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'Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman' — Quick Facts about the '90s Western TV Series

Lois Oladejo
Jul 13, 2020
06:00 P.M.

Decades after the last Western TV series, "Quinn, Medicine Woman," was aired, it has remained a staple production that marked a great time in the movie industry.

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On January 1, 1993, CBS released the first episode of the famous family Western series, "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," that would wriggle its way into many hearts.

The television series centered on a doctor's adventures in the post-civil war frontier town, Colorado Springs, Dr. Michaela Quinn, fondly called Dr. Mike.

Jane Seymour and Joe Lando pose with horses for the made-for-tv movie 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: the Movie,' 1999 | Photo: Getty Images

Jane Seymour and Joe Lando pose with horses for the made-for-tv movie 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: the Movie,' 1999 | Photo: Getty Images

The series followed the doctor as she tried her best to win over the trust of the new community in which she found herself, with people who were not welcoming to the idea of having a female doctor.

British-American actress Jane Seymour portrayed the eccentric beauty. The series was a thrilling one that kept its viewers wondering what Dr. Mike would do next and who she would encounter.

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Behind the scenes and unknown to the show's viewers, a few strange things happened that proved the gutsy determination that these actors and producers displayed to give their best performances.

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JOE LANDO ATE WORMS

Byron Sully, the rugged mountain man that ended up being Quinn's love interest, was played by actor Joe Lando.

Fans may not know that Lando actually ate worms and ran on a moving train to embody the role of the sinewy mountain-man character, Sully, and make him as authentic as possible.

Jane Seymour and American actor Joe Lando in the television series 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,' June 1996 | Photo: Getty Images

Jane Seymour and American actor Joe Lando in the television series 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,' June 1996 | Photo: Getty Images

JOE LANDO'S CHARACTER WAS ALMOST KILLED OFF

Another strange fact that many fans of the 90s series might not know about Lando's character, Sully, is that he was almost replaced.

In the sixth season, actor John Schneider was given a character, Daniel, who was invented in case Lando decided to leave the series for his other role in the soap opera, "Guiding Light."

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Lando eventually stuck around till the end, but if he had not, Daniel was meant to replace him as Quinn's lover.

 Joe Lando at Westin LAX Hotel on July 13, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. | Photo: Getty Images

Joe Lando at Westin LAX Hotel on July 13, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. | Photo: Getty Images

THE CAST WAS CHANGED

The cast in the pilot episode was widely different from the cast that carried the rest of the series until the end. The pilot episode was intended to be a one-off production, but it was such a huge success that it was made into a series.

Most of the first episode actors were unable to commit to an entire yearly franchise, so the cast was abruptly changed after the pilot.

Jane Seymour and American actor Joe Lando along with a dog, in the television series 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,' July 1992. | Photo: Getty Images

Jane Seymour and American actor Joe Lando along with a dog, in the television series 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,' July 1992. | Photo: Getty Images

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A DROPPING VIEWER RATE

Years after, the sixth season of the series began with a sort of gloomy feel to it. This was because the producers were trying to target a younger demographic by including some unhappy plotlines like Quinn's miscarriage and the PTSD she suffered after being shot.

Unfortunately, the plan to catch the younger generation did not work, and that was why the series was canceled, grinding to a sudden halt in May 1998.

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FANS COULD WATCH ON THE SET

The days of Dr. Quinn were great ones when fans could come on set and watch their favorite actors in action. Today, the stars have moved on and are now much older.

LIFE AFTER THE SHOW

Seymour, who played Dr. Quinn continued acting, appearing in several hit productions, including "How I Met Your Mother" and "Castle."

Lando has also remained in the acting scene, featuring television in "Guiding Light" and "The Secret Circle," among others.

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Chad Allen, who played the oldest Cooper-Quinn child, was not seen in many films until his retirement in 2015. Jessica Bowman, who played Colleen, the sister of Chad Allen's character, has also been away from production since the early 2000s.

In June, the cast reunited via Zoom, to reminisce about the good old days when they were all together, giving the series' die-hard fans one fresh glance at the once-popular Western and the last ever aired on TV.

Despite how "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" ended and how its actors did not do much else afterward, the series remains a favorite for many people and a staple must-mention when talking about series in the 90s that shaped Hollywood.

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