Northern Disclosure – Rerun: S3E4 "Animals 'R Us" with Anne Gordon

Podcast: Northern Disclosure (Evergreen Podcasts)
Hosts: Rob Morrow & Janine Turner
Guest: Anne Gordon (Animal Trainer for Northern Exposure)
Original Air Date: February 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this rerun episode, co-stars Rob Morrow and Janine Turner revisit "Animals ‘R Us," the fourth episode of Northern Exposure's third season. Special guest Anne Gordon, the beloved animal trainer on the show, joins them for a frank, fun, and memory-filled conversation about the unique challenges and joyful moments of working with animals in Cicely, Alaska. The hosts reflect on the episode's blend of quirky, heartfelt storytelling and share rich behind-the-scenes tales—from wrangling malamutes and ostriches to the technical (and spiritual) magic that animals brought to the series.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Episode Recap and Initial Impressions

• Synopsis:
  • Maggie (Janine) finds a stray malamute she believes is her late boyfriend Rick reincarnated.
  • Maurice (Barry Corbin) schemes to get rich breeding ostriches, involving Marilyn.
  • Ed creates a film about Cicely.
    [03:08] Rob Morrow summarizes the episode
• Tone: Both hosts agree the episode is "quintessential Northern Exposure," with warmth, eccentricity, and a touch of magical realism.
  • Janine Turner: "What a sweet show. I think the show was just quintessential... quintessential Northern Exposure." [01:55]

2. The Quirky Heart of the Episode

• Janine relates Maggie's arc to her real experience with believing in spiritual animal signs after her father’s death.
  • "A lot of people believe when their loved one dies that they see something in nature that they feel is the essence of that potentially that person..." [06:02–07:32]
• Rob notes the episode's gentle mix of surrealism and native spirituality, praising how the series mines those cultural elements so deftly. [07:46]

3. Creative Choices & Iconic Moments

• Music & Montage: The use of “Natural Woman” and “My Boyfriend’s Back” elevates Maggie’s scenes with the dog—a favorite among cast, crew, and fans.
  • Rob: "They use music very well... your montage with Natural Woman, Aretha's song, is pretty priceless." [09:26]
• Film within a film: Ed’s black-and-white tribute to Cicely is lauded for its beauty and for giving screen time to lesser-known town residents.
  • Janine: "Those shots of all the Native Americans in the window... That was very Woody Allen." [08:46]
• Absurdist Humor: Shelly’s excited “Oh, I love weddings” remark about Maggie possibly marrying the dog is a highlight.
  • [10:28]

4. Bringing in Anne Gordon: Life as Animal Trainer

• Anne’s Journey:
  • Studied biology and animal behavior; first woman in Seattle's carnivore zookeeper department [14:11].
  • Fell into film animal training by “being a big fish in a small pond” in the Pacific Northwest.
• Anne today: Now leads “Whale and Dolphin Wisdom Retreats” worldwide.
  • Find her at: [WhaleWisdomRetreats.com] [14:03]
• Animal training insights:
  • Often, trainers remain anonymous despite animals being pivotal to the show’s setting and authenticity.
  • “It’s pivotal to the organic sense of the town.” – Janine [17:37]
  • Trainers coordinate with directors through nuanced communication—they're “interpreters” between humans and animals. [22:37]

