Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman : Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

So tell me your opinion! What do you think... Who is the better Colleen? Erika Flores or Jessica Bowman?
I think Erika Flores is the first choice.. she is the true and real Colleen Cooper.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Honestly, I think that Erika was "the true and real Colleen Cooper," since she was the first to leave her mark on the character. However, "the true and real Colleen Cooper" really got on my nerves. I couldn't stand Erika's Colleen, but, I began to like Colleen when Jessica took over.



Accio Brain!

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I always thought Erika made a better Colleen, it took me a while to like Jessica as Colleen.

They both portrayed the character very differently from eachother. Erica's was stronger in my opnion compared to Jessicas colleen. The first season Jess was there she always wore that long jacket and had developed a fear of riding the horses etc. is it just me, or did anyone else notice it?

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Jessica seemed a bit too quiet and less forceful than Colleen had been before when Erika played her. That said, I've only seen up till season 3, so I don't know if she changed and became less wishy washy.

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I noticed it to! Jessica ALWAYS wore that brown, long jacket! I think emotion wise, Erika did a much better job. She also looked far more like Matthew and Brian as a sibling too. But as far as character and moral wise Jessica pulled ahead.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?


Honestly, I think that Erika was "the true and real Colleen Cooper," since she was the first to leave her mark on the character. However, "the true and real Colleen Cooper" really got on my nerves. I couldn't stand Erika's Colleen, but, I began to like Colleen when Jessica took over.


Wowzers, I think you stated that PERFECTLY.
That's my sentiments, exactly, down to the last comma and period.

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika!!!

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erica gave Colleen a stronger personality. Even though Jessica wasn't that bad but Erica was better.

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?



Erica.I think she was a better actress then Jessica.And I think she even looked
more like Matthew and Brian.

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

They both have their good and bad points, but I agree that Erika is the "true" Colleen since she came first. My roommate and I always say as a joke "Old Colleen would have NEVER let this happen!" when something crazy happens that involves Jessica in an episode.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I might be in the minority on this one by I preferred Jessica to Erika's Colleen. I think when Jessica came into it, she had alot of pressure on her and I think she made the character her own and did it beautifully!! Plus she was part of my favorite couple, Andrew and Colleen. So, I might be the only one but Jessica's Colleen was way better!

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I don't like this argument. I think they were both great Colleens, and I have no preference.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I agree - both played the role well, just differently according to their acting style...

As for the horses, well, some actors are better at riding (or less afraid of riding) than others, that's true - I found that sitting 7 or 8 feet off the ground on the back of a sometimes unpredictable horse is something that does take getting used to, that's for sure (the problem is that when the rider is afraid, the horse knows this and behaves even more unpredictably)...

This problem can be worse when using a "rented" horse (as in the case of those who are acting) - now I understand why many prefer to own their own horse - similar to the family dog, the person gets becomes a friend to the animal (and the animal becomes a friend to the human)...

Aside from that, I believe Erika left acting to attend school, while Jessica continued her acting career and was seen in one or two "troubled teen" movies of the late 1990's, along with Lisa Jakub (Lydia in Mrs. Doubtfire), and Tracy Gold (Growing Pains) - though at the present Jessica has left acting, while Erika has returned.

By the way, I believe Jessica continued acting at that time because she had other family members who have been in acting or producing for a number of years - as actors say, acting is like the working in the circus - it's a family career...

Perhaps not my favorite episode, but, the one where Dr. Mike saves Brian's life after he's stung by a scorpion is something I can relate to - I had the same bad experience while camping, and, I found that a scorpion sting is almost as dangerous as a snake bite - never try to pick up a scorpion (that's how Brian got stung) or step on them when walking around the camp in bare feet (like I did)...

LOL

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika Flores was far superior an actress. She'll always be the true Colleen to me.

To thine own self be true.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Defenalty Erika!!!

http://erikaflores.web-log.nl/

*Erika Flores is the best*

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika!
Once Jessica took over, I lost interest in the show. She was never Colleen to me.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Jessica all the way!

Erika got on my nerves like none other. There was always this whiney/immature aspect to when she played Colleen. (She was a kid, yes I understand but the way she handled some of the more mature lines and subject matter was immature...)

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

LOL I realize I probably am the only guy responding to this, but I watched this with my mom since probably the 2nd or 3rd season and I thought it was an interesting show most of the time.

Anyway, I liked both of them. However, I do believe that Erika's Colleen was a little more realistic. I think that may be due to Erika's Colleen being flawed and acted more like you'd expect someone to at that age. Jessica played more of the sweet, perky, perfect little daughter type Colleen. I remember watching seeing one episode, just one, where Jessica's Colleen was portrayed as being mischievous and rebellious. It seemed so out of place which is probably why they never portrayed Jessica's Colleen like that again.

