Television Review: QUINCY, M.E. "To Clear The Air" (1982)

QUINCY, M.E. : THE HILARIOUS YEARS -- Number 6: "To Clear the Air" -- Season 7 (1982)








QUINCY, M.E. "To Clear the Air" (NBC-TV/Universal 1982) Original Air Date: February 17, 1982. Starring Jack Klugman as Quincy, Robert Ito as Sam, John S. Ragin as Astin, Val Bisoglio As Danny, Joseph Roman as Brill; special guest stars Stephen Elliott as Craddock, Joan Pringle as Dr. Ruddy, Joby Baker as Sabarosa, Ronald G. Joseph as Ruben Cardenas, Frank Marth as Ed, E. J. Andre as Sy Schuster. Directed by Lester Wm. Burke.  Written by Sam Egan.


Since it's been awhile, here's the introduction and overview to our affectionate tribute to QUINCY, M.E.: THE HILARIOUS YEARS (a.k.a. The Soapbox Years, if you prefer) at this link.  Please see the links under the photo of the great Jack Klugman on the right side of the page for previous installments.  Also, please note that I'm not deconstructing each episode scene by scene anymore.  Quite frankly, it takes too long for me to write and you to read.  So, in hopes that it doesn't detract from the fun, I'll just give you a review instead.


77 year old emphysema patient Sy Schuster is out for a morning walk with his wife while Los Angeles is under a smog alert.  Not a good idea, and he ends up on Quincy's slab without finishing it.  Turns out the treatment clinic for lung patients is virtually next door to Frontier Oil Refinery.  When the Big Q learns that they've been in violation of clean air regulations, he declares air pollution as the cause of Schuster's death.  Bad publicity?  It's the Chronicle's top story!

(It probably topped the front page over at Lou Grant's Tribune too, I bet.)

Frontier Oil President Craddock predictably brushes off the coroner's findings.  After all, Mr. Schuster had plenty of complicating comorbids and was aged.  But then a tweener asthma patient at the same facility collapses outside (also after being warned not to go out there!), making Quincydamus' dire prediction of a death toll closer to reality.  Quincy's willingness to go out on a limb also captures the attention of activist Dr. Ruddy, who informs Q-Man that the Clean Air Act is in peril with the new Congress, and it may be, since it turns out that Craddock isn't content to just thumb his nose at the current rules.

During its first act, To Clear the Air has all the makings of a Hilarious Years classic a la Bitter Pill, Dead Stop and the piece de resistance of the soapbox era, Next Stop, Nowhere.  We open on stacks polluting the air a la COLD TURKEY's closing shot, with several shots of people out and about, wearing bandanas (over their noses and mouths) and smoke protection masks while bicycling and roller skating on the sidewalks.  Meanwhile, a voice over radio announcer wishes us good morning thusly: "And a smoggy one it is!  Fourth day in a row of ninety plus temps and second stage alerts!  And, sorry to say, no end in sight.  Not much of anything in sight, for that matter!  Visibility is zilch!" 

Uh, I think we get the point......

Next, our weekly villain Craddock refuses to make adjustments on the sulfur levels--it's profits over people again!  Well, OK, he does cite the people at Frontier who would be laid off if production fell.  Schuster collapses and dies in eye-popping fashion immediately after, sending Quincy on his usual mission for statistics ("The refineries were supposed to cut back 20%").  The officials at AQMD bemoan a go-to QUINCY, M.E. reason for lack of enforcement:--"there's only 86 of us for 70,000 sources to watchdog!"  Act One ends very promisingly, with Dr. Astin aghast at reading the headline-making proclamation above.

Looks like a Quincy Comedy Classic in the making, right?

Wrong!

After this auspicious beginning, the three following acts mostly disappoint.  Our courageous coroner has a sanctimonious sentence or two, but never raises the decibel level while delivering them.  That's right--not even one Outrage! this time.  Does he take over the jobs of others (i.e. directing the toxic waste disposal team in Dead Stop)?  Well, Quince tags along for the inspection at Frontier Oil, but only as an observer.  He never directly confronts Craddock or any of the underlings at Frontier--no shouting, no face to face space invasion--doesn't even wag his finger at them!

