Quincy M.E.

Plot synopsis:
The series starred Jack Klugman as Dr. Quincy, a strong-willed, very principled Medical Examiner (forensic pathologist) for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, working to ascertain facts about and reasons for possible suspicious deaths. His colleagues, friends and wife all address him by his surname or the shortened "Quince". (The character's first name was never fully given, although in the third-season episode "Accomplice to Murder" his name is shown on a business card as "R. Quincy" and in early episodes the name "Dr R. Quincy" appears on his door.)
In his investigations, Quincy frequently comes into conflict with his boss, Dr. Robert Asten (John S. Ragin), and the police, in particular, LAPD Homicide Lieutenant Frank Monahan (Garry Walberg). Each usually have their own (often flawed) theories about a particular case and about Quincy's deductions. In early episodes, Quincy's relationship with both men is often volatile and nearly adversarial (with Asten especially). This changed dramatically in later episodes where Quincy appears to have much closer professional and personal relationships with the two. Quincy is assisted by his faithful lab assistant, Sam Fujiyama (Robert Ito).
It is revealed in the episode "The Last of Leadbottom" Quincy is a retired Captain in the US Navy and remains in the Naval Reserve. In the episode "Crib Job", Quincy notes he originally wanted to be a railroad engineer, after revealing a number of facts about the dangers of the occupation. A well-liked man, Quincy lives on a sailboat in a permanent boat slip in Marina Del Rey, California and frequents Danny's, a restaurant and lounge at the marina owned by his friend Danny Tovo (Val Bisoglio).
Quincy is very popular with women. He was married once before but lost his wife Helen to cancer. In the Mystery Movie installments and earliest hour-long episodes, Quincy has a regular girlfriend named Lee Potter (Lynette Mettey) who sometimes accompanies him on his cases (such as in "...The Thighbone's Connected to the Knee Bone..."). This is his only steady relationship until near the end of the seventh season, when Quincy remarries (Dr. Emily Hanover, played by Anita Gillette who had previously portrayed Helen in a flashback) and sells the sailboat in the episode "Quincy's Wedding". Quincy occasionally drives an antique car (which is shown in Season 4, Episode 1 to be an antique Packard Town Car), but friends sometimes ask why he drives his "work vehicle" (the county coroner's hearse, a 1976 AMC Matador Station Wagon (reg plate: 999853) in the first 2 seasons and a 1975 Ford LTD Station Wagon for the rest of the series) on his day off. Quincy claims that his car is off being repaired.
Early seasons' episodes contained elements of mystery and whodunit and focused on criminal investigation; a typical episode would find Quincy determining the real murderer in a crime or the real cause of an unusual poisoning case. Later seasons' episodes began to introduce themes of social responsibility; Quincy would find himself involved with a police investigation that reveals situations such as a disreputable plastic surgeon and the reasons his poor surgeries are not stopped, flaws in drunk driving laws, problems caused by punk rock, airline safety issues, dumping of hazardous waste, the proliferation of handguns, Tourette's syndrome, orphan drugs and anorexia among others.
Quincy, M.E. was one of the first dramatic series to use a format like this to further a social agenda. Klugman himself even came to testify before the US Congress about some of these issues (such as orphan drugs in 1982), describing what he had learned about a difficult or complex social concern as a result of its use in one of the show's episodes.
In 2008, Klugman sued NBC, asserting that the network had concealed profits from the show which were owed to him.
While many detective series had depicted rudimentary physical evidence analysis such as fingerprints and bullet comparisons, Quincy M.E. was the first to regularly present the in-depth forensic investigations which would be the hallmark of later detective shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and its spin-offs, NCIS, Diagnosis Murder, Crossing Jordan, inter alia. Klugman himself made guest appearances on the latter two series as, respectively, Dr. Jeff Everden and Det. Harry Trumble, and Dr. Leo Gelber.

Tags: murder

Review:
At least once an episode, Sam (Quincy's Asiatic sidekick) has to say 'I don't like it Quince'3.
In fact, many of the episodes dealt with forensic methods which were just coming into being in the 70's, and for the first time let the audience of the series see these new techniques and research, including the build-up of a skeletal face to what the person could have looked like, looking for evidence of where a person has been by looking at the residue on a person's shoes and other forensic methods we take for granted nowadays.What's even more interesting is that many of the topics of these episodes, some 25 years old, show a great amount of relevance even now.
Such things as airplane safety, epidemics, political influence, riots, runaways and child pornography, post traumatic stress disorder as a result of a war experience, migrant workers, crash diets, child abuse, and much, much more.This show was and is a great forerunner to many other shows over the past twenty-five years.
