are feeling optimistic.” With more than half of us flirting with the idea of finding a new home, each of these shows acts as one long pitch for a fresh start.
Northern Exposure (1990-1995)
This year marked 30 years since the premiere of this twotime Peabody — winning show (for episodes “I’ll Fly Away” and “Cicely”). Its cast is perhaps the original set of eccentrics of which all shows afterwards modelled themselves (even though “Twin Peaks” premiered the same year).
Aside from the memorable credit sequence that features a moose making its way around town, “Northern Exposure” is remembered for being a surprisingly meaningful dramedy about a city slicker who finds himself about as far as you can get from Flushing, Queens. The pilot episode finds Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow) fresh out of a medical residency in Manhattan on his way to Anchorage, Alaska to fulfil a four-year contract. When he arrives, he is told that the city is full of doctors (this can only be fiction) so he is being reassigned to the “Riviera of Alaska” the remote (and fictional) town of Cicely.
Why “Northern Exposure” is not currently streaming isn’t exactly clear. Reports point to licensing fees for its soundtrack as being reason number one. The DVD version apparently does not include the original soundtrack.
In 2018 there were talks of a revival in development at CBS. Morrow was said to be an executive producer on the project, which could have been slated for 2020. Chances are a script exists somewhere. Whether it will make it to the pilot stage is just another 2020 mystery we will have to live with. Although giving second life to the original series on a streaming platform would be a good way to introduce the beloved show to a new generation.
Suburgatory (2011-2014)
This half-hour, single-camera sitcom is a suburban satire rich in zingers and quick quips — you may miss one if you are texting or online shopping while watching.
This city slicker in suburbia story begins when George (Jeremy Sisto), a single father, finds condoms in the room of his smart and pretty sensible, but sometimes high-and-mighty, teenage daughter Tessa (Jane Levy). Not wanting her to grow up too fast in Manhattan and unconvinced that the condoms aren’t hers, he uproots them both from the city to the wellkept and wealthy (and fictional) suburb of Chatswin.
From there, the Altman’s have to figure their way through the cul-de-sac culture and customs of their new town. The series is narrated by the sober and sanctimonious voice of Tessa, “It’s pretty ironic that a box full of rubbers lands (her) in a town full of plastic.” Though, despite her resistance, she does find a home in Chatswin.
Overall, “Suburgatory” was critically well-received and loved by those who did watch it. It’s worth bringing back merely for the performances. The cast of Chatswinians includes Ana Gasteyer (“SNL”), Chris Parnell (“SNL”), Allie Grant (“The Goldbergs”), Carly Chaikin (“Mr. Robot”), Cheryl Hines (“Curb your Enthusiasm) and more.
Men in Trees (2006-2008)
In the (fictional) town of Elmo, Alaska, the ratio of men to women is 10 to 1 — upending the usual sort of dynamics a relationship coach like Marin Frist (Anne Heche) advises upon.
She’s got everything going for her when she is on the plane to Alaska to give one of her wildly successful Ted-talk-like love sermons. She’s a best-selling author with a Manhattan apartment, she has legions of fans, and she’s getting married.
Before the plane even hits the ground, she learns that her fiancé is having second thoughts (and seeing another woman). And, the spiral begins. Vodka shot, please. Instead of letting her circumstances defeat her, she decides to remain in town to learn more about men and write a new book. She is embraced by the locals, a cast of one-of-a-kind stalwarts who in turn help Marin embrace bear spray and small-town life, including Patrick, a handsome and rugged biologist (James Tupper).
In 2019, as part of the ATX Television Festival’s cancelled-too-soon presentation, the cast and creators of “Men In Trees” were reunited. At that time, series creator Jenny Bicks declared that she is open to reviving the series. She addressed why the show may have been cancelled too soon, pointing out that it followed reruns of “Grey’s Anatomy” and then the timing of the 2007-2008 writers’ strike did it in.
With the TV landscape being so different now, and with the success of these fish-out-of-water tales, a rerun of the series on a streaming network would be a good test to see how warm the waters are for a revival.
Honourable Mention: Hart of Dixie (2011-2015)
It’s not so much of a throwback. But, after the year 2020, it does seem like this show belongs in an altogether different era.
It is another doctor-in-asmall-town story that starts in Manhattan. Although, instead of heading up north, this doc heads south. After failing to land the fellowship of her choice in New York, Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson) is headed to the quaint and usually quiet town of Bluebell, Ala.
Her arrival shakes things up in many ways, as fans will fondly remember.
While Bluebell isn’t a real place, tourists can at least pinpoint it to a radius of 50 km outside Mobile, Ala.
If you were to somehow gain access to Netflix USA, you may have been watching it up until Dec. 15. But if it heads to CBS All-access or HBO Max next, as has been rumoured, we could be watching it in Canada soon. It could be your first post-“virgin River” or “Schitt’s Creek” watch.