I am one of the lucky collectors who owns the original VHS movie version of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, a tape that has become difficult to find. This is the pilot that began one heck of a television series -- which is available now in season sets.

Long before women's lib or the ERA, towns did not want single women, much less women doctors. This is the story of how a woman doctor from Boston, Michaela Quinn (Jane Seymour), decides to escape the prejudice and discrimination of the big city by going to the frontier, where the people need a doctor and will be glad to have her services.

Poor Michaela. She could not have been more wrong. She arrives at Colorado Springs to learn that the Rev. Timothy Johnson (Geoffrey Lower) thought he was hiring a man because Horace (Frank Collison), at the telegraph office, dropped the "A" off of Michaela's name, thinking it was a middle initial. The Reverend is willing to pay her travel expenses back to Boston, but she stays, even though he assures her that there are no respectable single women in the town.

"Dr. Mike" rents a room from the town's midwife, Charlotte Cooper (Diane Ladd). Unfortunately, the rest of the boarding house is filled with soldiers. Michaela immediately gets on the wrong foot with Col. Chivington (Adrian Sparks) by asking how the Indians are faring in his treaty negotiations with Chief Black Kettle (Nick Ramus).

Jake Slicker (Jim Knobeloch), the barber who does the local quack doctoring, wants Michaela on the first stage home. When she tries to post an ad searching for lodging, the storekeeper says there is no room. When she tries to buy a horse, the blacksmith (Henry G. Sanders) does not want to sell her one. Even Chief Black Kettle says she must be crazy.

This poor cityslicker ends up alone in a rundown cabin outside town, which she rents from a strange man named Sully (Joe Lando). He travels with a wolf, is a friend to the Indians and does not seem to fit in with the townsfolk at all. She has never ridden a horse or even swept a floor and has absolutely no survival skills.

After several months, the townsfolk still refuse to allow her to treat them. She does not think things could get worse, but Charlotte gets bitten by a rattlesnake. Michaela loses her only friend and gains three orphan children: Matthew (Chad Allen), Colleen (Erika Flores) and Brian (Shawn Toovey).

Things explode when Brian runs away to live with the Cheyenne. Michaela is desperate to find this tiny boy, now lost in the wilderness with wolves, bears and mountain lions. She gets nabbed by a Cheyenne, Black Hawk (Larry Sellers), and taken to their village. They offer to help her search for Brian.

When the town men see the Indians off their reserved lands, they send for the cavalry. The Cheyenne are caught between the heavily armed citizens and the cavalry. Michaela must stop Chivington from assaulting the Indians, even though he can legally shoot them because they are off their lands in a number greater than two.

Everything about Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is exceptionally brilliant, which explains why the television series ran for so long. We all loved Jane Seymour as this spunky little lady defying the "acceptable" rules and standing her ground against bullies of all types. She was perfect for this role!

One strange thing about this movie is that even the bad guys are likable, except for Chivington. And that is true-to-life. The historical Col. John Chivington was a jerk in real life!

Ramus is fantastic as Chief Black Kettle. You may not understand what he is saying, but you understand his meaning by his expressions and gestures. That is when you have to admit that an actor is extraordinarily gifted and a master of his profession -- when he can convey meaning without words. Sellers is great as Black Hawk, getting the point across that his people were none too gentle with the women of the white race.

If you have not seen Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, you should make every effort to get it. It is so much more than mere entertainment. While it does offer a diverse viewing experience, from barroom brawls to poignant moments to the hilarious efforts of a cityslicker to get a horse for the first time; it also goes deep into the mindset of the frontier days. It is a magnificent look at this era from a radically different perspective. But the bottom line is that it is some of the best entertainment you can find.