Ep 4. Altered Egos

Altered Egos is the fourth episode of the fifth season of the popular television show Northern Exposure. The episode first aired on October 15th, 1993.

In this episode, the town of Cicely is bustling as Halloween approaches. The townspeople are busy preparing their costumes and decorations for the annual celebration. However, things take a strange turn when Ruth-Anne (Peg Phillips) starts acting strangely and displaying unusual behavior. Maurice (Barry Corbin), the town's richest resident, becomes convinced that Ruth-Anne is suffering from dementia and tries to convince her to go to the doctor.

Meanwhile, Joel (Rob Morrow) determines that he wants to learn more about his heritage and has signed up for a genealogy course. However, he soon becomes skeptical of the course's legitimacy when his instructor turns out to be a shyster. To make matters worse, he discovers that his family tree is not as illustrious as he had hoped.

Elsewhere in town, Shelly (Cynthia Geary) is determined to win the prize for the best Halloween costume. She enlists the help of Holling (John Cullum) to create a costume that will blow the competition away. However, things don't go as planned, and the two end up getting into a heated argument.

As the episode progresses, it becomes clear that all the characters are struggling with their own "altered egos." Whether it's Ruth-Anne's bizarre behavior, Joel's disillusionment with his heritage, or Shelly and Holling's argument, everyone is grappling with their own issues.

Throughout the episode, there are numerous comedic moments that provide levity to the more serious storylines. For example, Ed (Darren E. Burrows) and Chris (John Corbett) decide to create a "spook alley" to scare the local children. The two have a great time planning their scares, but things take a turn for the worse when they accidentally scare Maurice.

As the Halloween celebration gets underway, the different storylines begin to converge. The townspeople don their costumes and head to the street party. Here, they confront their altered egos and come to terms with the underlying issues that have been troubling them.

Overall, Altered Egos is a classic episode of Northern Exposure that showcases the show's unique blend of humor and heart. The Halloween theme provides the perfect backdrop for the characters to explore their inner demons, leading to several hilarious and poignant moments. Whether you're a longtime fan of the show or just discovering it for the first time, Altered Egos is a must-see episode.