Genevieve Causse, France

She chose my second most favorite category of show -- the psychological and spiritual internal workings of the characters in their attempt to "do the right thing".  "Man in the Moon", written with such depth and integrity helped move Dr. Mike (and, in turn, the audience) through a personal challenge that clarified and supported the value of self-examination and change, a sensitive and even frightening area for so many.

Man in the Moon

The series " Dr Quinn Medicine woman" is the best thing happened on T.V., I think in all the history of T.V. in the entire world. So, it is very difficult to choose one,episode between all them!

Some are stirring because of the love between Michaela and Sully, some because of the injustice to Indians, or Black people; some are pleasant because of the spontaneity of the children...

Some are gripping by the spirit that moves them:

-The acceptance, and, even, the friendship between different people, Blacks, Whites, Indians...

-The opening of the minds on civic duty, tolerance and new ideas by literature or philosophy...

All that is the Spirit of Quinn!

But I must choose only one for my favorite ...I think I choose, in French "L'homme de la lune" that is translated"The man of the Moon". Maybe, it is not the title in English, so I specify it is that where Myra leaves Hank who, injured by Sully at the engagement celebration, lapses into a coma and risk to die.

In this episode, we see Myra who begins a new life. She accepts all the risks to be free. When Hank threatens her with a gun, she is ready to die rather than to work again at the saloon. In the same way, she prefers support the breaking of her engagement to let Hank to die alone... Myra is a very thin and slender woman, she is almost still a child girl. She seems without strength and, yet, she shows a personality strong and rich. Her values are more important than her timidity. She is able to brave and to face Hank, Horace and the entire village when she goes to the church. She is a beautiful character of woman.

We can see, too, Hank who has a shocking behavior, shocking and revolting. He thinks he owns Myra, he is violent and incorrect. With Michaela, too, he is absolutely horrible. His way to speak with her, his vocabulary, are impolite, shocking and hurtful. But, I think, he is an unhappy man, miserable and alone. In the bottom of his heart, and in spite of his profession, I think he loves Myra, and he is jealous and sad she leaves him. He is really this man on the moon, alone, without love and friends. This solitude and this despair, which he hides under his violence, make him more human for us, more pitiful.

I enjoy this episode, too, because of the children, Colleen and Brian, who quarrel about the telescope. The jealousy, the dispute result in the break of the appliance, but, too, the awareness of their importance, of each other. They understand together that fraternal love is indestructible.

Last, but not least, I love this episode because of Michaela and Sully. Michaela shows us all her tenderness when she helps Myra to remove her makeup, or when she reconciles her two children. She shows us her dreams, when she is washing the delicate linen and speaking with Sully about engagement and wedding... The love between them is so clear, so radiant...

She shows us how she is very emotional by Hank's gesture and attitude, when she speaks with him in the saloon. She tells him all she has on her heart. And what I love over all, it is her way to think about all he told to her. She never thinks she is the best, but she always tries to progress, to get better, always, always.

When she says she has done all she could to cure Hank, but without love, she is beyond a simple doctor, beyond the duty, beyond the ordinary women; she is the marvelous person that I love. Sully, too, knows what a wonderful soul is Michaela, and answering the beautiful sentence "Sometimes the light of the moon disappears behind a shadow.... But you have this light, Michaela, I saw it..." he shows us the strength of his love for her and the depth of the knowledge he has of her.

And, when Michaela goes to the bedroom where Hank is maybe dying, when she tells him all from the bottom of her heart, her love for life, her fears, her doubts, her fear to seem weak... our heart breaks.

Michaela takes on a universal dimension, beyond herself, showing how certain education can stifle a personality.

The appeal, at first slight, then stronger, coming from the bed where Hank returns to life, is not only Hank's appeal, but, too, the answer to Michaela, as if to tell to her "Your love, your worries, all your fears are and will be heard. Hank is not alone, and you are not either."

We understand that love, patience, devotion, to keep our ears open to the others and to remain true to noble values are the only way to have a rich and helpful life.
There are the reasons why this episode is my favorite.

Winning entry 3