Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | |
---|---|
Genre |
Western Drama |
Created by | Beth Sullivan |
Starring |
Jane Seymour Joe Lando Chad Allen Erika Flores (1993–95) Jessica Bowman (1995–98) Shawn Toovey |
Composer(s) | William Olvis (theme song and all but 4 episodes) David Bell (4 episodes) |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 6 + 2 TV movies |
No. of episodes | 149 (plus 2 TV movies) (List of episodes) |
Production | |
Running time | 47 minutes |
Production company(s) | The Sullivan Company MTM Enterprises CBS Productions |
Distributor |
CBS Television Distribution 20th Television |
Release | |
Original network | CBS |
Original release | January 1, 1993 – May 16, 1998 |
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American Western drama series created by Beth Sullivan and starring Jane Seymour who plays Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, a physician who leaves Boston in search of adventure in the Old American West and who settles in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The television series ran on CBS for six seasons, from January 1, 1993 to May 16, 1998. In total, 149 episodes were produced, plus two television movies which were made after the series was canceled. It aired in over 100 countries, including Denmark (where it was aired on TV2), the United Kingdom, France, Canada (where it was aired on CTV throughout its run) and Bulgaria on BNT and later on NOVA television. Since 1997, reruns have been shown in syndication and on Freeform (TV channel), (formely CBN Satellite Service), Ion Television (formerly PAX-TV), the Hallmark Channel, Eleven Australian (TV channel), CBS Drama, UP, and INSP (TV Network).
The series begins in the year 1867 and centers on a proper and wealthy female physician from Boston, Massachusetts, Michaela Quinn (Jane Seymour), familiarly known as "Dr. Mike". After her father's death, she sets out west to the small wild west town of Colorado Springs, to set up her own practice. She makes the difficult adjustment to life in Colorado with the aid of rugged outdoorsman and friend to the Cheyenne, Byron Sully (Joe Lando) and a midwife named Charlotte Cooper (played by Diane Ladd). After Charlotte is bitten by a rattlesnake, she asks Michaela on her deathbed to look after her three children: Matthew (Chad Allen), Colleen (played by Erika Flores and later, Jessica Bowman) and Brian (Shawn Toovey). Dr. Mike settles in Colorado Springs and adapts to her new life as a mother, with the children, while finding true love with Sully. Furthermore, she acts as a one-woman mission to convince the townspeople that a female doctor can successfully practice medicine.