The original was one of the last series to be created for the NBC Mystery Movie strand which consisted of the shows,"McCloud", "MacMillian and Wife","Banacek",and also "Columbo" which was on the same network.
First off,Quincy was played by the great Jack Klugman,who before the series aired was Oscar Madison for five seasons on the TV version of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple",which was on a rival network.Klugman had a style and substance to the role where he can make his character looked serious and sometimes humourous at the same time(watch the episodes to see my point),but had a knack for solving cases for the police,uncover the proof of foul play against impossible odds,and go beyond the lengths to help the authorities catch the killer or suspects that were involved.
Then after solving another grueling case,he's back onto another one leading to more clues and surprises at every turn.This show during its run was in the top ten and was a grand favorites against competitors like from other detective shows like Kojak,Barnaby Jones,and Baretta,not to mention Starsky and Hutch.
However,the show was a inspiration for such shows today as Crossing Jordan and CSI:Crime Scene Investigation,not to mention in this category Diagonsis:Murder.Its is amazing that they don't make shows like this anymore,but Quincy was very good.
However,during its last season,the ratings slipped,and in 1982 the show was cancelled,and its replacement show over at NBC was that of a man and his talking car which....well you know the rest of the story...............Catch the episodes everyday on the Hallmark channel..
Every single episode goes down the same way:Quincy has just gotten off of a particularly grueling case.The boss brings in a new body that Quincy "just has to look at".Sam, his ever faithful assistant, is just about to leave for the night before Quincy calls him back.
"I need you to stay and figure this one out."They show the 'late-night working montage', which always consists of Sam running spectral analysis tests while Quincy pokes at the body.The montage ends, and Sam says "I don't like the looks of this Quince".Quincy then insults Sam about the quality of his coffee.Quincy puts on his detective hat, and interviews witnesses.Quincy will come against opposition to him solving the case, and he will yell at that person.
In fact, he will have been yelling for most of the episode, but now the yelling is of a righteous nature.Quincy will confront his main adversary and scream, "PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE AT STAKE HERE!!"Quincy's boss, who was against all meddling from the start, eventually comes around.Quincy solves the case, then explains everything over breakfast/lunch/dinner with his pals.Someone at the table tells a throw-away joke, usually at Quincy's expense, leaving everyone in stitches.Roll credits.Eat your heart out, Jordan Cavanaugh.
"Quincy" is one of my favourite shows of this kind (second only to the excellent "Columbo").
It has struck me that despite the implausible pairing of Quincy with much younger women, the clashes with the management and the police, this show covered some pretty controversial topics for a 30 year old mainstream show:- * Teenage alcoholism * Elder abuse * Mental health issues * Legislation for lief jackets on plains * Drunk driving *Public health issues such as food contamination/pollution Yes it can be cheesy but I still find many of them watchable and find the range of issues covered impressive for the times.
I watched "Quincy" when it was on the first time round with my mum, dad & sister.
He lived & loved like a man who's time was almost up, and it showed.
There was no other man on television who had a hand that was as good with a woman as it was with a dead body.Quincy cares.
Sure, Quincy was a man's man; he would be at the bar buying a round for the guys, but he hurts like the rest of us.
Crossing Jordan is yet another dark tale and generally as concerned with Jordan's sex life as with crime investigation.By contrast, Quincy is very engaging but also optimistic.
Jack Klugman is brilliant in the role of the smart & tough, kind hearted & principled, grumpy but charismatic coroner.
Each episode sees him ferreting out some new case of foul play, aided by his faithful Oriental lab cohort, Sam, engagingly played by Robert Ito. The pair enjoy a touching friendship.The series gave us a glimpse into the forensic techniques and research of that era.
I do agree that some of the plot lines can fall on the formulaic side, but I can't help liking Quincy M.E. all the same.
The acting I don't have a problem with, Jack Klugman is great as Quincy, who has his flaws such as being grumpy on occasions but is still charismatic, kind-hearted and clever, while Sam is a nice character and engagingly played.
2. To Dr. Quincy, the case "just doesn't seem right" and he won't close the case--wanting to take more time with the autopsy or do some investigating on his own.
4. Quincy's friend, Lt. Monahan, wants to close the case because he KNOWS that it either wasn't a murder or he's blaming some innocent guy for the crime.
Oddly, despite the Los Angeles Police Department being one of the largest ones in the world, somehow Monahan is almost always on the case--he's apparently a very, very busy guy--as is Quincy!
2. Dr. Quincy becomes angry because the death was caused by some social issue such as spousal abuse, sexual abuse or poorly staffed emergency care centers, so he goes on a rampage and annoys practically everyone.3.
