Text by Bruce Gallanther (Downtown Music Gallery, September 11, 2025) 

Aside from the five different Star Trek series, my favorite TV show of all time was—and still is—Northern Exposure. It is about a Jewish doctor who’s stuck in Alaska working for a small town of lovable misfits.

There is an episode called ‘War and Peace’ about a famed Russian singer named Nikolai who comes to town, enchants the customers/old friends at the Brick (the local bar), and whose sworn enemy is a local bigshot/former astronaut named Maurice Minifield, a wealthy/right-wing/radio station owner. They trade insults and eventually decide to duel with guns, but the duel is called off at the last minute.

Nikolai sings Irving Berlin‘s “What’ll I Do” (covered by Frank Sinatra) as the show closes, and it never fails to make me cry. I just watched the vid on YouTube, and I had a tear in my eye. The music to this song was also used as a theme song for Northern Exposure, and it always sounded somewhat familiar to me.

“What’ll I Do” is covered by Chris Dillingham. A toast to the way a song or melody can stir so much emotion from us. I still sing “Rank Stranger” to myself when I want to get in touch with my own deep emotions. Check out Bob Dylan’s version of this song on his ‘Down in the Groove’ album. Who loves you, Bubbies?!?! That’s me, MC-BruceLee