1. INTRODUCTION

The discussion list for the TV-show Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman has existed for almost as long as the show has aired. Not even the cancellation of the show has managed to change the eagerness and eloquence and insight with which the many list members from all over the world have participated on a regular basis. Many people look forward to each message or have a certain ritual around receiving and read the digest of the day.

2. AT FIRST THERE WERE TWO - BEGINNINGS

But how did all this start? Well, you could say it all started with Beth Sullivan who got an idea for a intellegent show for grown-ups and CBC gave it a chance on the dead Saturday nights.

However, it was because of a need for discussion of the episodes that made Cynthia F. of Atlanta search the internet for some one who shared her interest in DQMW. This was in the years before World Wide Web even existed and the internet was mostly used by computer people in - more or less - work related areas. Yet on December 8, 1993 she found a kindred spirit in the eloquent veterenarian who became know as TallyHo, and for some time they e-mailed back and forth with their thoughts. Soon two others found them, making it a cozy foursome which became the first tender beginning of DQMW-L.

The show, however was interesting and many wanted to join in on the discussion. Soon it became too difficult to pass the messages back and forth. The frustration with the episode "Another Woman" and the lack of follow-up created a lot of activity and interest. Yet the atmosphere in the discussions and between the participants was too intimate and cozy to transfer the discussion to a news group or a message board. So, Cynthia F. intitiated the colossal work in creating a internet discussion list. The server at Emory University agreed to host the list and on March 9, 1994 it started.

The first Welcome message read as follows:

"Welcome to DQMW-L, the Internet mailing list which discusses the television series Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and anything related to it. For the new members, this group formed privately between 4 people in January 1994 and we grew over the next two months to about 15 people as we met new people interested in DQ from various email sources. Until March 9, 1994 we were just emailing back and forth among ourselves. However, since we finally got our long-awaited access to Listserv on March 9th, we can now go public and become a "real" group."

You could say that the rest is history, but what a history!

3. DQMW-L's FIRST ANNIVERSARY

As TallyHo herself remembered it:

"Well, it's a tad belated, but here are my ha'penny's worth about our 1st Anniversary. Just to set the record straight, this List is the ultimate realization of a cyberspace connection that was made on the 8th of December 1993. The two in question were Cyn and I. The two of us interacted for quite while before finding new people with whom to share our new found obssession. When the private group numbers hit in the low teens, Cyn made the momentous leap toward organizing this List. And what a truly remarkable realization this has become! It still astounds me that what started out as basically a "Mom and Pop Lemonade stand" has evolved into this startling "Snapple-like "conglomerate! I don't think that either of us had an inkling of what was to come from our early private e-mails of, 'Hey, what did ya think of last night's episode?'. Yowzah!

As already stated repeatedly by many members, Cyn had done a SUPERFANTABULISTIC job with keeping all of this and us, just rolling along, with all the wonderful dedication of a lovable sheepdog! (grins) Thank you once again, Cyn.

On the same note, it pains me that TPTB have not seen fit to publically acknowledge this List and specifically Cyn, for our contributions to DQ. A simple, "Gee, thanks for being here for us etc, etc." would be a start. To cite an example, the TPTB of the X-files continually remark upon the contibutions of the X-F Internet group, and how much they appreciate the group's input and interest. Since this is our 1st Anniversary, would it be so much to ask that our TPTB do the same? Yes, I know we've seen some evidence of TPTB actually making some changes in DQ based on our recommendations, but I think it's high time this List is shown some respect by TPTB, not just in some back handed manner but in an honest too goodness. "Thanks for the support, etc." spiel! TPTB, follow the lead of the TPTBs' of "Sea Quest" and "The X-files", just to name a couple. They know who their best resources are. It's about time y'all do the same, and realize this List is one of the BEST things that DQMW has going for it.

And so, I too extend my best wishes for a Happy 1st Anniversary to all on this List. Here's hoping we have sufficient cause(s) for celebration in the seasons to come. Cheers!"

4. MOVING FROM EMORY TO UGA

In the beginning the logs were created once a month but after the first month the log was so huge, it was changed to a weekly log. Even the daily digest have on occasions been so volumous that not all computers could handle it.

At some stage, Emory changed policies and DQMW-L had to find a new home, which it found here with the University of Georgia for "as long as the discussion has this high intellectual level." Because of the transfer, some information was lost. This is the reason why unfortunately not all the logs are to be found.

The List move from Emory University was based on a couple of things (most of this was from private correspondence with Cynthia at the time). First, Cyn needed to step back from heavy involvement with the List, which had become a burden.

As she wrote:

"The stress and weight on my shoulders is too much. I carried it pretty well for 2+ years but I can't any longer."

Just as importantly, if she stepped back "listowners have to have an Emory account to use the Emory listserv. Emory is removing DQMWL from their servers in the Fall anyway." With that in mind she contacted several people whom she felt would maintain the tone and direction of the List as she had established it, such as Pat B., Kai L., Becky W., Jo Ella C., Karen H., and Patricia B..