But because it's a social issue program, they may or may not say something funny to end the show.So why, despite the predictability of the show did I and so many others like it?
Heck, after a while, you even grew to like Asten--especially since he mellowed and was less of a paper-pushing bureaucrat in later episodes.Excellent writing, a likable cast and great imagination, this show has stood up well over time.UPDATE: I just finished re-watching the entire series and think I should update my review.
I think Quincy was great when it first aired but is reflective of the "Shake 'n Bake" formula of TV in the '70s and early '80s.
It did bring the science of criminal forensics to public attention so I am sure there are people working in that field today because of Quincy.An episode or two might be tolerable for most people, but beyond that the repetition will wear almost anyone down.I think I would pay real money if for once his boss Asten, Lt. Monahan and everyone else would believe Quincy when he finds something out of the ordinary.Something like,"Gee Quincy, you were right about all of the last 75 deaths you investigated when I didn't believe you despite considering you my friend.
Jack Klugman was far more dedicated to his job and to doing the job of the police than any coroner I ever dealt with.
Now maybe Jack Klugman would have found out on the show, but I ran into no Klugmans in my professional or personal life.But Quincy would always go an extra few miles with his trusted assistant Robert Ito until he was proved right.
Ragin who had a lot of corpses to be disposed of and little time for the individual attention Klugman gave those cases we saw.But if Klugman had problems with Ragin there were nothing compared to those he had with detectives Garry Walberg and Joseph Roman who naturally resented him doing their jobs.
The resentments never lasted long though.My favorite parts of the show were always in their hangout where Klugman got together with Ito, Walberg, Ragin, and Roman at Danny's, a nice cozy little piano bar with good food, good drinks, and good company.
It looked like such a great place to hang out.But if you think medical examiners are as dedicated as Quincy you will be sadly disillusioned as I was..
Though Quincy began its run as a great mystery show, it all too soon evolved into a vehicle for discussion of the social issues of the day.
When Quincy stuck to storytelling, it was entertaining, but when stories took a backseat to "messages," it jumped the shark every time..
Quincy ME brought us the fascinating world of Forensic Pathology and yes, even crime scene investigation 30 years before we would be flooded with analogous programs.
I remember being a bit annoyed as certain episodes resembled after school specials, rather than the medical/ crime drama I became addicted too.
For me Quincy was more laughable than a serious series, simply for the reason that Jack Klugman or should I say Quincy, exaggerated at almost every opportunity.
The women is, of course, young enough to be his daughter despite his conspicuously charm-less looks and zimmer frame  status.To be fair, this program was never less than interesting in debating the medical, social and political issues of the day and the failures or contradictions inherent in the American capitalist system but mostly, it has to be said, you remember the shouting.
The first-name-challenged Quincy - even his girlfriends (and wife, in the very last episode) called him "Quince" - could be guaranteed to practically solve the case for the police, uncover proof of foul play against the most impossible odds, and go to bat for every cause under the sun...
the airline industry in an episode about an air disaster, the industry won; one show about gun use ended with a boy playing with a weapon and shooting his sister).Plausible it may not have been - like all TV detectives, the poor man couldn't even go on holiday without getting into a medical emergency (as Leslie Halliwell wrote, "You'd think the cast would have figured out after one season that Quincy's always right"), and why did so many good-looking women fall for him?
Fortunately that was in the final two-part episode - Quincy without his boat would have been like Batman without his cape.It'll probably still be repeated long after we're all gone; formulaic but more effective than not, really..
It dealt realistically with real social issues like child abuse, incest, drunk driving and college hazing.
Quincy had a wonderful message behind it, it showed how one person with guts who cares can make a difference.
Quincy was a great show with some very good and relevant episodes, covering environmental, epidemics, cot death, legal and medical loopholes.
Jack Klugman was perfect for the role and the banter between his character, Asten and Monaghan was excellent.There is one puzzle though, what was the point of two of the characters, Danny and Sergeant Brill?
Jack Klugman was unforgettable as the intense and often angry Dr Quincy and he was brilliantly supported by Robert Ito as the idealistic Sam, John S.
Jack Klugman was unforgettable as the intense and often angry Dr Quincy and he was brilliantly supported by Robert Ito as the idealistic Sam, John S.
While I'm not a strong believer in jack Klugman's acting talents, I do enjoy this series.
Very few TV shows at that time would touch the issue.As an incest survivor I am painfully aware that there is a desperate need for expore, fiction and non-fiction, of this horror that happens to more children than not.I have met very few people who did not eventually admit to me that they had been abused.I have met too many who don't believe it is common or could be happening in any family they know.And if the justice system in this country continues as it has, so will incest and pedophilia.Both are popular.