I wonder if she's ever been on a houseboat......

Most damaging of all to that Big Q reputation, he has that look in his eyes after meeting Dr. Ruddy (and he should, since she's played by Joan Pringle) but nope, no sly attempts to get her to Danny's for dinner or a drink.  He just gives low-key testimony in front of Congress at Ruddy's request, and cedes center stage to her at the hearing.  It's like watching an episode of BATMAN in which Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson never go "to the Batpoles!"

To Clear the Air seemed tailor made to give us that Soapbox Quince we know and love so well.  What happened?  Writer Sam Egan also scripted Bitter Pill, Next Stop Nowhere and Never a Child, so he had no problems taking us over the top elsewhere.  Director Lester Wm. Berke, on the other hand, was helming a television episode for the first and only time in his long career.

Berke's only other credit as director was the 1958 feature THE LOST MISSILE, a project that he took over when his father William Berke (a veteran with nearly 100 direction credits) passed away unexpectedly on the first day of shooting.  The younger Berke made his name as a producer, and he was in charge of QUINCY, M.E. during the 1979-1983 seasons.

Whaddya mean, I'm overacting?

So the director of To Clear the Air was THE boss during The Hilarious Years---why was this episode so low-key and lacking in unintentional humor in its final three Acts?  Since Berke rarely helmed a project himself, did he just lack the assured flamboyance of (say) Ray Danton?  It's entirely possible that Berke intentionally dialed things down, sensing that the histrionics of Dead Stop and Bitter Pill were turning his show into a comedy.  Along those lines, it's very possible is that air pollution was a topic near and dear to the show's producer, and he wanted to ensure the most earnest treatment possible by directing this lone installment himself.  In my opinion, this is the most likely reason.  Berke was no novice, and the ominous montages of a smog-ravaged Los Angeles remain ubiquitous from beginning to end.

Fresh off his quintessential rich asshole role in CUTTER'S WAY (1981), Stephen Elliott gives To Clear the Air most of its spark.  With his controlled glee at outwitting the inspectors and callous disregard for the two deaths, he's in fine form.  But even with the knowing reference to the lack of AQMD manpower, his Craddock is a far cry from the one dimensional villains of the aforementioned issue episodes.  Pep pill proprietor Zagner was just a really, really bad guy with no redeeming qualities, but Craddock is fiercely loyal to Frontier Oil's employees: he's even put the son of his "right hand man" through college and given him a job afterward.  These shadings keep him from being a cartoon, but when coupled with his lesser qualities, add to the stagnation of To Clear the Air between comedy and tragedy--The Hilarious Years needed cartoonish villains, dammit!

WHO'S THE REAL VILLAIN HERE?

For about the 174th time in the show's run, Quince makes poor, deprived Sam break a date in order to stay late and do extra lab work.  The almost sadistic smile Quincy gives when the perennially disappointed Sam turns away is kinda hard to take here.  C'mon, Quincy, don't you ever get tired of cock blocking this overworked and undersexed man?  I'll bet Craddock lets his employees get laid once in a while......

THE BOTTOM LINE:

This one could use either a more subtle visual approach or some scenery chewing, one or the other.  Berke's sober, low-key treatment is undercut by the ubiquitous and giggle-worthy montages, while an atypically subdued Quincy removes most of the unintentional jollies for those of us who tune in to see our beloved coroner in superhero mode.  Ironically, on this series, excessive melodrama usually proved more effective at sticking a worthy issue in the viewer's mind than putting The Big Q under wraps (like Berke does here) did.   A letdown.  (** out of four)  

QUINCY, M.E. airs weekdays on MeTV at 10 A.M. Central and 11 A.M. Eastern.