5. Behind-the-Scenes Animal Tales

• Wolfie the Malamute (“Rick”):
  • Was specifically trained for his nuanced role—barking, stretching, not eating peppers, etc. [20:30]
  • Anne had only one dog (“no backup dog”), making performance pressure high, especially for bite scenes:
    • “He was a sweet, sweet dog. And so I knew the bite scenes. He didn't want to bite.” [20:30]
  • Editing is crucial for making animal performances seamless. [21:28]
• Ostrich Adventures:
  • Ostrich scenes were filmed at the birds’ actual home to avoid traumatizing them.
  • Barry Corbin (Maurice) had a bird phobia from childhood attack—had to act through real anxiety.
    • "He came to me... I hate birds. My grandfather's rooster attacked me as a three year old." – Anne [28:03]
  • John Corbett impulsively entered the ostrich pen—Anne “saved his life,” as ostriches are dangerous.
    • "One kick from an ostrich can disembowel a lion..." [29:43]
• Morty the Moose:
  • Iconic credit sequence moose was a bottle-raised orphan found via Washington State U’s research.
  • Moose’s performance motivated with willow branches and bananas; town was fenced during filming.
    • "If you tell me no, I'm going to say, well, how can I make it happen? I'll make it happen." – Anne [37:33]
• Bears & Horses:
  • Bear scenes required intense safety (electric “hot” fence tricked bears) [41:53].
  • Horses’ sensitivity: actors’ nerves would subconsciously cue horses to move; John Corbett learned this first-hand. [45:50]

6. Subtle Craft of Animal Training

• Training dogs for emotional cues—ears back, whines, etc.—comes from creating a play space and using familiar tone/context. [23:25]
• Anne’s “biggest goal was to make it easy for the actors to work with animals without seeing the seams.”
  • “My job as an animal trainer... I wanted to compliment and make your job easier." – Anne [51:50]
• Animals on set were meant to look and feel real—not like trained show animals.
  • Janine: "You never felt any of the signaling that sometimes is obvious. So you did a wonderful job." [51:05]

7. Reflections on the Show’s Writing & Culture

• All three praise the writing, especially its unexpected depth and recurring theme of "confrontation with the other."
  • Rob (quoting Dan Attias): "Northern Exposure is a confrontation with the other. It's always going against... the thing that's not expected." [33:18]
• The universal “wisdom” among Cicely’s quirky townsfolk—everyone from Ed to Marilyn to RuthAnne—created the series' unique flavor. [30:35]
• Animals add organic texture and spiritual resonance to Cicely, even though main characters themselves never had permanent animal companions. [51:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "A lot of people believe when their loved one dies that they see something in nature... It's Dad. This bird is just sitting, having dinner with us."
  – Janine Turner, [07:32]
• "They use music very well... when Rick comes in... they're playing in the background 'My Boyfriend’s Back.' And your montage with 'Natural Woman,' Aretha's song, is pretty priceless."
  – Rob Morrow, [09:26]
• "One kick from an ostrich can disembowel a lion."
  – Anne Gordon, [30:05]
• "If you tell me no, I'm going to say, well, how can I make it happen? I'll make it happen."
  – Anne Gordon, [37:33]
• "Northern Exposure is a confrontation with the other."
  – Rob Morrow (quoting Josh Brand), [33:18]
• "My job as an animal trainer... I wanted to compliment and make your job easier."
  – Anne Gordon, [51:50]
• "Animals are us."
  – Janine Turner, [53:10]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [03:08] – Episode synopsis & first impressions
• [06:02–07:32] – Spiritual/animal connections: Janine’s bluebird story
• [08:06] – Ed’s film within the film & directorial homages
• [13:14–14:11] – Anne Gordon’s career journey
• [16:02–22:37] – Animal training for TV: stresses and techniques
• [23:25] – How to train emotion into a dog’s body language
• [28:03–30:05] – Barry Corbin’s ostrich phobia; ostrich safety
• [37:12–41:07] – The making of the iconic moose credits
• [41:35–44:44] – Bear and horse wrangling stories
• [51:05–53:10] – On making animal scenes seamless
• [53:10] – Wrap up with Anne, gratitude for her work

Final Thoughts

The episode stands as a love letter to the formative (and sometimes chaotic) role animals played in Northern Exposure, weaving together poignant memories, practical filmmaking insights, and classic behind-the-scenes chaos. Anne Gordon’s stories illuminate just how much invisible work goes into making the magic of Cicely feel genuinely wild, tender, and real. Listeners come away not only with a new appreciation for the show's animal “cast,” but also for the show's enduring wit, warmth, and originality.