The Worst Episodes of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Worst Episode
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   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #1 - Portraits

   S1:E175/22/1993

   David Watkins, a civil war photographer arrives in Colorado Springs. Dr. Mike diagnoses David's diabetes and is frustrated that he refuses treatment and will ultimately go blind. David suggests taking a portrait of the town and an argument ensues over who will be in it. When the camera equipment is destroyed, the whole town must pull together to create a camera and take the photo before David's eyesight fails. At the same time, Mrs. Bing, Horace's mother, is brought to town, seriously ill. Mrs. Bing disapproves of Myra until she learns how much they love each other, and on her deathbed bestows her blessing on their marriage.

   Director:Chuck Bowman

   Writer:Josef Anderson

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   Director:Chuck Bowman

   Writer:Josef Anderson
2. 

   6.9/10(130 votes)

   #2 - Baby Outlaws

   S3:E212/25/1995

   When teen-outlaw Belle Starr robs the saloon, Mike takes her in, intending to reform her; Colleen overcomes her fear of riding. Belle Starr: Melissa Clayton.

   Director:Jerry London

   Writers:Tim Shell, Jennifer Tait

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   Director:Jerry London

   Writers:Tim Shell, Jennifer Tait
3. 

   6.9/10(139 votes)

   #3 - Bone of Contention

   S3:E223/11/1995

   A paleontologist arrives in town, igniting ""bone fever"" among the townsfolk when he announces that dinosaur bones are worth money. Meanwhile, Matthew and Colleen try to prevent Brian from discovering that the ""dinosaur"" bone given him by his pa is fake.

   Director:Victor Lobl

   Writers:Danna Doyle, Debbie Smith

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   Director:Victor Lobl

   Writers:Danna Doyle, Debbie Smith
4. 

   7.1/10(132 votes)

   #4 - Permanence of Change

   S3:E234/8/1995

   With no child-protection laws, and influenced by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, Mike has a girl removed from her ""guardian"" by taking the man to court and trying him for animal abuse. Mary Ann: Doren Fein.

   Director:Jerry Jameson

   Writer:Carl Binder

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   Director:Jerry Jameson

   Writer:Carl Binder
5. 

   7.2/10(167 votes)

   #5 - Rite of Passage

   S1:E134/10/1993

   Matthew's sudden announcement that he wants to marry Ingrid causes upheaval in his relationship with Dr. Mike, who feels he's too young. In an effort to prove he's man enough to make his own decisions, he convinces Sully and Cloud Dancing to allow him to partake in a four-day Cheyenne ritual. This is the final straw for Dr. Mike, and she confronts Sully before she storms off looking for Matthew. Meanwhile, Ingrid suffers asthma attacks, and her treatment is undermined by Dr. Mike's disapproval of their marriage plans. Dr. Mike comes upon Matthew going through the rite of passage and seeming at peace with himself, so she lets him finish uninterrupted. Later, Dr. Mike and Matthew resolve their differences, with him deciding to delay the wedding and her giving Matthew her engagement ring for Ingrid.

   Director:Chuck Bowman

   Writer:Sara Davidson

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   Director:Chuck Bowman

   Writer:Sara Davidson
6. 

   7.2/10(156 votes)

   #6 - Another Woman

   S2:E151/22/1994

   Catherine, a beautiful blond woman captured by and raised with renegade Indians, is brought to Colorado Springs by soldiers when her tribe, which includes her husband, is wiped out, leaving her the sole survivor. She initially earns the townsfolks' sympathy, then their contempt when she rejects their gestures of kindness, doesn't know the language, and falls down into an epileptic fit. Indeed, her Indian name was ""Shivering Deer"" thanks to her grand mal epileptic seizures. Mike takes her in, but the only members of the family she trusts and feels comfortable with, especially with her faltering English, are Sully, then Brian. Brian, however, becomes decidedly less enamored of her when he accidentally glimpses Catherine kissing Sully. Later, when Brian confronts Sully, he doesn't understand Sully's distinction between ""being kissed"" and ""kissing someone,"" and troubled, tells Mike about it. Meanwhile, Jake, in a conversation with Loren and Dorothy about what marauding Indians do to white

   Director:Chuck Bowman

   Writer:Toni Graphia

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   Director:Chuck Bowman

   Writer:Toni Graphia
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7. 

