Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Michaela "Mike" Quinn, of Boston, followed in her fathers footsteps by becoming a doctor. Dr. Mike worked side by side her father. But his sudden death caused her the loss of, not only her best friend, but the loss of their medical practice. The lack of job opportunities for women doctors lead Michaela to answer an ad for a doctor in Colorado territory. Michaela left her fancy home in the city of Boston for the western town, Colorado Springs. When she arrives in town she is met with mockery, for they expected a man doctor. She is befriended by Charlotte Cooper (Diane Ladd) and becomes good friends with her. Charlotte and Dr. Quinn become close friends and when Charlotte is bitten by a rattle snake, she leaves her three children Matthew (Chad Allen), Colleen (Erika Flores, later Jessica Bowman) and Brian (Shawn Toovey) for Dr. Mike to look after. As the town continues to mock Michaela for expecting to be the town doctor, she meets Sully, a white man ""turned"" Native American who lets he

Mikes estranged mother (Jane Wyman) visits, but she and Mike are still miles apart. Meanwhile, Robert E is injured in a fire.

A bitter Loren, who blames Sully for his daughters death, tries to repossess Dr. Mikes cabin when he learns he still owns the deed.

When several townspeople come down with mercury poisoning, Dr. Mike forces a reluctant Sully to guide her to the high mountain stream which may be the source of the problem. The trek is difficult for her, but she ultimately earns Sullys respect and gratitude after saving his life twice despite a broken wrist. Just as they confirm that the water is being polluted by a local mine owner whose mining process is dumping mercury into the stream, they are captured by his men. In the interim, worried townsfolk send out an inept posse to try to locate Sully and Dr. Mike. Olive backs Graces new venture -- Graces Cafe. In the end, Dr. Mike saves the day by curing the mine owners son, who has fallen victim to the poisoned water, and convincing the owner to close the mine.

Dr. Mike takes in Red McCall, a down-and-out cowboy, and his ailing half-breed infant child. McCall reaches the end of his rope trying to care for his baby, so after robbing Lorens store, he leaves the baby in Michaelas care, sensing she could find a suitable home for his child. Dr. Mikes attempts to find a home for the baby prove futile. When she travels to a remote cabin to check on the health of its owner, she finds him badly mangled from a bear attack. Her horse is frightened off by the bear, and shes marooned in the cabin until Sully shows up looking for her. They narrowly escape being the rabid bears next victims. After returning to town, Dr. Mike decides shed rather raise the child herself than turn him over to an orphanage. However, Sully locates Red and convinces him to keep the child.

After ambushing Black Kettles camp, General Custer enters the town carrying wounded soldiers and Indian prisoners, including Cloud Dancing, whom Custer threatens to kill if Dr. Mike does not treat his men before the injured braves. Later, Dr. Mike treats Cloud Dancings broken arm while he remains shackled in the livery after Custers interrogation. When Custer jokingly hauls Cloud Dancing before a firing squad that fires blanks, Dr. Mike and Sully engineer Cloud Dancings escape. Meanwhile, Olive opens a Hurdy Gurdy, recruiting girls from the immigrant camp and a reluctant Loren, Horace and Jake for the band. Matthew buys all of Ingrids dance tickets then shyly confesses that he doesnt know how to dance. Robert E. and Grace exchange looks. Robert E. is still burned from The Visitor (#3).

Matthews sudden announcement that he wants to marry Ingrid causes upheaval in his relationship with Dr. Mike, who feels hes too young. In an effort to prove hes man enough to make his own decisions, he convinces Sully and Cloud Dancing to allow him to partake in a four-day Cheyenne ritual. This is the final straw for Dr. Mike, and she confronts Sully before she storms off looking for Matthew. Meanwhile, Ingrid suffers asthma attacks, and her treatment is undermined by Dr. Mikes disapproval of their marriage plans. Dr. Mike comes upon Matthew going through the rite of passage and seeming at peace with himself, so she lets him finish uninterrupted. Later, Dr. Mike and Matthew resolve their differences, with him deciding to delay the wedding and her giving Matthew her engagement ring for Ingrid.

