Why Mannix was taken off of the FETV schedule, I have no idea. First it would come on at 6 and 7pm, then got bumped down to only 7pm. Then it was added at 1pm in addition to 7pm. Now it doesn't come on at all. I always looked forward to it when I got off from work. The plotlines were imaginative, and that could be why I enjoy it so much, because I have an active imagination. Who knows, maybe it was too racy, because FETV is a Christian network. At least there's episodes online. It didn't make sense to replace it with this. Compared to Mannix, Quincy M. E. doesn't have much suspense or intrigue. None of the characters are particularly interesting. It's easy to follow thanks to the schematic, paint by the numbers storylines.
Jack Klugman is a coroner for the Los Angeles Police Department. Not much is known about him from a personal standpoint. His wife is deceased, and he doesn't have children. He lives alone on a houseboat. I think the impression the writers wanted to give is that he's devoted his life to his career. He routinely clashes with his superiors, which results in him going beyond his jurisdiction of conducting autopsies and becoming a detective. He never experiences any repercussions for defying his boss.
I don't mind watching it, but shows like this do kind of annoy me. No one in the medical profession would be allowed to cross ethical boundaries without losing their license or getting fired. His determination to fight for the marginalized, the downtrodden, and the invisible makes for a character who's admirable, but it's just not realistic in the context of this series. The episodes highlight subjects and problems that are still relevant today, like ER boarding, drug use, autism, and infectious diseases. I like older TV shows that were progressive. But when you take that out of the picture, Quincy M. E. is somewhat dull, and I can understand the low ratings. I feel like if he was portrayed as having a life outside of work, that would make him less one-dimensional. Like there would be more to him besides someone who spends most of their time complaining about red tape. At the end of the day, it's not a lame show. Especially compared to other dreck I've seen. Now I'll be honest - my first impression of Quincy wasn't positive. I thought he was mean, unfriendly, and cantankerous. But the more I watched, I've discovered he's not all that bad. He's a caring albeit excitable person who simply wants to help people. It's funny Jack Klugman was able to play someone with that type of personality so well - rough around the edges, but nice once you get to know them - considering he was from Philadelphia, because that's how they are (I have family from there, so I can speak based on experience).
I do feel like it's important to add, just so you're not blindsided: the series takes a drastically negative turn the last few seasons. Although they covered serious and controversial topics, there were some humorous moments sprinkled in throughout the episodes. But after the fifth season, the show gets quite depressing. A woman who has myoclonus, and manages to pick her crying baby up out of the crib, starts walking, but is shaking so violently that she falls. Quincy's female colleague who's suicidal and struggling with alcoholism. She starts attending AA meetings, and is making progress, but when her husband confesses his infidelity, and then leaves the house with packed suitcases, she ends up killing herself. A disabled baby who gets electrocuted. Some viewers might find the content triggering, so I just thought I'd put that out there. The scenes in the later episodes are so upsetting, that I got turned off from watching after season 6. The punk rock episode was not only sad, but also ridiculous. A teenage boy is murdered in a club, and Quincy blamed the music for the young people's violent behavior. That's like the silly argument from parents who didn't allow their kids to listen to Pink Floyd because it would influence them to use drugs. Also, Jack Klugman had gotten thinner, and looked unwell. Shows like this - while funny and thought-provoking in the earlier years of the series - will always be tarnished by poor episodes. Once the storylines become melodramatic, and the cast starts looking old/tired, that's when it's time to call it quits.
Overall, it's decent enough. It's ideal for when you're bored, and don't mind watching one of those main-character-with-no-private-investigation-experience-acting-as-a-private-investigator. It just became a bit too weird for my taste.
Jack Klugman is a coroner for the Los Angeles Police Department. Not much is known about him from a personal standpoint. His wife is deceased, and he doesn't have children. He lives alone on a houseboat. I think the impression the writers wanted to give is that he's devoted his life to his career. He routinely clashes with his superiors, which results in him going beyond his jurisdiction of conducting autopsies and becoming a detective. He never experiences any repercussions for defying his boss.
I don't mind watching it, but shows like this do kind of annoy me. No one in the medical profession would be allowed to cross ethical boundaries without losing their license or getting fired. His determination to fight for the marginalized, the downtrodden, and the invisible makes for a character who's admirable, but it's just not realistic in the context of this series. The episodes highlight subjects and problems that are still relevant today, like ER boarding, drug use, autism, and infectious diseases. I like older TV shows that were progressive. But when you take that out of the picture, Quincy M. E. is somewhat dull, and I can understand the low ratings. I feel like if he was portrayed as having a life outside of work, that would make him less one-dimensional. Like there would be more to him besides someone who spends most of their time complaining about red tape. At the end of the day, it's not a lame show. Especially compared to other dreck I've seen. Now I'll be honest - my first impression of Quincy wasn't positive. I thought he was mean, unfriendly, and cantankerous. But the more I watched, I've discovered he's not all that bad. He's a caring albeit excitable person who simply wants to help people. It's funny Jack Klugman was able to play someone with that type of personality so well - rough around the edges, but nice once you get to know them - considering he was from Philadelphia, because that's how they are (I have family from there, so I can speak based on experience).
I do feel like it's important to add, just so you're not blindsided: the series takes a drastically negative turn the last few seasons. Although they covered serious and controversial topics, there were some humorous moments sprinkled in throughout the episodes. But after the fifth season, the show gets quite depressing. A woman who has myoclonus, and manages to pick her crying baby up out of the crib, starts walking, but is shaking so violently that she falls. Quincy's female colleague who's suicidal and struggling with alcoholism. She starts attending AA meetings, and is making progress, but when her husband confesses his infidelity, and then leaves the house with packed suitcases, she ends up killing herself. A disabled baby who gets electrocuted. Some viewers might find the content triggering, so I just thought I'd put that out there. The scenes in the later episodes are so upsetting, that I got turned off from watching after season 6. The punk rock episode was not only sad, but also ridiculous. A teenage boy is murdered in a club, and Quincy blamed the music for the young people's violent behavior. That's like the silly argument from parents who didn't allow their kids to listen to Pink Floyd because it would influence them to use drugs. Also, Jack Klugman had gotten thinner, and looked unwell. Shows like this - while funny and thought-provoking in the earlier years of the series - will always be tarnished by poor episodes. Once the storylines become melodramatic, and the cast starts looking old/tired, that's when it's time to call it quits.
Overall, it's decent enough. It's ideal for when you're bored, and don't mind watching one of those main-character-with-no-private-investigation-experience-acting-as-a-private-investigator. It just became a bit too weird for my taste.