| Review:
|
This entertaining medical mystery series began as a
spin off from "Jake and the Fatman" in 1993. The central
character, Dr. Mark Sloan, was played by much beloved actor
Dick Van Dyke. His charisma and talent were definitely an
integral part of the appeal of this show, but the wonderful
supporting cast and solid writing shouldn't be overlooked
either. Dr. Sloan worked at Community General Hospital (a
fictional hospital set in Los Angeles), but he also worked
as a police consultant. His son, Detective Steve Sloan,
provided a personal connection to Dr. Sloan's sideline as
a consultant and, interestingly enough, was played by Mr.
Van Dyke's real son, Barry Van Dyke. I feel that their real-life
relationship went a long way towards making their on-screen
performances comfortable and realistic. ****
"Diagnosis Murder" was a tidy blend of mystery, medical
knowledge, and likable characters with the added bonus of
decent plots and humor. Similar in nature to the slightly
more popular "Murder She Wrote", or perhaps more reminiscent
of "Quincy Adams M.D", the particular blend of crime/mystery
with a medical twist always seems to appeal to audiences.
Personally, I tend to lean toward television shows that
have a common thread but are different each week, which
had a lot to do with my interest in this particular show.
In all honesty though, "Diagnosis Murder" managed to hold
my interest for only the first season. Perhaps this is because
the show seemed to hit a plateau of popularity that kept
it running for eight years, but it never really seemed to
expand much beyond it's original premise. Without a doubt,
there is a loyal fan base for this show and I'm sure they
will be very well pleased to have this five disc set of
season one available to them. If you have never seen this
show and enjoy the blend of medicine and mystery, I would
certainly recommend that you check this one out, but perhaps
as a rental before deciding to purchase. ****
Image and Sound:
1.33:1 ratio Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Available Audio
Tracks: English
|
| Special
Features: |
Bonus episode: "It Never Entered My Mind" from Jake
and the Fatman is where the character of Dr. Sloan began.
I'm sure fans appreciate the inclusion of this episode,
but they would probably prefer to see a few more extras
as well. True fans, however, will be grateful just to have
the whole season available to them.
|
|
Final Words:
|
There isn't much to entice new
viewers to this older show, but it does have a definite appeal
for family audiences. It certainly paved the way for more
urbane shows like "CSI" or "Law and Order". If you prefer
to avoid more graphic shows like these while still retaining
the medical mystery blend, than this just might be perfect
for you. Apparently, there is no 'play all' possibility here
and you'll have to select each episode. When purchasing DVDs
of TV shows, I always prefer to have the option to either
select and play individual episodes or just 'play all', so
I consider that to be a minor drawback. Otherwise, an entertaining,
mid-level show whose loyal fans will be eagerly anticipating
season two. |