Television Review: QUINCY, M.E. - "Jury Duty" (1981)

QUINCY, M.E.: THE HILARIOUS YEARS  


Number 5 -- "Jury Duty" (1981 NBC-TV/Universal) 




Starring Jack Klugman, Robert Ito, John S. Ragin, Val Bisoglio, Garry Walberg, Joseph Roman.  Special Guest Stars Joan Darling, Robert Alda, Sam Groom, Morgan Stevens, Joe Maross.  Directed by Georg Fenady.


JURY DUTY opens with a car coming to a stop in a secluded area on a dirt road.  A young couple, parked on a balmy night under the stars, arguing.  Arguing?  The feather-haired guy is dating the "precious daughter" (his words) of the Reverend, who apparently doesn't want her married yet.  Based on what ensues, the Rev has a point: she definitely comes across as too immature for it.  She bolts from the car and declares she never wants to see him again (I take that as a "no" to the proposal, Bud).  The proposer chases her to the edge of a cliff, grabs her....and we dissolve to Quincy's office.

Quincy is livid about being billed for a call to Nigeria.  A phone scam from pre-Internet days?  He's even more perturbed about a $48. charge for an overdue book, but excited to be accepted for jury duty.  Astin reminds him of the hardship they'll be under at the morgue, but Hell, the Big Q spends enough time away from the office trying to push legislation and do Monahan's job for him, so what's a few days in court Doc?  Astin can't even entice Q to avoid his civic duty with a curse of a case.  While we all start wondering just how many vacation days Quincy gets in a year (I'd put the over/under at 212) the action takes us to the courthouse.

"C'mon Quincy, I'm serious!  Could you please work at least 2 days this week??"

Quince is so determined to get away from the corpses for a few days that he's there despite being only a third alternate.  In court, prosecutor Sam Groom lays it out, calling boyfriend Frank Munson a stalker, rapist and murderer in quick succession.  Granted, he did chase after her, but she was with him willingly on the drive out, and unless he raped her at the base of a cliff while they were both clothed, I think two of Groom's florid accusations are going to be pretty hard to prove.

However, Groom's charges do take a toll on Munson's father, who steals this episode's first Outrage! from the Big Q, sweating profusely....

Careful, dude, you'll blow a gasket!

....which is followed by chest pains and a collapse.

Too late!

Hmm.  Is D.A. Groom a murderer now?  Or at least an involuntary manslaughterer?  The judge quickly clears the jury, but Quincy remains, working to save the life of the stricken father and reduce Sam's workload by one.

Who says I'm not doing my part for the boys at the morgue?

Naturally, while a man's life hangs in the balance, our lawyers (Groom and Robert Alda, sporting a really bad combover) have a far greater concern, whether or not Quincy's actions will prejudice the potential juror.  Way to enhance the public perception of your profession there, guys!

Robert Alda's combover: a 6.5 on the Zero Mostel scale

Despite the potential contamination of juror Quincy, the Big Q insists it won't affect his judgement.  Damn, the guy really wants to stay on jury duty!  Anything to get away from Astin and the dead bodies?   Also of note is judge Darling's fierce defense of the coroner, who she "knows" to be honest.  Hmm.  Sounds like our Casanova Coroner has a shot!  Then again, in the Quincyverse, does he ever NOT have a chance at a little hey hey?

Watch it, Hal!  I'm a judge you know....

Sam tells us he's at 36 hours and holding, and after an office pool update its back to the courtroom.  Alternate Quincy asks plenty of questions while the chosen twelve sit there like lumps.  Jack Klugman isn't surrounded by any angry men this time, but we are down one alternate (flu).  A Lieutenant is on the stand.  No, not Monahan:

THIS toupee? A minus-2 on the Raymond Bailey scale.

But he's no more competent than our beloved LAPD answer to Hamilton Burger, and his toupee actually makes Alda's hairstyle choice look downright spiffy!  The cop notes two large scratches on the suspect's left cheek, and taking the man into custody within an hour.  Alda successfully points up the man's inexperience with homicides (three) while Quincy keeps asking questions.  Quincy's most pointed question implies that the evidence may have been contaminated by the many bystanders.  (I wonder if anyone from O.J.'s Dream Team was aware of this episode?)