Pat B. agreed to be co-manager, along with Henry T. as our Faculty Sponsor, at the University of Georgia. The "official" announcement of the move to our new home was on Sept. 4, 1996, on the List.

As Cynthia wrote at that time:

"Someone said thanks to me for finding UGA - well, UGA came to me. Specifically it was Henry, who will be one of the co-managers, and who knew we needed a new home and valued the intelligent conversation he read as a lurker."

5. DQMW-L CONTINUES

More and more people joined the List. And since the show was sold to other countries the interest spread. On April 11, 1994, the first international member came on board.

The discussion has almost from the beginning been very diverse. From "What did you think of last night's episode?" to sharing of knowledge on all the subjects the show touched. Doctors have commented on the accuracy of Dr. Quinn's administrations. Equestrians have mused over the sex of the horses. Historians have added to the history of the area of the time period. So, for those who have the patience to go through the old files, a treasure of knowledge is to be found.

New readers will come across many concepts and expressions with origins found way back in the List history. A Tallyism e.g. is when the very verbose TallyHo intruduced a new expression (such as Gag Me With a Barney Doll). References to Ginsu Knives go back to "Return Engagement," when Dr. Mike suddenly produced the right knife for an eye operation. The different characters have of course also their followers such as Hank's Hussies, Lando Lovers Anonymous, etc.

In an animated discussion, another lister suggested in the spur of the mood of making of a list roster. For weeks the list was full of people sending in information on their interests and personal life. Out of this came the yearly introduction (every January) and the Birthday list that is still sent out monthly to congratulate the list birthdays of the month. You can at anytime get your name added by sending your data to the keeper of the Birthday List -- Trine T., who posts every month and includes her contact information.

Friendships have been formed and connections made through the List. Soon, chat rooms were set up for listers to meet and continue discussions started here. The atmosphere here was less serious and more unrestrained. Occasionally chatters were given a role and enacted an adventure in DQ-land. One of these role-plays evolved as chatters brought their own person into the play. This spurred the first Trip through the Stones where one of the many budding writers on the list sent the list a story where she brought a lot of the regular listers into the world of DQ.

One of these later Trips got a special intent when the rumours told that Sully was to be replaced with Daniel. No one liked that idea and SAFROD (Secret Agency For the Removal Of Daniel) was created to go through the stones and kidnap Daniel. This series of trips involved a variety of listers and included several team leaders who all worked together in an organized plan of action that would evict Daniel (DanBo amongst SAFRODites) from Colorado Springs and restore the town to its former existence. It took place over the course of the summer of 1997 and was intended for complete enjoyment. Posted and created along the lines of a parody, it provided the necessary entertainmnt to get all of us on the List through a very long summer. We are working on a file for Listserv that includes full details of this adventure.

6. FIRST VISIT TO PARAMOUNT RANCH (P-RANCH)

In March of 1994, a Los Angeles based listmember went on a visit to the P-Ranch and sent the first P-Ranch report to the list describing her experience. Since then many have travelled from all over the world to the site of filming, and P-Ranch reports were a regular occurence during the time the show was filmed. Listers developed all kinds of ideas to make themselves known to other listers, such as special made brooches, T-shirts featuring Sully, Hank, Jane Seymour art, etc. The List and its members became well-known among the cast and crew. Anyone who was a member and made that known was almost always greeted with a smile and immediately engaged in conversation.

7. FIRST MEETING OF DQ LISTERS

In the Spring of 1994, the first three listers met personally at the first List gathering. Since then there has been many gatherings both at the P-Ranch and various places around the States. Reasons have stemmed from a simple gathering of local listers to events that have involved the stars of the show, and most recently a reunion with the cast and crew and viewers who watched the show. Some even maintain these gatherings and try to make them recurring events. The Ann Arbour gathering is an annual event.

8. DR. QUINN LIVES ON

Some of the names in those early logs who are still on the List (some mostly lurk) include Karen H., Pat B., Kim H., and Trine T. from Denmark (who first posted on April 11, 1994 and is still with us). Other names from the past of that early group included Cornelia M., Karen K., Maureen R. (with an oft-repeated story of encountering Joe), Leigh B., Laura P., Joyce D., Marg V., Barb G., and even some males, Kent Q., Ivan L., and Robert C. (from New Zealand). So, even from the start we were International in scope. By November 1994, the List Roster was 274! Today, it's over 800!

The huge interest in the TV-show DQMW was not to be contained in a mailing list. Over the years many people have created different web sites about the show and a lot of fan fiction stories have been written. Today, over three hundred of these stories and at least twenty of the web sites exist on the Internet, although not all of them can be easily located. Information on fan fiction and web sites can be found in the FAQ file from Listserv or at the Depot on the Official DQMW web site.

http://www.drquinnmd.com

We hope you've enjoyed this trip down memory lane. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to post to the List.