I'm a huge fan of Quincy. When I was watching this episode, however, I had to check the running time on my Sky+ playback, because the pacing of the show felt like it was going to be a feature length episode. It wasn't. The main problem is a lop-sided structure that seems to be designed to shoe-horn the main cast out for the week. The lengthy middle section (in which Quincy and the regular cast are completely absent) sets up the central murder, but leaves little screen time for its solving. (This is done in a hospital back room, almost jokily, by the two young doctors and paperwork-obsessed, Scottish nurse). The usual pattern of Quincy spending the episode chasing leads, working the forensic evidence and generally trying to do the police department's job for them, is not followed here, and this departure from the formula tips the episode into a rushed, botched final five minutes. The catching of the bad guys is done off-camera and almost as an after-thought - an instant denouement that leaves a dissatisfied taste in the mouth.
The episode has its enjoyable moments (the Scottish nurse is played almost solely for laughs and some of the male actors look like cheesy 70s porn actors), but this series 5 conclusion is otherwise disappointing.moreless



