"Sully's Choice" is the tenth episode of season 2 of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
The Reverend comes home from Soda Springs with the news of a flu epidemic; as the town has no doctor, Michaela rides off to help. Sully promises to stay with the kids while she's gone but is irritated with their constant bickering. He decides to take them into town where he runs into the Army looking for Dog Soldiers. Sully pleads with Cloud Dancing to try to dissuade the renegades from attacking, who says he'll do his best. When he can't sleep, Brian asks for a bedtime story. Sully tells him a story about a miner and the next day takes Brian exploring in a secret cave. Sully and Brian explore the cave together but come out right as Dog Soldiers attack railroad builders. Trying to stop them from blowing up the railroad with dynamite, he is shot by the Army—who then proceed to put a $200 bounty on his head (dead or alive). Brian runs to find Sully, but he has disappeared. Brian runs back to town to get Matthew and Robert E., who find Sully unconscious and bleeding. Jake and Hank go out to collect the bounty. Managing to avoid the soldiers in town, Robert E. gives the wagon with Sully hidden inside over to the Reverend, to take somewhere safe, to the cave Sully showed Brian. Colleen is faced with the daunting task of taking the bullet out of Sully alone. Matthew goes in search of Cloud Dancing while the Revered goes to town for medical supplies. Unfortunately, Matthew is soon followed by Jake, and Hank spots the Reverend sneaking out of the clinic with supplies. All four men arrive back at the cave at the same time. Everyone is surprised when Hank is subdued by the Reverend. Jake removes the bullet from Sully but nicks an artery, which Colleen must suture closed. Sully regains consciousness and goes to turn himself in; Hank's still after the bounty but is blown off. When Sully comes to town, he makes a speech about his innocence, winning the townspeople over. When the Cavalry arrive, Dorothy and others vouch he was "in town" during the time of the incident and threatens to write about shooting an unarmed man in the back. The episode ends with Dr. Mike returning to town, none the wiser.
This episode provides examples of:
- The Alibi: The townspeople vouch for Sully being "in town" when the Calvary arrive.
- Badass Preacher: The Reverend subdues Hank, to everyone's surprise.
- The Plague: The flu epidemic in Soda Springs.
- Railroad Plot: The Dog Soldiers attack the railroad builders to stop the construction of the railroad.
- The Savage Indian: Most of the Cheyenne are peaceful people, but the Dog Soldiers do act in aggressive, hostile, violent ways.
- We Have to Get the Bullet Out!: Mr. Mike is in Soda Springs, so Jake removes the bullet from Sully. Then Colleen sutures the artery that Jake nicked.
