Much to the same way 19th-century pioneers desired a fresh start in virgin land, relying on one another for their- collective survival, a warmly cultivated sense of belonging pervades tie set of' "Dr. Quinn. Medicine Woman."

Today, the cast is gathered for its lunchtime read-through of the episode "Deal with the Devil." in which Reverend Johnson (Geoffrey Lower) finds out his mentor (guest star Fred Rogers) is coming to town. Unable to obtain funds through the local bank, he accepts the offer of a loan from Hank (William Shockley), the town's bar and whorehouse owner, in order to spruce up the church, Reverend Johnson plans to repay the saloon keeper within the month with monies due him from the townsfolk, many of whom he made loans to when then were in need. But citing their own financial difficulties, the townsfolk resist his attempts to collect on those old debts, and Hank calls in the Reverend's collateral: the church.

Soon, Hank is hammering up signs that read "Property of Hank Lawson" and the Reverend is packing his bags to leave town. Only when Dr. Mike (lane Seymour) convinces Hank that his gain has come at the expense of' the town's greater good, does life retum to normal in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The "Medicine Wornan" production offices are located at the rural Paramount ranch in Agoura Hills, Calif. where the show is shot. When the cast shows up for the read through, the attire is casual and the mood high-spirited as good-natured ribbing permeates the room. Over a lunch of jumbo cocktail shrim,. pasta and vegetables, they lauinch into their lines: Lower is doleful at his demise, Shockley revels, in his domination and Joe Lando leads a chorus of impromptu sound effects for scenes demanding thunder lightning and the creaking of a hearse.

Everyone razzes 13-year-old Shawn Toovey, who's chosen the seat next to Lando and is reading his own lines plus those of Jake the barber (played by the absent Jim Knobeloch). Jake: "Hey. it's been a tough month for me. Business is slow..... Reverend: "Slow.' I waited a half-hour to get a haircut Tuesday." Jake: "Tuesday was a good day yeah. But other than that ..... The read-through takes less than an hour, no interruptions, with lines well suited to each character's personality.

Little does anyone worry about how story concept meetings can stretch on for hours right here in this same conference room at the "Medicine Woman" offices, with co-executive producer Carl Binder carefully plotting three storylines true (the A story the B story and the Dr Mike story) dividing them into a teaser and four acts, and supervising producer Philip Gerson who struggles along with him as the decisions mount.

"It's about heart. it's about family." says Binder of the show's creative raison d'etre. "It's about a time and a place. It's about a person who struggles against adversity, against all odds, who has a belief in herself and in her purpose and stands by it no matter what - and how that attitude affects those around her."