MovieChat Forums > Northern Exposure (1990) Discussion > Can we talk about Adam?

Can we talk about Adam?

posted 9 years ago by NotAnUndercoverCop
7 replies | jump to latest

It's established early that he's a compulsive liar. The same way his wife is a hypochondriac. In fact, Joel said she's, "The Mozart of hypochondriacs." But, the more we get to know Adam. The more his stories check out. Like if he says he knows some chef at some restaurant in some remote location. You bet your sweet ass he really knows them. But, then he goes and says something like, "I have seen transmitters disguised as nose hairs." So, he's clearly a bit off his rocker. I suppose not knowing if what he's saying is true or not is part of what makes him such an interesting character.

This is such an amazing show. I'm the middle of my 6th rewatch and I just can't get over how intelligent the writers of this show were. The things these characters say. It's pure genius.

[–] J-Street1 9 years ago

I think Adam likes to tell a good story from time to time to make his life all the more interesting. He's certainly been around the world, but he's fictionalized his adventures along the way.

I think the episode "Dateline: Cicely" speaks volumes of what he's about.

🏈

[–] JC_Aliss 9 years ago

No one, and I mean no one, hits a sarcastic line as brilliantly as Adam Arkin playing Adam. 

[–] dijomaja-382-516639 9 years ago

Agreed with the OP. The character is written so that we'll assume that he's delusional but every so often an "impossible" fact checks out, just often enough to keep us guessing. And the acting makes it all work.

[–] movie80 9 years ago

Just watched the episode where he worked for Holling and gave Dave the chef so many problems.

[–] TriumphReq 9 years ago

I've met people and got to know people like him before that lived exceptional lives and then fell from grace. They are all among us. The thing is they are too modest or believe if they told their story everyone would think they are crazy. Once we make our friends and stick to our routines we never get to know anyone new. The problem is we live in such a fake world now and live such mediocrity where everyone, and I mean everyone's minds are hijacked by commercial fakery that not much is real anymore.

Adam may very well be a real deal but having worked in the service and knowing their business and knowing too much made him so paranoid he had to go hide in Alaska. Perhaps he worked as a navy shipman as a chef in the galley before going on to culinary school. This all happened in his early 20s. Realizing there was no money in it at the time and having no interest in slaving away in hot kitchens, in his late 20s he entered one of the dozens of secret services and after learning all the skills, a couple missions and having been born with too many morals realized their primary intention was disruption and tax payer funded promotion of "American Interests", that means corporate interests to us taxpayers, so he had to get out.

People older than 30 have lived flourishing lives already that people that haven't really lived can't possibly fathom.

Remember Julia Child worked in the CIA in her first career learning how to poison people. Her husband continued on in the Paris office while she learned how to be a chef.

[–] NYG11 8 years ago

One of my favorite characters on the show- you never knew if he was bs-ing or telling the truth. Brilliantly played by Adam Arkin.

Loved the episode when Maurice is having his annual dinner party and Adam shows up out of nowhere and takes over the preparations from the chef Maurice had hired.

[–] liscarkat (18917) a year ago

I've had out-of-the-ordinary occupations and experiences in my life, but people just want to hear cubicle gossip. Try to talk about something that might actually be interesting and their eyes start to gloss over almost immediately. So I just don't bother to bring up my past, and nobody knows where I've been or what I've done.