While Brian and Sully are out hiking, Brian climbs a tree and jumps out before Sully can stop him. Brian lands hard, hitting his head. Mike, angry with Sully for not watching Brian more carefully, is relieved to find no signs of injury. Later, the townsfolk argue over who will build the new schoolhouse, Matthew wants Robert E included, but, in the end Jake and Loren are tapped for the job. Brian begins to exhibit symptoms of compression, which escalate to blindness and later, coma. A specialist cant be found and Mike must perform a dangerous brain operation while Jake and Grace assist. Meanwhile, the town, including Robert E, pulls together to build the schoolhouse. Brian awakens and wanders out to the new school where Mike and the family find him, overjoyed that he can see again.

David Watkins, a civil war photographer arrives in Colorado Springs. Dr. Mike diagnoses Davids diabetes and is frustrated that he refuses treatment and will ultimately go blind. David suggests taking a portrait of the town and an argument ensues over who will be in it. When the camera equipment is destroyed, the whole town must pull together to create a camera and take the photo before Davids eyesight fails. At the same time, Mrs. Bing, Horaces mother, is brought to town, seriously ill. Mrs. Bing disapproves of Myra until she learns how much they love each other, and on her deathbed bestows her blessing on their marriage.

Dorothy, Lorens sister-in-law and old flame, is introduced as an abused wife who defends herself against her husbands assault, then seeks shelter with Loren. Marcus Jennings, Dorothys husband, persuades Dorothy to return home with him, which she does. Later, they have another fight and Dorothy returns. Unfortunately, after the couples last fight, Marcus is found dead, and Dorothy is the prime suspect. Mike defends her at the trial, but in the end Dorothy is found guilty. At the eleventh hour, Mike performs an autopsy on Dorothys husband and proves Dorothys innocence; Marcus was suffering from acute cirrhosis of the liver. Dorothy remains in town and Loren gives her a room at the General Store and helps her get started on her own newspaper, ""The Gazette."" Meanwhile, Snowbird, Cloud Dancings wife, leaves Cloud Dancings teepee when tradition dictates he take in a widow as his second wife.

Jake, Loren and Horace are out hunting when Jake, mistaking an Indian for a deer, accidentally shoots and kills him. During the melee, Horace is wounded by an arrow, which Mike treats. Loren and Jake, frightened and guilty, try to cover up Jakes blunder by declaring that the Indians attacked. They persuade Horace to participate in this lie. Sully and Mike are caught in the subsequent hostilities between the Indians and townsfolk. The incident threatens to provoke an all-out Indian war, as well as a rift between Sully and Mike and between Sully and Cloud Dancing, until Mike elicits a confession from Horace and Sully intervenes to bring peace. Eventually, the Indian tribal council declares that Jake must make financial reparations to the dead Indians family, including his horse, watch and ring.

Mike receives an emergency telegram from her sister Rebecca -- her mother is gravely ill. Mike rushes to Boston to her mothers side, the Cooper kids in tow, where Dr. Mike and her ""roughhewn"" children are met with raised eyebrows by Dr. Quinns own family. While consulting with Elizabeth Quinns attending physician, Dr. Mike meets a handsome and progressive Doctor, Dr. William Burke. Dr. Mikes prognosis of her mother (hepatitis) differs with Mrs. Quinns doctor, Dr. Hanson, who diagnoses cancer. Dr. Burke, however, believes Dr. Mike may be onto something. They have a lot in common and develop a strong mutual admiration for each other. They work together to cure Mrs. Quinn and some of Dr. Burkes other patients. Meanwhile, Matthew chafes at being stuck in Boston away from Ingrid, while Colleen appreciates the learned and cultured atmosphere and Brian adores the candy stores. Just when everyone has settled comfortably into the Boston routine, Sully shows up, unannounced and in buckskin

