Jean McQuaid- Mississauga, Ontario, Canada-   First Runner Up

Point Blank

I found it extremely difficult to pick just one episode from the series,Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman which I liked the best simply because I loved them all. However, I decided instead to pick the episode, which I felt left a lasting impression on my own personal life.'Point Blank.'

They say less is more and in this case this two-word title says it all. I remember the first time I saw 'Point Blank'. Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was in its usual Saturday nighttime slot on CBS and since I hadn't seen any previews for this particular episode I was just as startled as the townsfolk by the blast. I must commend Carl Binder and James Keach for not showing the actual shooting. One didn't need to see it; we just knew that something terrible had happened.

An unknown assailant, a cold-blooded killer who took it upon himself to seek revenge on all doctors for his wife's death, had shot Dr. Mike. The impact it had on her usual courageous and unyielding personality was a complete turnabout from the woman we'd come to respect and admire. This episode showed us the darker side of human nature and how something so devastating and horrific can happen to anyone no matter who they are or how they live their life. This was inevitably the case for both Dr. Mike and her assailant. The first question one usually asks is, "Why me?" There is the possibility that the doctor in question could have very well been negligent prompting such strong hatred in the husband that his initial reaction was a symbolic act of revenge against any doctor. There was nothing personal about this shooting because when it comes to human emotions, all rationality is set aside. Bad things can happen to good people at any time and no one on this earth is immune to tragedy. This sadly became a reality for all of us following the events of September11th.

Jane Seymour did an extraordinary job of portraying a woman so consumed by fear that she tried to lock herself away from the rest of the world believing that the only safe place was her own home. The normally strong and determined Michaela Quinn proved to us that even the most courageous and steadfast of people could be paralyzed and almost destroyed by one single ruthless act. Jane did an amazing job of making you see just how devastated a human soul can become when overcome by fear. We not only felt her helplessness but the helplessness of her family and friends as they watched her vitality and stamina slip away.

One very heart wrenching moment came when young Brian sat by his mother's bedside. We could feel his anguish as he'd already watched his first Ma die and was now faced with the possibility of losing Dr. Mike as well. I was equally touched by the anxious and caring people who showed deep concern for her from Hank rushing to her aid to Cloud Dancing praying to his spirits to spare her life. I was so caught up in the emotional factor of this episode I started to cry and still do to this day. However, the most poignant and heart breaking scene of all has to be when Dr. Mike finally collapses into Sully's arms and declares she's not that strong woman anymore.

But this episode also showed us the other side of human nature and that fear no matter how great or ruthless, can be overcome. They say that time is the greatest healer of all however, one thing I learned from this particular story line was that understanding and dealing with your fears are equally important. The patience and compassion Michaela Quinn received from her loved ones was crucial to her recovery, but her real strength to overcome the inner turmoil she faced came from within. She had to confront those fears head on or at 'Point Blank' range as the title suggests and like any obstacles life threw at her, learn to deal with them. There is a certain irony to this story. The split second it took for that stranger to pull the trigger at the clinic door was about the same amount of time it took for the bolt of lightening to hit the tree at the homestead. It just goes to show you how suddenly your whole world can change. Things that took a great deal of time and effort to create can be gone in a mere heartbeat.

This episode is a constant reminder to me of how I overcame some of my own fears after I'd experienced my first anxiety attack. I too wanted to lock myself away from the rest of the world but came to realize as Michaela Quinn did, that bad things can happen even in the sanctuary of your own home. I well remember one day looking out the window at my sister who lives across the street. While watching her work away in her garden I got the urge to go talk to her but like Michaela, felt paralyzed to even open my front door. It's very difficult to explain an anxiety or panic attack to someone who's never experienced one. The worst part is feeling so out of control of your life and stress over the fact that if it happened once, it experience like Dr. Mike but I did come up with plenty of excuses as to why I should stay at home. And just as Sully told the children, it won't go away until you talk about it, admit that you have a problem and face up to it. I connected with Michaela Quinn in this episode and gained a great deal of respect for the way in which the writers handled her recovery. Fear, anxiety and worry will never go away, they are as much a part of us as love and laughter and security. But if we allow them to take over and consume us, we'll miss out on all of life's wondrous miracles. As Michaela Quinn herself said, "There are things in this world you can't control. You just have to live your life and hope for the best."

The character of Michaela Quinn portrayed by Jane Seymour, was that of a strong, independent woman who showed us that by overcoming prejudice, uncertainty and fear of the unknown, life can truly be rewarding. This episode is not only a testimony to the strength of the human spirit in both men and women and it's struggle against good and evil but also, for me it's like a dose of therapeutic medicine from the good Doctor herself. I could watch it a thousand times or more and still get strength and inspiration from it.

I'm not saying that it cured me but it is comforting to know I'm obviously not alone. Let it be a lesson to us all that there is always hope, there will always be a tomorrow and that light at the end of the long dark tunnel really does exist as long as you believe in your ability to overcome fear.

And last but certainly not least, the wonderful Dr. Quinn signature ending. What better way for Dr. Mike to start back to work in her clinic than by tending to Loren who'd been nicked while getting a shave from Jake. Things as we knew them in Colorado Springs were back to some form of normalcy. Tomorrow would be another day. The past is history; get all you can out of life today and let tomorrow take care of itself.

As I stated earlier, I found it difficult to pick one episode that I liked the best. I know it's true for all of us who love this wonderful show. Throughout it's course, Dr. Quinn, Medicine has given us so much to think about and taught us some very valuable lessons about life and the human spirit. We came to love and respect all the characters and shared their many triumphs and tragedies. We cried and we laughed but most of all we were always left with a good feeling at the end of each episode.

My thanks to William Ovis for the flawless score of music that further added to the severity and tension of this particular episode and a thank you to James Keach for his amazing direction. But most of all I would like to thank Carl Binder for writing such a beautifully dramatic and emotional story and to dear Beth Sullivan for her creation of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Thank you to everyone who worked on this series and for creating something very specialand unique that will surly stand the test of time and live on forever.

'Point Blank'

The deed was done - revenge taken
Silence shattered - a town left shaken
Tears were shed - a spirit was broken
Fear controlled - evil had spoken
Slowly painfully - courage rebuilt
Dashing nightmares - fears and guilt
The scars healed - the soul mended
Peace returned - the crisis had ended

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