The Importance of a Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Reboot

It's been nineteen years since Joe Lando and Jane Seymour played the roles that won the hearts of millions of fans around the world. As Sully and Dr. Michaela Quinn, the duo ignited a passion for historical drama and romance that still sizzles today. In fact, the fan base continues to grow as more viewers find the series which recently aired all six seasons on Amazon Prime but is now available on Philo.

Though Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman had the romance, it was about so much more. The show took viewers back to a time when life was challenging, but families and friends stuck together. The series tackled many issues during its six season run, many of which are applicable today. The writers didn't just tell a story; they taught life-changing lessons. Each episode had a purpose, much like one of its predecessors, Highway to Heaven, and many important topics were highlighted through the interaction between enemies.

In Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, most of the town of Colorado Springs didn't like the Cheyenne. The town though the Native-Americans (called Indians on the show) were savages, and the Cheyenne didn't trust the "white man." At various times throughout the series, this animosity became violent.

But the Cheyenne, specifically Sully's friend, Cloud Dancing, taught Dr. Quinn and the people of Colorado Springs through action that their differences didn't have to make them enemies.

For instance, Cloud Dancing saved Jake (the town's mayor) when Jake was injured. Jake abhorred Cloud Dancing, but he needed help. And Cloud Dancing helped because it was the right thing to do, not because he expected anything from Jake.

Sully, who considered himself a part of the Cheyenne people, often helped them even at risk to his own life. He rejected the way the tribe was treated and often put himself between the government and his friends as he stood up for what was right.

Many times during the shows run, the "Injuns" were blamed for the town's problems and were hunted like animals. Yet, the Cheyenne sat down to share a Thanksgiving meal with the town and kept them from starving. Over the course of the show, the Native Americans took the higher road even in the face of overwhelming odds.

The Cheyenne taught the importance of starting over as Cloud Dancing had to do after the death of his wife. They overcame tragedy while continuing to to maintain their faith, and they developed unbreakable bonds with Sully and his family.

The juxtaposition of the Native American way of life and the town's citizens often ended up showing the importance of accepting others. It was a strong theme that intertwined through many episodes as Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was known for its introduction of additional characters that weren't welcome in Colorado Springs.

In an episode that should be required viewing in schools, The First Circle, the KKK infiltrated the town in an effort to keep Robert E. (the blacksmith) and Grace (owner of the town's only diner) from a buying a house in town. Though Robert E. and Grace had been accepted by many citizens, this episode brought true natures to light, and latent racism was exposed.

In other episodes, prejudices were confronted against Jews, Chinese people, and sick people. The stories were rife with the judgments of the time, and they didn't always end in a happily ever after manner. The focus always remained on peeling back the masks of politeness the town's citizens wore and making them come face to face with their own bias. Sometimes it worked, but it always served as a reminder to viewers that prejudice has no place in the human heart.

Unfortunately, the world we live in today still hasn't moved beyond the prejudices of the past. We need more stories that highlight our equality, stories that uplift and encourage us to all see ourselves in one another. That is what Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman did best, and one of the most important reasons why a reboot shouldn't even be questioned.

Last year, Jane Seymour's confirmation to Entertainment Tonight that she was in talks to reboot the series was a good start. Seymour told ET that series creator Beth Sullivan had come up with "an amazing concept" and that her co-star, Joe Lando, was on-board with the reboot as was William Shockley (Hank Lawson). Hopefully, a streaming platform or another network will soon see that Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman needs to return to television.