Mike and Sully have trouble adjusting to the new status of their relationship, ""courtin"". Sully introduces Mike to his world, taking her into the woods, showing her how to track and hunt. Mike pressures Sully into coming to a town meeting, where tempers flare over the scarcity of water. Later, Sully takes Mike to his home, a simple lean-to, and she wonders how they can make a life together when theyre so different. Horaces attempts to divine for water fail, and Hank decides its time to pull up stakes and take Myra with him. Robert E and Grace also consider leaving. Mike and Sully persuade Cloud Dancing to share his methods for water conservation and farming with the town, only to be rebuffed by Loren and Jake. Loren and Jake take water from an Indian pond which Cloud Dancing warns is poisonous, but they sell the water to the townsfolk anyway. Everyone gets sick from the contaminated water and Dr. Mike must treat them. Afterward, the town pulls together to create a Thanksgiving feast

Mike is called away to Soda Springs to help with an outbreak of influenza and Sully promises to stay with the children. Sully plays ""Mr. Mom"" but the kids grow restless. While out exploring caves with Brian, Sully is shot trying to intervene between the Indians and the cavalry. When the smoke clears, Brian cant locate Sully and goes to town for help. The Reverend helps the kids hide Sully, who now has a bounty on his head. They take Sully to the cave for safety. Colleen enlists the Reverends help to bring supplies from the clinic, but he is spotted by Hank and Jake, who are out for the bounty. They knock Hank out and tie him up, but when Colleen is forced to remove the bullet, she must employ Jakes assistance to save Sullys life. When finally they ride back into town, the Cavalry tries to arrest Sully for blowing up the railroad, but the townsfolk provide Sully with an alibi preventing his arrest.

Miners gather in front of Loren Brays store to protest Lorens not extending credit to striking miners, and for doing business with the mine owners. A budding union leader, Conrad, is there trying to organize the workers. At the same time, Travis Stone, the mining boss, rides up, hands out flyers advertising for scabs. An angry miner throws a stick of dynamite onto Lorens porch, which Sully, who gets knocked out in the subsequent fray, comes to just soon enough to put out. Matthew takes a flyer -- decides hell take the job to augment building costs on his homestead. By doing this, hes at cross-purposes with Sully and Mike, who try to talk him out of it. Grace tells Loren she wont be buying anything from him until the strikes over, due to his unfair trade practices with the striking miners. Matthew finds, to his dismay, that Loren charges 10 cents on every dollar of ""scrip"" (miners credit) for ""bookkeeping"" costs. Later, as Mike administers some bicarbonate of soda (Brians got a

A ragtag circus, consisting only of Heart and Atlantis, a mother-and-daughter team, arrives in Colorado Springs. Heart, the mother, enlists the townsfolk to participate as performers. Everyone accepts but Mike, whom Heart tries to engage as a trapeze performer. Later, in the homestead, Colleen reveals her fear of being in the limelight, and Brian asks Sully if hell perform on the trapeze, per Hearts request. Sully says to Mike, ""I will, if you will,"" upon which Mike says shell perform if Colleen will. Colleen reluctantly accepts the challenge. Heart engages the Reverend to be a magician, with Miss Dorothy as his lovely magicians assistant. Brian and Loren are the designated clowns. Colleen, Atlantis and Matthew do a tightrope act together, and Jake is pressed into service as the ring announcer. The town happily embraces their various roles in the circus, but friction occurs between Mike and Heart when Mike discovers that Atlantis, Hearts daughter, has webbed fingers. Mike wants to

Eight orphans arrive on the train. The Reverend takes them in at the church and Mike nurses their ailments. When no one in the town wants to adopt the orphans, the Reverend extends a proposal of marriage to Mike so that they can raise the orphans together. Mike briefly considers the offer, and Sully confronts her about it, asking her if she loves him. She accuses him of not making any kind of committment to her, whereas the Reverend has, to which he replies, ""If marriage is all you want...."" leaving his meaning clear without being spoken that hes possibly willing to offer more. Considering this, Mike turns the Reverend down, much to the relief of Sully and the Cooper kids. Eventually, the orphans board the train and leave town, but each orphan boards the train a more complete person as a result of their interaction with the townsfolk. Dr. Mike confronts the fact that she cant save the world and she and the Cooper kids emerge as a more united family.