"As the star, I insist on the remainder of this trial's questions, your Honor!"

There's only time for a quick lunch at Danny's before Q is due back in court, during which we hear about another juror being excused.  I'm thinking this courtroom has to be more cursed than Asten's enticing case at this point.  Once we're back in court, Quincy questions the coroner on the stand, Dr. Morris, who admits he doesn't know how long it took to get the evidence to the lab.  More shades of O.J.!

Groom is getting nervous, and despite her crush the Judge admonishes the Klug Man.  "No more questions based on your special knowledge, Dr. Quincy!"

Hey, relax, Doc.  Quincy even makes Columbo look like a moron

I have to ask--why not?  Quincy is asking questions that the defense attorney should be asking.  I'm not baffled as much by the DA's protests as I am the lack of any input from Alda at this point.  Then again, by simply doing nothing, Alda is letting Q pick apart the DA's case.  He's either incompetent or damned efficient.  I just can't figure out which one, yet.

I'm also thinking that those dinners at Danny's are far more convenient for Quincy than his co-workers.  Think about it.  This episode clearly establishes that Quincy resides and votes in a different county than the one he works in (presumably Los Angeles County) since he's eligible for the jury.  A different coroner and police Lieutenant worked this homicide--and the latter actually makes Monohan look good.  (No easy task.)  Yet Danny's is close enough to the courthouse for the Big Q to hurry up and eat lunch.  Interestingly, while Quincy leaves, Monohan and Brill (with no lines, as usual) show up. 

I could waste a lot more space figuring out who lives where and why Quincy is apparently the only qualified coroner, homicide investigator AND defense attorney within at least a hundred miles of L.A., but we've still got over half an episode to go, so I'll move on.

"Should I hit on the Judge, or her?  Decisions, decisions...."

The question craze reaches a peak when the female juror pictured above asks the coroner (the one on the stand--not Quincy, believe it or not!) if he's married.  When the Judge restores order, the tissue expert is next up, telling us there's "no doubt" that the defendant fired a handgun on the night in question.  He also goes into detail about the human semen test.  At least he did use the human test, so he may be our most competent expert witness to date.  Quincy tries to ask another question that Groom doesn't want, and finally gets shushed by the Judge. 

At recess, the Big Q phones Sam about that human semen test.  He gets the answer from Sam, proving that yes indeedy, the "tissue expert" missed something.  "Quince, if this is about the trial you're on you could get in a lot of trouble!"

While Quincy is breaking the law in order to preserve it, we finally hear something substantial from Mr. Alda.  The combed over attorney has something to say alright--to his agent, about a lack of exposure for his book, as The Big Q glumly looks on.  Probably wondering why he has to do everyone else's job.  There's no time for this though, as Quince is off to the men's room.  He needs an accomplice to get his questions asked now, so he talks to a tax attorney about becoming Scofflaw # 2. 

Your Honor isn't convinced when he asks the first one.  She goes to questions in writing beforehand.  Yes, teacher--I mean Judge.  But despite this public display, during the next recess we see that Quincy's professional curiosity is having an impact on Judge Darling.  The dropouts now have our coroner officially on the jury, but also arm in arm with the Judge(!) and bantering about his questions(!).  Then, there's that look she gives him before the fadeout.

Yep, Quince, I'm thinking you're a Slam Dunk this week.

Whether it's the joy of the chase or the warning that our heart attack victim provided earlier, JURY DUTY seems very light on Outrage!s at the thirty minute mark.  The defendant himself takes the stand after the commercial break.  He is calmly adamant about not firing a gun, not having sexual relations with the deceased (they were waiting for marriage) and not killing her.  His calm demeanor doesn't last, as the next witness is one of her exes, who testifies about her instability.  While the defendant is perturbed, but under control. 

That is, until he finds out that the victim wasn't a virgin--from her ex.  Thus, our second Outrage!  I spoke too soon.

