It was written by Bruce Wagner, who also executive produced with Robert Halmi Sr. and Francis Ford Coppola for RHI Entertainment, Elemental Films, and American Zoetrope.

[1][2][3][4][5][6] It is about an arrogant medical student Driscoll Rampart (Neal McDonough) in the year 3040 who is completing his internship on Rusta, a far-flung rural planet, where he learns about healing from the experienced Dr. Akana (Paul Winfield).

[11] In the year 3040, New York medical student Driscoll Rampart (Neal McDonough) arrives from Earth to the planet of Rusta for a six-month internship at the Light Side clinic run by Dr. Akada (Paul Winfield).

The New York Times wrote that the film began with a "shamelessly incredible premise" which "takes off into a wholly unbelievable stratosphere".

The film's offers decent special effects, but the soundtrack by Stewart Copeland "is curiously inept", and its actors "give readings as lifeless as departure announcements for the Long Island Rail Road.

"[5] Baltimore Sun wrote that the film's premise of Northern Exposure set on a distant planet and dressed in the language of myth and fairy tale was "lame, tedious, tired, obvious."

The film failed to live up to its potential, was "not quirky, clever, kicky or imaginative", and is determined as a "careless and uninspired attempt to rework the hero quest" from Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalypse Now) and Bruce Wagner (Wild Palms), "two executive producers capable of much better work".

[6] Chicago Tribune noted Bruce Wagner joining with Francis Ford Coppola to create White Dwarf as a two-hour TV-movie and pilot for a possible series.

They noted the film having "some spectacular computer-generated effects (especially the wall between the light and dark sides)", but according to Bruce Wagner, that was not an aspect upon which he wished to concentrate.

I loved the stuff between Osh and Lady X. I'm enthralled every time I see those little scenes with Wagner playing in the background, this two-ton walrus alien obsessing over this gorgeous, ancient woman.

"[10] New York Daily News wrote that Bruce Wagner's "Futuristic White Dwarf is a fuzzy dud."

They concluded the "participation of Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Halmi Sr. as executive producers with Wagner, as well as a fine production team, still doesn't make this movie worth more than about the 30 seconds it takes to watch one of Fox' promos for it.