Ep 17. Portraits

In the seventeenth episode of the first season of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, titled "Portraits," the citizens of Colorado Springs are preparing for a charity auction, which is meant to be a fundraiser for a new church bell. Everyone is excited and busy, trying to come up with unique items to auction off.

Dr. Quinn receives a pleasant surprise when Dorothy Jennings gives her the painting she had done for her, featuring Michaela holding her newborn baby. The portrait becomes the most prized item for auction, but as soon as the bidding begins, it quickly attracts unwanted attention.

A ruthless art dealer from Denver, named Francis Ned Trent, swoops in and drastically raises the price. And when Sully sees the painting, he recognizes the signature as belonging to Emily's ex-husband, a talented artist who was imprisoned for counterfeiting.

As tensions mount and bids keep increasing, Michaela realizes that something is not right. She becomes worried that the painting might be a fake, and when Trent ups the ante by proposing a deal involving the painting and Dr. Mike's medical skills, she refuses.

Meanwhile, Colleen befriends a young boy, named Brian, who has been abandoned by his family. Brian is unable to speak and is afraid of almost everything, but Colleen manages to connect with him through her love of animals.

The auction finally comes to an end, and Dr. Mike is relieved when Trent leaves without the painting. However, she is shocked to see that the person who bought the portrait is actually Brian's father, who has returned to claim his son.

In the end, Michaela agrees to give the painting to Brian's father in exchange for his promise that he will take good care of his son. A few days later, Trent returns to town, revealing that he has found the true artist who created the portrait, and has also realized that his obsession with the painting is causing him to miss the simpler joys in life.

Overall, this was a heartwarming episode that touched on issues of art, family, and the importance of taking care of the ones we love. The subplot involving Colleen and Brian was particularly poignant, and showed that sometimes all we need is someone to listen to us and understand our pain. The auction scenes were also well done, with a palpable tension that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Overall, this was another solid episode in the first season of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.