The defendant is furious and frustrated, but no moreso than our star juror, who after all this time is ready to disqualify hmself.  "There is evidence being accepted that has so many holes in it it looks like swiss cheese!" 

Judge Darling doesn't seem to disagree with The Big Q, but she doesn't want a mistrial after all this effort.  She gives Quince a classic 'open ended' answer:  "You do what you have to do and I'll do what I have to do, and we'll let the chips fall where they may!  They're going to be very heavy chips, and if they fall, they're gonna fall on YOUR head!"

On Quincy's way in, the baliff is doing his job.

Conveniently, when Quincy leaves, the bailiff who was present when he arrived has stepped out, giving him the window of opportunity needed to steal the coroner's report and other evidence on his way out.

To paraphrase Al Bundy, it's only stealing...if you get caught.

And with this evidence securely snatched, we are treated to something that was increasingly becoming a rarity by this sixth season, at least after an episode's first five minutes.  Quincy is back at the morgue!

Only I get to go on dates, Sam, not you!

Sam is trying to go, he's got a date!  (Again?)  But Quince has work for him to do.  We've got to analyze semen from a crime committed out of our jurisdiction with a trial already in progress that will be a mistrial if I get caught and.....oh, Hell, you get the point.  Big Q has really gone out of a limb here. 

Remember, he's been handling semen.

The next day in the Judge's chambers with Groom and Alda present, Quince is called in asks for a mistrial.  After Sam's tests and a study of the lab report he swiped, Quincy believes the defendant is innocent.

At least Combover is pleased.  For now.

 If Groom looks unhappy, well, just wait until The Big Q starts tearing him and his case apart.  Allowing numerous people "from a bar" to "mill around the crime scene like a Chinese fire drill".  And, as expected, the scientific evidence that wasn't destroyed "didn't fit with what my experience had taught me".

"Months of work, thousands of taxpayer's dollars" is Groom's frustrated response.  But as usual, Quincy is allowed to continue, and to point out the numerous mistakes made by coroners and analysts not named Quincy and Sam.  Anti-human semen test doesn't work inside vagina (but it does work on clothing, we learn.  So Bill Clinton wouldn't have wanted one).  In addition, the contamination of the specimen has been known to "produce a false B blood type" in tests. 

You don't question me on MY show, got it???

"Nothing stops you, does it Doctor?"
"Not when I'm looking for the truth!"

And with THAT out of the way, let's talk about that toupee....

The case won, and thousands of taxpayer dollars from a potential second trial saved.  But there's still one bit of business for the Klug Man to attend to: berating Alda, the defense lawyer who was more interested in his book than the life of his clients.  Hey, Quincy's entitled--after all, he just did Alda's job for him.  "No one is born with arrogance--they cultivate it along the way."  Maybe Quincy should write the book for him too?  He could certainly do the promotional tour with all his vacation time.

Judge wants to go out with the Big Q.  Hubba hubba!

Under the robe all along!

The explanation at Danny's is used to exonerate Quincy on the many laws broken during the course of his jury service.  One thing that isn't explained: why the Hell doesn't Sam bring one of those dates he's always forced to break to these wrap-up dinners?  Since Quincy is always on a date of his own here, it's the one place that Sam might be safe from The Big Q's constant cockblocking.

Classic superhero Quincy this time out: he's DA, EMT, homicide detective, pathologist, prosecutor, juror AND moral conscience rolled into one, but so damn humble about it.  And can't we look past the tampering with evidence, stealing of said evidence, discussion of the case outside of court and eavesdropping considering that there's just so much damn incompetence to overcome?  Hell, even the Judge is willing to bend the rules for Quince, despite the fact that she's only gonna be a one episode girlfriend for our heartbreaker in the brown station wagon.  That's the power of Q!  (**1/2 out of four)

The Horn Section Salutes: Jack Klugman (1922-2012)

We've had Blue Christmases in the fairly recent past, losing Dean Martin and Butterfly McQueen in 1995 and Eartha Kitt in 2008.  Sadly, 2012 joined this list, getting a lot less merry with the news that the Big Q himself, Jack Klugman, shuffled off this mortal coil at age 90.

