Dr. Rachel Walters (A Twist of the Knife)

Dr. Rachel Walters (Suzanne Pleshette; 1937-2008) is the main villainess from the made-for-TV film, A Twist of the Knife (airdate February 13, 1993).
==Backstory==
Dr. Rachel Walters is a renowned surgeon and an old flame of Mark Sloan. After their relationship ended, Rachel became involved with District Attorney Dennis Chapin, who was married at the time. She became pregnant with his child, a girl, and envisioned being together with Dennis as a family. Knowing that it was not to be, Rachel gave her daughter, named Katherine, up for adoption. Years later, Katherine and her adoptive parents were the victims of a hit and run caused by Senator Cabot, who was driving drunk. The accident killed Katherine's adoptive parents and placed her in a coma. After learning that the accident was covered up, Rachel sought revenge on Cabot.
==Events==
Rachel had vivid dreams about killing Cabot since the accident occurred, with one of them occurring in the beginning of the movie. In her dream, Rachel turned heel while performing surgery on Cabot; as she grabbed a butcher knife and wielded it at her intended victim, while fully embracing her maniacal heel persona with a sinister sneer. When she learned that Cabot would be operated on at Community General Hospital, Rachel took the opportunity to head there to perform the operation, with the true intent on killing him. On the night before the procedure occurred, Rachel snuck in to the hospital and injected blood from a deceased person, after reading that the patient died of a staph infection. During the operation, Rachel contaminated the catheter with the infected blood and placed it into Cabot, which resulted in Cabot's death.
Rachel confessed to Mark about the murder after he walked in on her visiting Katherine. She stated to Mark that he couldn't prove anything, which was true at that time. Later on, Rachel encountered Mark's patient, Bernie McNeil, who actually witnessed Rachel at the hospital that night. Once Bernie recognized her, the evil Rachel decided to kill him, beginning with preparing him for surgery. Mark managed to get through to Rachel during the procedure, and with Bernie flat-lining, Rachel helped revive him. After the surgery, Mark confronted Rachel with evidence of her murderous act; video of Rachel hiding the contaminated blood in her surgical gloves. After this, Rachel was arrested for killing Cabot.
== Trivia ==
* Rachel Walters was similar to Gwen Baldwin from Body of Proof; both are medical professionals who sabotage surgeries to murder someone they blame for the death/severe injury of their child. But Rachel's murder attempt was successful, while Gwen's was not.
* Rachel is also similar to Gina Wright from the Lifetime film, A Nanny's Revenge, as both women literally dreamt about killing the targets of their revenge. The difference is that Gina never killed her target. Rachel killed hers and was willing to kill again to cover up her murderous act.
* A Twist of the Knife was the last of three made-for-TV movies that set up the long-running series, Diagnosis Murder, technically making Rachel Walters the very first villainess of the Diagnosis Murder franchise.
==Gallery==
Dr. Walters Villainess.jpg
Dr. Walters Blood.jpg
Evil Rachel Walters.jpg
==Videos==
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Category:1990s
Category:Adulteress
Category:Attempted Murder
Category:Brunette
Category:Hero's Lover
Category:Live Action Villainess
Category:Mother
Category:Murderer
Category:Murder: Poison
Category:Vengeful
Category:Fate: Arrested