The series made a household name of that fine character actor Jack Klugman, who made the main character his own.
Quincy was the kind of character who needed to complete a job regarding a suspicious death (his speciality), no matter that he inevitably rubbed certain people up the wrong way.
Amongst these people, were a friend from the Los Angeles police department and Quincy's own boss.
Quincy genuinely cared about everything that went with his profession, including presenting bad news to someone's loved ones.
"Quincy M.E" became highly successful, the series ran from 1976 til 1983 and lasted 148 episodes.
It is seldom that I see any television show from today that could hold a single match stick, let alone a candle to classic shows like the above.
Having watched Quincy, ME many years ago when it originally aired on broadcast television, I can truly attest that it is a joy to see it again, and watch my hero come to the aid of the victim of that day's episode.One of the most refreshing and inspiring aspects of this show was that Dr. Quincy on occasion would use an issue of the day in their show, i.e. alcoholism, child abuse, then at the end of the show give hotline numbers to help those in need.
Where is that with today's shows(not counting reality TV)?Thank you, Jack Klugman and Dr. Quincy!
Jack Klugman did a brilliant job as a Los Angeles County Coroner on the show.
"Quincy, M.E." dealt with the most specific issues of its time during the seven years on NBC Television.
I have watched Quincy since I cant remember when, and have always loved it.
Klugman made the character his own, and I have to say that I love the guy to bits.
I admired his guts and determination to see things through, and his desire to right all the wrongs of the world dos not make him a bad person.Thanks to watching Quincy I developed a massive interest in the world of forensic medicine that still continues almost 25 years after seeing him for the first time.
Jack Klugman will always be Quincy to me, thats how convincing he was in the role.
I think it's a great programme, every episode is about someone dying and Quincy investigates by doing an Autopsy, to find out what was that person's cause of death.
Some of the characters in this programme try to stop him but there is no stopping for Quincy for him to do an autopsy on the person who has died..
"Quincy" is like "Columbo" one of the very rare series that are exciting up to the end.
Jack Klugman played "Dr Quincy" in such an incredible good way that you might think he was a medical examiner, too.
the series stars Jack Klugman, Robert Ito, John S.
Ragin and Gary Wlaberg Quincy is all about the daily life of the Coroners office in Los Angeles.It revolves around the Coroner Dr.R.Quincy(Jack Klugman)and how each week he does an autopsy which will lead him somehow to take on a particular hot topic at the time.His list of one man wars include alcoholism,mugging,punks,Vietnam vets,gangs,medical insurance as well as diseases and murders.Quincys aided in his work by his loyal assistant and friend Sam Fujiyama(Robert Ito),his long suffering,fair and hardworking boss Dr.Robert Astin(John S.Ragin),tough Police Lt.Frank Monahan(Gary Walberg),his partner Sgt Brill(Joseph Roman)and owner of the groups favourite restaurant Danny's,Danny Tovo(Val Bisoglio).It's CSI before CSI and in my opinion better because it's a very human series not all about hi tech equipment and explosions.Plus every episode is about something important like cancer treatment,abuse,alcoholism etc and tackles the subjects head on.The autopsy scenes are good as well because you don't see the bodies you just see the top half of Quincy and Sam and get Quincys description of what's happening.I think that's great because what you imagine can be ten times worse than what your shown in graphic detail.Jack Klugman is excellent as the coroner with an axe to grind and there's fine support from John S.Ragin and Robert Ito.It always makes me laugh though when instead of just doing autopsies he'll investigate and solve the case the detectives never solve it and I think in one episode Monahan says Quincy should get a Police pension for all the detective work he does.A slice of classic TV with memorable stories and characters Quincy is well worth a watch..
I first saw Quincy just under ten years ago when they showed it on BBC1 in the afternoons.
To be honest my favourite character altered between Sam and Astin but I like the cast as a whole, the Danny-Quincy banter (always trying to get that recipe) that dynamic storyline and what have you.
Quincy dealt with issues as relevant today as they were in the 70's and 80's.
Quincy was someone who genuinely cared and played excellently by Jack Klugman.
Quincy is still a good watch as the Klugman character is still up to date.
I really don't remember the first time I saw Quincy.
I only remember being enchanted by Jack Klugmans real and human portrayal of the Los Angeles county coroner.
The other thing I like is that some of the very serious issues dealt with in the series is balanced out with wonderful humour.
Watch any Quincy episode and you will see that it deals with serious issues in a warmhearted,sincere and real way that no other programme of the type seems to do.