When Julius Hoffman rides into town and engages Matthew in a poker game, Matthew thinks hes found a great way to earn money to finish he and Ingrids homestead, although Mike and Sully disapprove. At first, Matthew wins steadily, though he and Ingrid get into a terrible fight when, after missing an elaborate dinner she cooked for him (he was in a game), he confesses he used her hard-earned laundry money, which she gave him for building supplies, as a stake. Though Ingrid and Mike disapprove heartily, Matthew continues playing the game, even after he gets beaten up and robbed of his earnings. Eventually, townsfolk become so confident in Matthews abilities that everyone but Mike, Sully and the Reverend back Matthew in the big poker game. The Reverend pulls Mike aside and confesses that he was once a gambler, knew Julius, and suspects that the towns been set up. As Matthew makes his way to the big game, Ingrid breaks up with him over his poker playing. In the process, she returns the e

Robert E buys a house in town. When the auctioneer, Jedediah Bancroft, sees that hes sold the house to a black man, he tries to renege, but Mike intercedes. Later, Mike is surprised to learn that Jake, Loren, Hank and Dorothy are displeased to have Robert E and Grace living in their midst. That night, at the homestead, Matthew tells Mike hes been invited to join a new mens club -- the Ku Klux Klan, which he knows nothing about but is heading out the door to investigate. At the meeting, Jedediah, the leader of the group, promises only ""a big surprise"" for the following night, then adjourns the meeting. The next night, townsfolk don white gowns, recite the KKK oath, and ride out to harass and beat Robert E. After treating Robert E, Mike storms into the barbershop, where she confronts Jedediah, Jake, Loren and Hank about the events of the night before. Jedediah tries to make offers to get Robert E and Grace out of town, even threatening Mike with the mortgage on her clinic if Robert E

Mike and Sully get caught in the crossfire when, while visiting the Indian reservation, they see renegade Dog Soldiers shoot some Cavalry men. Mike is kidnapped in retaliation when the Indians discover she told Custer what happened; Sully vows to find her. Meanwhile, Brian falls in love with a horse Hank wins in a poker game.

Mike and Jake go head-to-head when both campaign for the Mayorship of Colorado Springs. At issue: whether drinking and prostitution should be outlawed. Myra finally breaks loose from Hank.

When ""Andrew Strauss""—really David Lewis—the fiancé whom Mike had presumed was killed in the Civil War, visits Colorado Springs. Mike is forced to choose between him and Sully. Also, Horace and Myra experience pre-nuptial tension when townsfolk start taking over the planning of their wedding for them. Andrew Strauss/David Lewis: Maxwell Caulfield.

Loren plans a trip to Bolivia to prove he is not getting old; Brian seeks to prove his courage by camping out alone. The two become inadvertent allies as they battle the advances of a hungry bear. Also, Jake and Hanks practical jokes get out of hand, culminating in injuries to them both, until they agree to make up

Matthew and Sully quarrel over the route of the cattle drive.

Mike helps John, a man Brian finds in the woods, deal with outer and inner scars when she operates on his maimed face and helps him deal with his guilt about the train wreck that caused his disfigurement - as conductor of the train, he feels somehow responsible for the accidental crash. Meanwhile, the townsfolk are up in arms when they get wind that Mikes doing ""secret"" operations - and possibly creating Frankensteins monster. John: Richard Moll

Sully is imprisoned when he accompanies Dr. Mike and Cloud Dancing to Washington to lobby on behalf of the Cheyenne.

Mike and Sully run into now-married Kid Cole and Sister Ruth and invite them home for Thanksgiving, but the coach is hijacked, forcing them to journey home, on foot, through Indian country. Also, the Cooper kids scramble to put Thanksgiving supper together. Kid Cole: Johnny Cash. Sister Ruth: June Carter Cash.

Dorothy insists the decision to have surgery is hers, not Mikes; Colleen finds the harassment unbearable.

Sully takes a job as an Indian Agent, only to discover corruptions rife within the system. Meanwhile, liquor arrives on the reservation, and Snow Bird miscarries due to malnutrition.

Mike learns some patients are beyond help when she climbs Pikes Peak to follow a woman whos chosen to die in its rarified air rather than continue to battle leukemia; Grace deals with her jealousy of Myras pregnancy. Colleen delivers Myras baby in Mikes absence, ushering in a new life for the one lost. Sam Lindsay: Eve Brenner

Brian and Colleen run away from Ethan and Lillian, and Colleen contracts potentially lethal pneumonia, which, upon the kids apprehension, Mike treats. Also, surprisingly, Hanks the only person who can quiet Samantha, Myra and Horaces eternally crying baby.