   7.2/10(147 votes)

   #7 - The Orphan Train

   S2:E161/29/1994

   Eight orphans arrive on the train. The Reverend takes them in at the church and Mike nurses their ailments. When no one in the town wants to adopt the orphans, the Reverend extends a proposal of marriage to Mike so that they can raise the orphans together. Mike briefly considers the offer, and Sully confronts her about it, asking her if she loves him. She accuses him of not making any kind of committment to her, whereas the Reverend has, to which he replies, ""If marriage is all you want...."" leaving his meaning clear without being spoken that he's possibly willing to offer more. Considering this, Mike turns the Reverend down, much to the relief of Sully and the Cooper kids. Eventually, the orphans board the train and leave town, but each orphan boards the train a more complete person as a result of their interaction with the townsfolk. Dr. Mike confronts the fact that she can't save the world and she and the Cooper kids emerge as a more united family.

   Director:Jerry London

   Writer:Toni Graphia

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   Director:Jerry London

   Writer:Toni Graphia
8. 

   7.3/10(172 votes)

   #8 - The Circus

   S2:E141/15/1994

   A ragtag circus, consisting only of Heart and Atlantis, a mother-and-daughter team, arrives in Colorado Springs. Heart, the mother, enlists the townsfolk to participate as performers. Everyone accepts but Mike, whom Heart tries to engage as a trapeze performer. Later, in the homestead, Colleen reveals her fear of being in the limelight, and Brian asks Sully if he'll perform on the trapeze, per Heart's request. Sully says to Mike, ""I will, if you will,"" upon which Mike says she'll perform if Colleen will. Colleen reluctantly accepts the challenge. Heart engages the Reverend to be a magician, with Miss Dorothy as his lovely magician's assistant. Brian and Loren are the designated clowns. Colleen, Atlantis and Matthew do a tightrope act together, and Jake is pressed into service as the ring announcer. The town happily embraces their various roles in the circus, but friction occurs between Mike and Heart when Mike discovers that Atlantis, Heart's daughter, has webbed fingers. Mike wants to

   Director:Lorraine Senna

   Writer:Jeanne C. Davis

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   Director:Lorraine Senna

   Writer:Jeanne C. Davis
9. 

   7.3/10(128 votes)

   #9 - Fifi's First Christmas

   S4:E1212/16/1995

   As Colorado Springs prepares for Christmas, the family receives a rambunctious toy poodle from Mike's mother in Boston, and Brian has a case of puppy love for a new girl in town. The Rev. Johnson recruits folk for a Nativity pageant. Sara Sheehan: Jann Michaels. Mrs. Sheehan: Susanna Thompson.

   Director:Jerry Jameson

   Writer:Carl Binder

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   Director:Jerry Jameson

   Writer:Carl Binder
10. 

    7.3/10(124 votes)

    #10 - All That Glitters

    S5:E410/12/1996

    The appearance of renowned singer Gilda St. Clair (Barbara Mandrell) tempts Colleen to leave college and travel the world instead.

    Director:Terrence O'Hara

    Writer:Jennifer Tait

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    Director:Terrence O'Hara

    Writer:Jennifer Tait
11. 

    7.4/10(141 votes)

    #11 - Buffalo Soldiers

    S2:E172/5/1994

    A troop of black cavalry soldiers ride into town intending to cover themselves in glory by eradicating hostile Dog Soldiers who've been attacking the railroad. Mike commits an act of civil disobedience by tipping off the Indians, which results in carnage on both sides and the defeat of the Buffalo soldiers. She's accused of treason, and jailed, but the arrogant black cavalry leader, Sergeant Zachary Carver, manages to exonerate her when he's made to realize, through the combined efforts of Sully and Mike, that his beloved troops are nothing more than pawns in the U.S. Army's policy of genocide against the Indians. Returning the favor, Mike manages to medically fake the Sargeant's death, and he escapes court martial. Meanwhile, Colleen cheats on a test and by doing so manages to win a school trip to Washington. Mike must then explain the concept of ""good lying;"" that is, civil disobedience for a principle, and ""bad lying,"" that is, Colleen's self-serving actions regarding the test. In t

    Director:James Keach

    Writer:Kevin Arkadie

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    Director:James Keach

    Writer:Kevin Arkadie
12. 

    7.4/10(128 votes)

    #12 - Halloween III

    S4:E510/28/1995

    An elderly man comes to town with hopes that the natural spring will help his rheumatism. Dr. Mike can't convince Sully to plan for the Halloween festivities.

    Director:Jerry London

    Writer:Philip Gerson

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    Director:Jerry London

    Writer:Philip Gerson
13. 

