'Northern Exposure.' I loved that show; I loved the way it was able to have episodes where somebody finds a woolly mammoth, he calls the museum in New York, they send a guy out, and the mammoth's gone because someone ate it. To me, that was everything I ever wanted to do. That show mixed emotion, humor and the surreal all at once.

The quote, "'Northern Exposure.' I loved that show; I loved the way it was able to have episodes where somebody finds a woolly mammoth, he calls the museum in New York, they send a guy out, and the mammoth's gone because someone ate it. To me, that was everything I ever wanted to do. That show mixed emotion, humor and the surreal all at once," comes from Edward Kitsis, a television writer and producer known for his work on shows like Lost and Once Upon a Time. Kitsis expresses his admiration for the TV show Northern Exposure, which aired in the 1990s and was known for its quirky, offbeat storytelling and blending of the surreal, humor, and emotion.

The meaning of the quote is that Kitsis greatly appreciated how Northern Exposure could balance absurdity with deep emotional resonance. The example he gives, where a woolly mammoth is found, but then disappears because someone ate it, captures the show’s unique ability to mix surreal elements with grounded, human moments. This blending of the bizarre with emotional depth is what made the show stand out to him, as it was able to deliver both humor and meaning in the same story.

Kitsis highlights the surreal nature of the show, where outlandish events could happen without disrupting the emotional core of the narrative. He also appreciates how the show’s absurdity never undermined its character development or emotional moments. For him, this balance of humor, emotion, and surrealism was the ideal mix of storytelling, a quality he admired and aspired to incorporate into his own work.

Ultimately, Kitsis’ reflection on Northern Exposure reveals his admiration for stories that can embrace the strange while still providing emotional depth and humor. It reflects a storytelling style that’s willing to be unconventional and unexpected, yet still emotionally grounded—an approach that would later influence his own projects.