Mike volunteers Robert Es services to fix a steam engine for the railroad, but whether Robert E can do it remains in question until the job is completed. Also, Mike solves a medical puzzle when two Chinese railroad workers, the Chang brothers, fall strangely ill. Jackson Tait: Allan Royal. Peter Chow: Eric Michael Zee.

A paleontologist arrives in town, igniting ""bone fever"" among the townsfolk when he announces that dinosaur bones are worth money. Meanwhile, Matthew and Colleen try to prevent Brian from discovering that the ""dinosaur"" bone given him by his pa is fake.

Mike and Sully arrive too late to avert Custers slaughter of the Indians at the Washita River; Brian befriends an Indian boy destined to die at Washita; Robert E & Grace attempt to adopt an Indian baby whose mother was killed at Washita. No Harm Comes To Him: Sean Price-McConnell.

After discovering a badly injured Loren, Sully must battle his own demons in order to save him.

Mikes mother arrives with elaborate wedding plans; Custer puts a bounty on best man Cloud Dancing.

The honeymoon is over for Mike and Sully as the newlyweds must adjust to life in a changing Colorado Springs where a bullish Boston Brahman named Preston A. Lodge III establishes the towns first bank. Preston Lodge III: Jason Leland Adams.

Mike is overwhelmed with her new found passion for Sully, and feeling slighted, Colleen joins her schoolmates for dangerous and questionable escapades.

An elderly man comes to town with hopes that the natural spring will help his rheumatism. Dr. Mike cant convince Sully to plan for the Halloween festivities.

Loren proposes to Dorothy but suffers a stroke before she can give him an answer. Meanwhile, Sully feels obliged to act upon an old friends written request to help him set up a mining operation in Nevada.

Dorothy, Myra and Grace realize they are quitting and theyre letting Mike down, so they decide to go back. They find her injured with a broken arm. Mike cant go to the top of the mountain anymore, but she encourages the others to make it to the top for her. Meanwhile back in town, Preston plots to guild a hotel-casino with help from his ""partner"" Jake; and Robert E is bothered by an encounter with a bounty hunter.

The family finds Matthew running a saloon at a railroad camp where his grief over Ingrids death drives him to volunteer for a dangerous blasting job. Loren loses Dorothys money for a new printing press. Peter Chow: Eric Michael Zee.

Robert E and Grace want to adopt a young boy who is suffering from a disease Mike cant diagnose (sickle cell anemia). Meanwhile the town believes Matthew should start dating again and sets him up on a series of blind dates.

Matthew falls for an independent young woman, but the fact that shes a prostitute complicates their blooming romance. Meanwhile, Preston offers Myra a job at the bank, but Horace opposes her taking it. Emma: Charlotte Chatton.

Sully pursues a renegade mountain man who has kidnapped senator Leonards son, in protest of the Senators support of Colorado statehood. Meanwhile, Mike is forced to stop her practice when her schedule threatens her pregnancy. Ezra Leonard: Lawrence Pressman. Noah McBride: Denny Miller. Dr. Cassidy: Jerry Hardin.

The Reverend mortgages the church to Hank to get money to make church repairs in order to impress his mentor Rev. Thomas. Rev. Thomas: Fred Rogers. Mr. James: Max Gail.

Cloud Dancing sees a reservation school as fatal to Indian culture; bankers stonewall Dorothys loan request.

Tales of her accomplishments embarrass Woman of the Year nominee Mike; Hanks grandmother visits.

A popular new arrival carries a dread disease; Preston plans an exclusive clinic.

Dr. Mike prepares for the birth of her baby. Mikes family arrives for the impending birth of Mike and Sullys baby, bringing along a new young doctor (Brandon Douglas) to help deliver the baby. Meanwhile, Sully is hurt while trying to rescue Cloud Dancing and others from Sgt. OConnor (Patrick Kilpatrick) and his patrol.