    7.4/10(124 votes)

    #13 - The Expedition (2)

    S4:E911/18/1995

    Dorothy, Myra and Grace realize they are quitting and they're letting Mike down, so they decide to go back. They find her injured with a broken arm. Mike can't go to the top of the mountain anymore, but she encourages the others to make it to the top for her. Meanwhile back in town, Preston plots to guild a hotel-casino with help from his ""partner"" Jake; and Robert E is bothered by an encounter with a bounty hunter.

    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writers:Andrew Lipsitz, Sara Davidson

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    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writers:Andrew Lipsitz, Sara Davidson
14. 

    7.5/10(188 votes)

    #14 - The Healing

    S1:E51/23/1993

    A bitter Loren, who blames Sully for his daughter's death, tries to repossess Dr. Mike's cabin when he learns he still owns the deed.

    Director:Gwen Arner

    Writers:Toni Perling, Sara Davidson

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    Director:Gwen Arner

    Writers:Toni Perling, Sara Davidson
15. 

    7.5/10(173 votes)

    #15 - Bad Water

    S1:E72/6/1993

    When several townspeople come down with mercury poisoning, Dr. Mike forces a reluctant Sully to guide her to the high mountain stream which may be the source of the problem. The trek is difficult for her, but she ultimately earns Sully's respect and gratitude after saving his life twice despite a broken wrist. Just as they confirm that the water is being polluted by a local mine owner whose mining process is dumping mercury into the stream, they are captured by his men. In the interim, worried townsfolk send out an inept posse to try to locate Sully and Dr. Mike. Olive backs Grace's new venture -- Grace's Cafe. In the end, Dr. Mike saves the day by curing the mine owner's son, who has fallen victim to the poisoned water, and convincing the owner to close the mine.

    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Sara Davidson

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    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Sara Davidson
16. 

    7.5/10(221 votes)

    #16 - Great American Medicine Show

    S1:E82/13/1993

    Dr. Mike tries to heal the soul of Doc Eli, a Civil War surgeon turned patent medicine show huckster, who's come to like the taste of his own medicine, an all-curing elixir used by the fabled Kickapoo Indians. She doesn't trust the sales pitch of this exploitave medicine show man, especially when she's facing a real medical crisis involving Myra. She must help Doc Eli face his past demons, before he can help her remove an ovarian cyst from Myra, in a technique he pioneered. Meanwhile Sully's on a similar mission in trying to convince Franklin, a disillusioned Cheyenne, survivor of a massacre, to join his own people in their continuing fight for survival. Myra and Horace get engaged.

    Director:Richard T. Heffron

    Writer:Toni Perling

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    Director:Richard T. Heffron

    Writer:Toni Perling
17. 

    7.5/10(175 votes)

    #17 - The Cowboy's Lullaby

    S1:E92/20/1993

    Dr. Mike takes in Red McCall, a down-and-out cowboy, and his ailing half-breed infant child. McCall reaches the end of his rope trying to care for his baby, so after robbing Loren's store, he leaves the baby in Michaela's care, sensing she could find a suitable home for his child. Dr. Mike's attempts to find a home for the baby prove futile. When she travels to a remote cabin to check on the health of it's owner, she finds him badly mangled from a bear attack. Her horse is frightened off by the bear, and she's marooned in the cabin until Sully shows up looking for her. They narrowly escape being the rabid bear's next victims. After returning to town, Dr. Mike decides she'd rather raise the child herself than turn him over to an orphanage. However, Sully locates Red and convinces him to keep the child.

    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Josef Anderson

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    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Josef Anderson
18. 

    7.5/10(168 votes)

    #18 - Happy Birthday

    S1:E123/27/1993

    After a patient of Dr. Mike's dies of blood poisoning, she accuses Jake, the barber, of infecting the man with his dirty razor. Her accusation throws Jake into an alcoholic binge. Dr. Mike tries in vain to pull him out of it, but finally realizes he must be the one to want to stop drinking. She gives him something to live for by pointing out his many friends in town, including her. Meanwhile, Mike's children try to help her deal with her loneliness on her 35th birthday by conspiring to find her a proper suitor before her surprise party

    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Toni Perling

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    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Toni Perling
19. 

    7.5/10(171 votes)

    #19 - Halloween

    S2:E310/30/1993

    Halloween is trick-or-treat for the residents of Colorado Springs when Sully's dead wife, Abigail, haunts Dr. Mike, after Sully suggests fixing up the homestead for her. Eventually, Mike is able to lay Abigail's ghost to rest. Meanwhile, Brian becomes terrified after his investigations lead him to believe Dorothy is a witch. But, later she helps him deal with his sadness about the fading memory of his mother. Jake and Loren's prank on the town backfires when Jake pronounces a man dead and his ""corpse"" walks away -- Mike later diagnoses the man as a catalepsy sufferer.

