Cicely has its own way of winterizing, including citizens fattening up and planning on how many graves to dig before the ground freezes over. And Joel (Rob Morrow) is not only troubled by the reveal, but is bothered by the fact that one of his patients has told him that she’s just winding down.

First Snow was written by Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider and it debuted on 13 December, 1993.

Nedra Larkin (Harriet Medin) is prepared to die, and she’s getting her affairs in order, telling everyone she’s ready. And Joel is furious about it. And he will also have to deal with it.

Meanwhile, Shelly’s (Cynthia Geary) pregnancy continues, and she tells a lie to Maurice (Barry Corbin) when he reminisces about their past together. Maurice believes that in their two weeks together Shelly said she loved him, she tells him she would never say that, and now she’s afraid her nose is growing.

Maurice spins out into depression because he was sure that Shelly had proclaimed her love for him. Chris (John Corbett) is there to try to help guide him through it, offering insight and the idea that a little fantasy isn’t a bad thing.

Will Shelly come clean to Maurice?

And Maggie (Janine Turner) is doing some home remodeling so when winter sets in, she can curl up with a good book, and just relax. But no one can get comfortable in her new chair.

It’s a delightful episode, and honestly, I love Joel’s storyline in this episode, the way his arc plays out and Morrow does a great job.

It’s a nice rumination on how we meet death, and how we deal with the change of season.

Baby Blues was written by Barbara Hall and it was first broadcast on 3 January, 1994.

Ed (Darren E. Burrows) is being scouted by a talent agent, Judd Bromell (Donal Logue) for his script, The Shaman. Ed is full of ideas about casting, but Judd wants to talk writing, and is ready to offer some notes for changes to Ed’s beloved story. Is he going to play the Hollywood game, or protect his story, his child?

Maggie throws a baby shower for Shelly. But she constantly clashes with Joel about pregnancies, sex, and motherhood. It’s comedic, but real, there is sexism, and gender beliefs at work here, and the story tries to deal with it as beautifully and honestly as it can.

And despite being pregnant it is now, slowly, beginning to dawn on Shelly that she’s going to be a mother. The shock and awe hits her at the party. Chris in particular seems to have lots to say on all things relating to the pregnancy, though he’s not always right, and Eve (Valerie Mahaffey) also has a lot to add, often correcting Chris.

Everyone has tons to say and Shelly is gonna freak. She has a wonderful interaction with a mother’s support group and begins to understand the beauty of what she is about to be.

I like that both of the younger characters in the show are dealing with their offspring, creative and biological in thei own way. I dig this episode.