Again, I liked them both.

Did this come to anyone else as a surprise when they made this change? There was no warning that I knew of. In one episode Dr. Mike and the kids are helping someone outside and you see this different girl standing there. You asked yourself, who is that? Then it's revealed by Dr. Mike that it's Colleen!

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I remember being really confused when they made this change. I think it was halfway through the episode before I realized who she was. I've got to say I definitely lean to the first Colleen because the character did seem to change into a different person when they changed actresses. But I also remember losing interest in the series around then...not because of changes in Colleens, but there were a lot of changes that happened that just didn't seem to fit. The thing that really pissed me off...I remember this clearly, was when they killed off Ingrid. I know that not everyone really cared for her character, but I thought that the relationship between her and Matthew really seemed to fit the times. My biggest problem with the show was a lot of the things that were said and dealt with seemed to really be from a 20th-century perspective...not that people in the 1800s didn't think about these things too, but a lot of didn't seem very authentic and I'm pretty forgiving about film/TV straying from authenticity. I still really enjoyed the show while I watched it and I've been in the mood to watch it again.
(Oh, by the way, a recommendation for the 19th-century-female-doctor genre--"Bramwell" starring Jemma Redgrave. I saw it on Masterpiece Theatre when I was in high school and have been trying to find all of the episodes since)

"it's sad that we weren't born like horses & sheep, to know where we’re going, to know what we need" -Melanie

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I really preferred Erika's Colleen and she will always be Colleen to me because she was the first and I agree they seemed like they changed her character when Jessica took over. Erika's Colleen just seemed like she grew up there in the town, Jessica was a good actress but Jessica's Colleen seemed more like she was visiting from the city.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

When Jessica stepped in and succeeded 'Colleen', she did it very graciously and respectfully. The only aspect that bothered me was Jessica's red hair, when Colleen is blond, like her two brothers. But perhaps the producers didn't have another young blond actress good enough to replace Erika. After awhile, Jessica really caught on to the role and soon made it her own, just as Erika had.

Far as Erika's portrayal regarded 'strong'...Jessica had her many moments that her Colleen was equally strong, especially as 'Colleen' aged in latter seasons. And seriously, I agree with previous comment: by the time Andrew came along, the chemistry with Erika wouldn't have been there.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I liked Erika MUCH better than Jessica, though part of it might be attributed to the writing of Colleen after the switch. It seems that Jessica's Colleen was a lot more whiney and prissy. I've tried placing Erika's Colleen in the same reactions as Jessica's and I can't make it work in my head.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I liked Erika's Colleen better she was more real and was a true western (or so I think) Jessica was much more reserved and didnt show very much emotion to situations where Erika would act it out perfectly. And in the episode when Colleen goes with the wrong crowd and tries to act all bad and stuff it just doesnt seem real and I thnk Erika would have done it much better. And if they had to change characters they could have at least gotten someone with the same color hair, I really didnt like how she went from a blonde with bangs to a red head without and then they went back to the old Colleen I think about 3 episodes in (when Dr. Bones comes to town) it was just confusing and Jessica was just a poor actress I think.

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika. She will always "stick" in my mind as Colleen because she was the first.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I seem to be in the minority but I preferr Jessica all the way. I am rewatching the episodes now for the first time in years and I am surprised by how immature and weepy Erika's Colleen is. I couldn't picture her as a doctor in a million years. Jessica's Colleen, however seems to be quietly strong .

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I like Erika as Collen much better then Jessica, I have some questions for all of you if Erika had stay on the show whom would she married? Would Andrew Cook came to town if the first Collen had stay instead the second Collen? Erika was also very mature and wasn't really alwasy in trouble like Jessica was and then took time to grow up.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Andrew would still have come to town if Erika had stayed as Colleen. Whether they would have added their plotline as love interests would be the better question. Don't forget that Andrew came to town because Mrs Quinn brought him to help Mike. He STAYED partly because he was interested in Colleen (and possibly Becky), and because he got the job at the spa.

I personally like both Colleens. It did take me a while to get used to Jessica, but as her storylines progressed, I thought she was well suited to the way Colleen grew into a posh-ish young woman at school in Denver. Erika played a much younger version of the character very well, but may not have been able to carry off the more adult plotlines from series five and six with as much conviction.