Naturally, it's QUINCY, M.E. that we revere him for, and despite my terminal laziness we have managed a number of episode reviews from the show's final seasons.  Always keep in mind, we kid because we love and there's certainly more of The Big Q coming to The Horn Section.  Klugman's brilliant work recently returned to Netflix Instant, this time with the legendary "Next Stop, Nowhere!" included.

There was a lot more to remember him for, including four classic TWILIGHT ZONE episodes ("A Passage for Trumpet" was my personal favorite), THE ODD COUPLE (wasn't that easy for actors to score back to back TV winners back in the day, but Jack did it), and of course, TWELVE ANGRY MEN (1957, with the also legendary Jack Warden).  Sadly, Mr. Klugman was the last of the angry men standing from that classic.

Everybody loved this guy!

R.I.P. Mr. Klugman.  As always, more to come.

Television Review: QUINCY, M.E.: "Dead Stop" (1981)

QUINCY, M.E. : THE HILARIOUS YEARS (Seasons 5 through 8)  


Number 4: "Dead Stop" Season 7 (1981)

QUINCY, M.E.: "Dead Stop" (1981 NBC-TV/Universal)  Original Air Date: December 23, 1981.  Starring Jack Klugman, Robert Ito, John S. Ragin, Garry Walberg, Val Bisolgio, special guest stars Tony Burton, Jack Ging, Sandy McPeak, Henry Beckman, Salome Jens, Red West.  Written by Linda Cowgill. Directed by Ray Danton.

The soapbox was covered with shoe prints by the halfway point of QUINCY, M.E's penultimate season.  A cautionary tale (come to think of it, practically all QUINCY's were at this point) about the dangers of toxic waste, DEAD STOP opens with the prime time version of truck drivin' music as truckers Hank and Mickey notice their Freightliner still has leaking rear brakes after a failed pit stop. As there's no way they'll make it to the planned destination, Hank feels they should turn back, but cash-desperate Mickey has a better idea. Remembering specific instructions to "dump it in a dry spot", he has a spot "as dry as the Sahara" for their cargo. "He hired us to dump it, so who the Hell cares where?" Highway footage tells us that this dry spot is going to be near the Los Angeles freeway exit.

If Mickey's devil-may-care attitude isn't sufficiently foreboding, the mysterious cargo is in heavy, sealed black barrels, except for one which is leaking. When the leakage hits the ground and splashes Hank's shoes, a smoky, acid-like residue rises in a menacing manner. Hank coughs violently.

I presume we've been given ample warning signs at this point, as director Danton forgoes overhead lightning, storm clouds or a black cat crossing the path. Nah, spoke too soon. With Mickey's prodding, they finish up by rolling the barrels down a hill, with a tight shot on the resulting collisions causing more residue to rise with a sinister hissing sound.

Two days later Hank's wife notices he's running a fever and continuing to cough, but he insists on making that night's run. "You know how hard it is for us wildcatters to get work!" Glassy eyed, hacking Hank tells Mickey during the drive that he's finished moonlighting, then immediately follows this declaration with a seizure behind the wheel.  "Judas Priest!" Mickey exclaims, but Rob Halford's motorcycle is nowhere to be found; just a runaway Freightliner that ends up turned over on an embankment, landing on its drivers side before passenger Mickey can control it. Yup, that probably IS going to finish Hank's nocturnal wallet stuffing.

Heading out to to the highway....a chance before I fallllllll......

Next the Mickster's in the hospital, bringing up his late friend while going over accident details with Beckman, an investigator who urges him to "stay close". As for poor Hank, he ends up on The Big Q's slab. Broken ribs, hazy, dark red lungs, and curiously, chemical burns on his shins and arms.  No evidence of pneumonia, infection or heart disease. Quince and Sam discover that he was driving "with a severe lung disease"; he inhaled phosphorus trichloride, which caused the seizure and his death, before the accident.

