"The Prisoner" is the twelfth episode of season 1 of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
After ambushing Black Kettle's camp, General Custer enters the town with wounded soldiers and Indian prisoners, including Cloud Dancing, whom Custer threatens to kill if Dr. Mike doesn't treat his men first. Custer then threatens to execute Cloud Dancing if he doesn't give him the information he wants in two days. Cloud Dancing is later badly beaten and suffers a dislocated arm which Dr. Mike treats. She goes to Reverend Johnson, but he refuses to speak to Custer. After Custer hauls Cloud Dancing before a firing squad that fires blanks, Dr. Mike and Sully engineer Cloud Dancing's escape. Meanwhile, Miss Olive organizes a hurdy-gurdy dance, recruiting girls from the immigrant camp and a reluctant Loren, Horace, and Jake for the band. Matthew, who has a crush on an immigrant girl named Ingrid, sees this as his chance to express his feelings toward her when tickets are offered to dance with the girls. Matthew buys all of Ingrid's dance tickets, but Ingrid cries when it appears no one wants to dance with her. She overjoyed to learn Matthew wanted her all to himself. He then shyly confesses to Ingrid that he doesn't know how to dance.
This episode provides examples of:
- Historical Domain Character: General Custer, of course.
- I Can't Dance: Matthew confesses this to Ingrid.
- Perp Sweating: First Custer threatens to kill Cloud Dancing if he doesn't give him the information he wants, then he puts Cloud Dancing in front of a firing squad that fires blanks.
- Triage Tyrant: Custer demands that Dr. Mike treat his soldiers first, regardless of medical priorities.