I do agree that the hair colour was wrong - Jessica looks rather more like she could be Mike's daughter than being a blood relation of Matthew and Brian. If they coudln't get a blonde actress, what they could have done would be to dye her hair and then slowly let the dye wear off and darken to a colour closer to her own over a period of time. You do that in TV shows and less people notice and find it jarring. :)

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika, I wish she had stayed on. I found that they made Colleen too whiny with Jessica. Now most of the time, Erika's Colleen was whiny too, but less high strung. They were just played very differently. It's too bad we will never know how Erika's Colleen would have turned out. Jessica did well, but she over played some scenes where Erika was more of a subtle actress. Must be the fiery red hair.

"I am a lover and have not found my thing to love"~Sherwood Anderson

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I loved Erika Flores as Colleen. She acted the character as a real kid, a girl struggling between child and woman. She was so cute and vulnerable. Erika reminded me of my daughter at that age. When Jessica took over, the character bore little resemblance to the original character physically and in personality.
She also didn't resemble Matthew and Brian. To me Jessica was the daughter that Dr. Quinn could have given birth to. She resembled the Boston relatives in looks and personality.

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erica was perfect as Colleen

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

You know what I've wish that Erika would have stay on the show, just to see how Erika would have grown and if she would of been mature enough to marry Andrew Cook or not. Jessica was O.K. but Erika was the much better and suited Colleen.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I don't think this is even a question of who's the better actress or which Colleen was more likeable. The thing is that when Jessica Bowman took over the character changed SO MUCH in looks, behavior and personality, it just wasn't the same character anymore and that was incredibly annoying.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Whether Erika or Jessica, the character would have changed in the same way. These are not actresses who write the stories. The authors develop their characters as they want. Colleen would have had Teens problems, would be going to Denver and would have become more chic, whatever the actress. But that Erika could play this young woman and to be credible, I doubt.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I liked them both. Erika looked more like her brothers but Jessica looked like she could have been Dr. Mike's real daughter. They had such different personalities on the show but Jessica played the older, more mature Colleen.
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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika, without a doubt. I never liked Colleen after Jessica took over. Erika was a much better, believable actress and she really fit the character.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?


Whether Erika or Jessica, the character would have changed in the same way.


I don't agree with that at all. If a different actress comes in and she looks and acts differently, it affects the writers' perspective on the character, especially if the writers change as well. Colleen would've become more mature, which no doubt Erika could've pulled off, but I'm sure the sudden prissiness was the result of the cast change.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Hmm that's tough, both could be kind of whiny (hey name me a teen girl who isn't!) but it's more believable for a character who's supposed to be like 13-15. Erika was very sweet and docile, but I also thought Bowman had that personality too. Only they tried to make Bowman assertive and opinionated, when she's not really like that at all.

I can't say that I prefer one actress over the other because they both were equally talented. I guess I prefer Colleen's original character, rather than what she became. (This is no fault of Jessica Bowman though). She was well paired with Andrew and I really liked that character choice. I guess I just felt like they turned her into a crusading empowered female doctor, which just made her into another Michaela clone. I would have liked to see her become a teacher or something in academia, something she was more well suited for personality wise. Not that teachers are docile...just that she seemed very studious and observational.

I didn't actually watch this show in its original syndication, Jessica Bowman was the first Colleen I actually saw. I saw the show out of order, but Erika Flores does really establishes the character. I can see why people would prefer one over the other, but they're so different from each other. It's like apples and bananas in my opinion.

I also agree that Jessica didn't resemble the other two siblings, but that's been known to happen.

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Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika was the better actress of the two. Definitely brought more intensity to the character of Colleen.

However, I can't picture Erika with the personality and character of Dr. Andrew Cook. Jessica's Colleen definitely is a better match with Andrew.

I like Jessica better. She has a much sweeter personality than Erika. Erika's character would lash out and become a bit vengeful when pushed (such as in fights with her brothers). Jessica's Colleen was much more mature. Don't understand why commenters here would think Jessica is prissier just because she's got the sweeter personality. The commenters are correct, though, if they mean that Jessica' Colleen would have been better suited to Boston's Beacon Hill.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

Erika Flores was the better childhood Colleen. She was the more believable country type. Colleen was shown to be more refined with Jessica Bowman in the role but Colleen did come of age under the influence of Bostonian Dr. Mike & family so the transition was believable.
I liked them both.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I liked them both, which is really hard to believe!

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?


I liked them both, which is really hard to believe!


Finally, same here! I think Erika was just right for the younger Colleen, and Jessica was perfect for the older, more refined, "Dr. Mike-raised" Colleen. I also in a million years could not picture Erika's Colleen with Andrew; Jessica had amazing chemistry with him and, IMO, theirs was one of the few relationships on the show that could pass as genuine.

Re: Who is the better Colleen? Erika or Jessica?

I've always said Erika's Colleen was the "real" Colleen, but I agree with you 100% about Colleen and Andrew. For that storyline, Jessica was the perfect fit.

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