Gotta say that for all the laughs from Quincy's hypertension and preaching during The Hilarious Years, there's always useful information too. Phosphorus trichloride is classified as highly toxic and corrosive, and reacts violently when mixed with water, hence, the strict instructions to dump it in a dry spot.  All very educational, no joke.

Na na na na na na na na na....Klug Man!

The Q-Mobile is seen arriving at the widow's home in the next scene. I always wished they had some cool music to accompany this footage, but it usually came unscored.  Too bad.  Oh, well, education aside, at this point there's a little frustration for the audience.  After Quincy interviews Hank's wife and goes over the trucker's manifest, we've had 16 minutes of setup for the latest crusade, and not one Outrage! yet. I'm getting almost as impatient as Mickey.

Ah, but ask and ye shall receive! "People don't seem to realize how dangerous it is! No one seems to care!" "If it rains, this could produce a gas that could kill (voice cracks) hundreds of people!" Thanks, Q.  I just knew you wouldn't let me down!

Meanwhile Mickey bravely deals with his grief and injuries, continuing the night job (I'm sure Hank would have wanted him to) with new partner West, who wears a cowboy hat and speaks in a thick drawl.  At Mickey's insistence, they use the "new, better" dumping spot to shorten the route time. Once again, we have leakage and more hydrochloric acid rising. Damn, someone is doing a shitty job of sealing these things. There's the first person to fire if you ask me. Mickey unwisely takes his gloves off after inhaling a spill, kicks the leaky barrels downhill, and once more ominous music cues up as the smoky residue rises, thicker this time.

The Big Q is back at the original wrecked truck, talking to investigator Beckman. Sure enough, we have some inefficiency. "There are 3 million truckers on the road, and only 180 of us!" We expect another Outrage! at this information, but Quince is strangely docile. That is, until he gets to the Los Angeles County Health Department and Anthony Giovelli. "Not one legitimate ounce of that stuff" in his manifest! 20,000 plants out there and only 750 are registered!"  "Any plant that produces hazardous waste should be RESPONSIBLE for it!"  

Quincy gets a sympathetic ear here though. Giovelli wants to do something, but admits he's lucky if he catches "one out of a hundred" making an illegal discharge. Manifesting only works if there's intent to comply with the law to begin with. There are 20,000 plants out there, and Giovelli only has 8 investigators. The Big Q is too overwhelmed to vent his rage.  "I had no idea!" I have a feeling that Quincy's going to be leaving Sam in charge of the autopsies again for more than a few days......

Yup, the coroner becomes an investigator, taking half the plants on Giovelli's list for himself and visiting Witten Chemicals. Solvents, Acids and Alkalies since 1968. Walk in trade welcome!  Quincy, however, isn't so welcome, and Mr. Witten spews venom at him right off the bat, telling him he has no right to just "come in and see my manifest"! Well, the man does have a point, since this is technically not the Big Q's job.

Director Ray Danton makes sure to have his camera linger on the Confederate flag proudly displayed on Witten's wall.  I have to wonder about it: we're in Los Angeles, not Hazzard or Orly County, and Witten lacks even a hint of a Southern accent.  I would say this is Danton giving us another instance of TV shorthand for "bad guy", but again, this is 1981 and the General Lee and DUKES are riding without being heels.  So without heritage, geographical or philosophical reason for it, why are the stars and bars on this guy's wall?    A nagging question indeed. 

Quince lights into Witten with his third Outrage!: "You're either gonna talk to me or you're gonna talk to a Lieutenant downtown!"  Hearing that, Witten gives in quickly and gives The Big Q the trucking company's address.

One question: Would Witten be frightened by the "Lieutenant downtown" if he knew it was THIS man?

Q has Giovelli with him as he arrives at Hellworth Trucking.  Mr. Hellworth meets them outside the door, so we won't get to check his office for bad guy shorthand.  Guess the ominous name will have to do.