    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Toni Graphia

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    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Toni Graphia
20. 

    7.5/10(164 votes)

    #20 - Saving Souls

    S2:E511/13/1993

    Love finds visiting faith healer Sister Ruth, in the form of Kid Cole, who's revisiting the town in order to jail a desperado he's apprehended. The desperado's two brothers have followed him to town and stalk him. Kid Cole, strangely fatalistic, seems to have lost the will to live. Things come to a head when Mike and Sister Ruth must unite their mutual strengths; medicine and faith, to save Kid Cole's life. Mike performs an emergency procedure to evacuate the tubercular Kid Cole's lungs; Sister Ruth helps him find the will to live. Sully forces Kid Cole to reveal that Kid Cole feels terribly guilty for having gunned down the desperado's brother, who was unarmed. Sully helps the Kid resolve this crisis of conscience and in a climactic showdown, the town helps the Kid avert a gun battle with the desperados. Meanwhile, the Reverend refuses to allow Robert E and Grace to marry in the town church, but eventually capitulates to their demands, with some help from Mike and Sister Ruth.

    Director:James Keach

    Writer:Toni Perling

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    Director:James Keach

    Writer:Toni Perling
21. 

    7.5/10(144 votes)

    #21 - Best Friends

    S2:E912/4/1993

    Colleen and Becky become best friends when, at Bray's store, Alice, another friend, insists on taking Colleen's favorite fabric to make a dress for the Sweethearts' dance. Dorothy fears she may be pregnant when she faints in the general store. Mike assures her she is not, but she is beginning the ""change of life"". Later, Mike is frustrated when she tries to teach Sully to dance the Sweethearts' reel. Mike confides to Dorothy her fears about a physical relationship and Dorothy guesses Mike is a virgin. Meanwhile, Becky asks her new best friend, Colleen to ask Richard, a boy she likes, if he likes Becky. He asks Colleen if ""the girl,"" (he thinks it's Colleen) will meet him at the kissing tree. Colleen misunderstands, thinks he knows it's Becky. She tells Becky where to meet him, but Becky chickens out and Colleen goes in her place, to explain. Richard, assuming Colleen is there to meet him, kisses her. Becky finds out and is heartbroken. Becky and Alice team up against Colleen and spread

    Director:James Keach

    Writer:Sara Davidson

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    Director:James Keach

    Writer:Sara Davidson
22. 

    7.5/10(143 votes)

    #22 - Luck of the Draw

    S2:E183/5/1994

    When Julius Hoffman rides into town and engages Matthew in a poker game, Matthew thinks he's found a great way to earn money to finish he and Ingrid's homestead, although Mike and Sully disapprove. At first, Matthew wins steadily, though he and Ingrid get into a terrible fight when, after missing an elaborate dinner she cooked for him (he was in a game), he confesses he used her hard-earned laundry money, which she gave him for building supplies, as a stake. Though Ingrid and Mike disapprove heartily, Matthew continues playing the game, even after he gets beaten up and robbed of his earnings. Eventually, townsfolk become so confident in Matthew's abilities that everyone but Mike, Sully and the Reverend back Matthew in the big poker game. The Reverend pulls Mike aside and confesses that he was once a gambler, knew Julius, and suspects that the town's been set up. As Matthew makes his way to the big game, Ingrid breaks up with him over his poker playing. In the process, she returns the e

    Director:Jerry London

    Writer:Kathryn Ford

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    Director:Jerry London

    Writer:Kathryn Ford
23. 

    7.5/10(146 votes)

    #23 - Just One Lullaby

    S2:E214/9/1994

    Rev. Johnson's in love with the town's new schoolteacher (Sherry Hursey), while Mike's concerned about the woman's wanton use of corporal punishment in the classroom.

    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Nancy Bond

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    Director:Chuck Bowman

    Writer:Nancy Bond
24. 

    7.5/10(134 votes)

    #24 - The Campaign

    S2:E245/7/1994

    Mike and Jake go head-to-head when both campaign for the Mayorship of Colorado Springs. At issue: whether drinking and prostitution should be outlawed. Myra finally breaks loose from Hank.

    Director:Victor Lobl

    Writer:Joanne Parrant

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    Director:Victor Lobl

    Writer:Joanne Parrant
25. 

    7.5/10(146 votes)

    #25 - A House Divided (1)

    S5:E182/15/1997

    An old friend of Sully's visits, wanting to financially help the family. Although he falls in love with Michaela.

    Director:James Keach

    Writer:Eric Tuchman

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    Director:James Keach

    Writer:Eric Tuchman