Sully goes to Denver to negotiate the release of Cloud Dancing from the army. One of the conditions is that Sully is no longer Indian Agent and may not ever step foot on the reservation again. On the way home the train crashes, injuring most on board. Andrew learns a lesson in humility by watching Michaela in action.

A malpractice suit prevents Dr. Mike from practicing medicine, leaving the reluctant Dr. Cook in charge.

A Latin American woman rebuffs Dr. Mikes attempts at friendship; the Rev. Johnson searches for a teacher to take his place. Teresa: Michelle Bonilla.

Dr. Mike is arrested and put in jail for treating a fugitive Indian; Jake and Preston run against each other for mayor of Colorado Springs.

Dr. Mike, Sully and Matthew team up with a legendary marshal in order to nab the thieves who wounded Matthew during a bank robbery.

Grace and Robert E. encounter fierce opposition when they attempt to enroll their son in the towns all-white school.

As Christmas approaches, Brian questions his faith when he learns that Dr. Mike cannot save the sight of the Reverend.

Dr. Mikes Uncle Theodore, a concert pianist, sees in Brian not only a talented musician, but his own dead son.

When Colleen, who is working on a college paper, asks Dr. Mike to recall her most memorable case, Dr. Mike looks back on the five turbulent years shes lived and loved in Colorado Springs. As they sit with Andrew, who is mysteriously ill at the clinic, Dr. Mike reminisces about her tumultuous career -- its successes and its failures -- and realizes how many divergent cases she has seen and treated. When Andrews condition takes a turn for the worse, Dr. Mike warns Colleen about the fine line between emotional involvement and professional detachment, an issue with which she has long struggled in the frontier town thats now her home.

While Sully is away for a few days to procure some money, Preston arrives threatening to repossess the homestead for nonpayment of the load. Daniel rejects Dr. Mikes objections and pays off the entire loan. Upon hearing how Daniel interfered in his business, the proud Sully becomes furious.

Brian takes a liking to visiting writer Walt Whitman, even when the townspeople shun Whitman over rumors of his alternative lifestyle.

After Marjorie joins the Womens movement she blows into town stirring everyone up and has a fling with Loren.

Cloud Dancing is badly beaten by soldiers for returning late to the reservation. Michaela treats him. When Sully learns of the attack, he is outraged. Tired of being treated cruelly, the tribes plan a rebellion. They enlist Sullys help.

Sgt. OConnor was found dead in the river. Sully is nowhere to be found. Michaela believes that he survived and goes looking for him. Daniel comes to offer his help. Dorothy and Cloud Dancing share their first kiss.

Sully is wanted for treason and murder. In order to keep him safe, Michaela pretends that Sully is dead and has a memorial service for him. Hank and Jake find out Sully is alive. Cloud Dancing and Sully meet with Black Moon.

Russian Princess Nizamoff (Natasha Andreichenko) who claims to see the future, tells everyone what they want to hear. Even Michaela is taken in by her.

Marjorie brings a group of Temperance Women (opposed to alcohol consumption) to C.S. Jake goes on a dangerous drinking binge, when he thinks Hank and Teresa are seeing each other. Grace begins to drink heavily to numb her grief. Robert E. moves out.

Mrs. Quinn wants to take to the children to Boston with her. She also disapproves of Loren and Marjories relationship. Marjorie contracts the illness. The family sneaks Sully home for Thanksgiving.

Consumption hits Black Moon and his men. Black Moon agrees to surrender in exchange for safe passage of his men to protected land. Michaela negotiates the deal and asks also that Sully be pardoned.

Michaela is shot at the clinic by a man that has a grievance with doctors. The physical wounds heal, but the emotional ones linger.

Loneliness pervades C.S. as the Sweethearts Dance approaches. Loren sells his store to Preston and plans to move to San Francisco. Jake proposes to Teresa.

Hank captures Cloud Dancing and gets the army to send him to a reservation far away. Jake and Teresa marry, despite her aunts (Carmen Zapata) disapproval.

U.S. Marshall Elias Burch (guest star Willie Nelson) asks Matthew, still a student of law, to defend him when hes accused of murder.

Robert E releases anger over his separation from Grace through his furious fists in the boxing ring, where he takes on an ailing champ (Richard Roundtree) whos on tour.