"Quincy M.E." T.K.O. (1980)

Director:

Lawrence Doheny

Writers:

Sam Egan (teleplay)
Sam Egan (story) ...

TV Series:

"Quincy M.E." (1976)

Original Air Date:

13 March 1980 (Season 5, Episode 19)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Coroner | Murder | Cult Favorite | Courtroom | Amateur Detective

Cast

Jack Klugman	...	Dr. R. Quincy, M.E.
Garry Walberg	...	Lt. Frank Monahan
John S. Ragin	...	Dr. Robert Asten
Val Bisoglio	...	Danny Tovo
Robert Ito	...	Sam Fujiyama
Joseph Roman	...	Sgt. Brill
Herb Jefferson Jr.	...	Kenny Mitchell (as Herbert Jefferson Jr.)
Allan Miller	...	Dr. Jason Saunders
Kim Hamilton	...	Mrs. Hester
Frank Maxwell	...	Dr. Andy Reynolds
Brendon Boone	...	Chaffey
Sheila DeWindt	...	Katya Hester
Nedra Volz	...	Gladys
Dick Wilson	...	Salesman
Peter Schrum	...	Cook Alfredo Carlotti

Average Quincy episode.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Quincy M.E.: T.K.O. starts as Danny (Val Bisoglio) & Quincy (Jack Klugman) are ringside watching the young boxing contender Clarence Hester (Robert Hardy) take on his friend & current champion Kenny Mitchell (Herb Jefferson Jr.) & win the title. A few days later & Los Angeles coroner Quincy is shocked to see the body of Clarence on his autopsy table, findings show Clarence died of meningitis caused by the nasal bacteria seeping into his brain because of a badly damaged nose. Meanwhile Danny's chef Alfredo Carlotti (Peter Schrum) decides to have a simple hernia operation performed at an office clinic but dies due to complications & poor equipment. Upon investigation Quincy finds out that Clarence had seen a Doctor at an office clinic & that was the reason for his badly damaged nose, with two similar fatalities in a short space of time that could have been prevented Quincy sets out to get all surgical procedures regulated...

Episode 19 from season 5 this Quincy story was directed by Lawrence Doheny & I can't really say it's one of my favourite episodes. After a boxer mysteriously dies I thought we might get another murder mystery themed episode like A Blow to the Head... A Blow to the Heart (1977) from season three but it never turned out that way. The episode starts off with two seemingly unconnected death's, that of the young boxer & Danny's fat chef but Quincy soon finds a connection & enraged he sets out on yet another moral crusade to fight the bureaucracy that won't regulate surgical procedures & the incompetence of Doctor's who think they can perform major surgery without the proper equipment. Yes you've guessed it T.K.O. is a very moralistic based Quincy episode with a somewhat outdated social issue at it's core & no murder mystery in sight, I really don't think the issues raised here are of much relevance today anyway. Then there's the really abrupt ending which comes out of nowhere, the story is almost only getting started when the episode finishes. I must admit I did like the running gag in this episode, Quincy's boss Asten actually gives him a pager so he can bleep him whenever he wants much to Quincy's irritation & annoyance in a rather amusing subplot.

Not much to say about this episode really, it's as well made as you can expect from a 70's TV show of the period. I don't know if I should say this but wasn't Danny's chef fat? I mean I'm not being funny here but instead of cooking the food in the kitchen by the look of the bloke he ate it all didn't he? The acting is alright but it's Klugman who steal the show as usual in particular a rousing heartfelt speech at the end to a Government committee, this guy could really act. I am not entirely sure but I think the episode title T.K.O. refers to the boxing term The Knock Out but it's never specifically mentioned during the episode.

T.K.O. isn't my favourite Quincy episode out there, the two story lines give it a bit of variety & the comedy subplot about the pager is quite amusing too. There are better episodes out there.