Mr. Hellworth is credited at imdb.com as actor Kenneth O'Brien.  According to imdb, he supposedly passed away in 1985, but they aren't fooling yours truly.  He obviously faked his death, changed his name and now performs as porn star "Dirty Harry":

Anyway, Dirty Harry Hellworth tries the Sgt. Schultz defense to no avail, as Q and Giovelli have a search warrant and the threat of a murder charge ready to go.  Hellworth caves faster than his Confederate compadre and agrees to take them to the dumping site.  Once there, Hellworth panics, and not because Giovelli plans to "hang him up by his thumbs" and make an example of him.  Rather it's because of his discovery that Hank's latest delivery "ain't here".  Finding Mickey is a priority now, because Giovelli informs us that if the phosphorus trichloride comes in contact with moisture, the result could be catastrophically deadly.  Right on cue, thunder rumbles ominously (there's that word again) in the overcast sky.

Quincy, not The Department of Health Services' Giovelli, will be probing the situation from here.  That's right, we can't just trust Giovelli to do his job, but we can leave Good Old Sam with all the corpses for a few more days.  You don't mind, do you Sam?

Thrilled as always to be working 75 hour weeks in Quincy's absence!  Meanwhile, The Q-Mobile is back at the widow's house, and she offers to help him track down her late husband's co-pilot.  Quincy is to hit the road with her at 6 A.M. sharp.

It is remarkably light outside for 6 AM the next morning, with a weird soundtrack shift to acoustic guitar and piano.  Combine the somber tones with this screen image:

And one starts to get that Brokeback vibe.  Furthering that, Quince's P.O.V. reveals an overly friendly hitchhiker waving and giving a thumbs up to our favorite coroner.

But this is already a Very Special Episode, we already have our subject of social commentary, and Q has no time for 'experimentation' right now.  Just a tense but polite wave back and that's it.

As mentioned, time's a wastin', so out with the piano, in with the synth and electric guitars and some more ersatz truckin' music as Hank's widow Jens arrives.

He's got that look in his eyes.....

Hey, don't get carried away there Quince.  The body's barely cold!  Her hubby was just on the slab in front of you less than 20 screen minutes ago!

A second false alarm, though, showing that The Big Q is too focused on the race against time for any macking with either gender.  Besides, it's been very clear since the Hilarious Years started that R. Quincy only swings one way, and only with ladies at least thirty years younger than him--until Season 8 and The Killjoy, that is.  Since Jens (46 at the time) is too age-appropriate for our hero, the dialogue on the way to the truck stop serves to educate Quincy and us about the hardships of life on the road as the jaunty soundtrack shifts to something very "Top of the World"-ish.  (???)

Quincy had no idea about the trucker's hardships or about CB lingo, but he becomes a budding pro by the time we get to the destination on the ways of 10-4's and feeding the Smokeys.  (One more nagging question: she appears to be driving Hank's old truck.  How the Hell is it fully operational so soon after being rolled over?  Sloppy, sloppy.....)

At the truck stop, coffee is ordered and we're joined by Tony Burton (in between ROCKYs II and III) and West, who is far more reluctant to be sociable once he hears that the meeting involves Hank and Mickey's "illegal" hauling of toxic waste.  Quince even comes close to an Outrage! but falls short with his pleading tone.  "This could kill hundreds of people!"  With West's lips sealed, though, little headway is made.

Jens has a thought on where Mickey might be.  Sally's Place.

If the business sign doesn't confirm the motel's "no tell" status, Sally probably will. 

And if she doesn't, her companion for the morning most assuredly will, 'cause he can't be ridin' for free.

He's a friend of Jens' late husband, and with his assistance they eventually find a slab-ready Mickey face down in his room.  Which leads us into a truly amazing scene.  We're 40 minutes into the episode, and The Big Q is actually back at his day job, wearing scrubs.  Never fear, folks--we aren't staying here, it's just a convenient place for Quincy to be found when Burton comes through, forcing the truth out of squirrelly West and setting off the M.E.'s latest race against time!

And we're off to the formerly mysterious dumping grounds.  We're really lucky, too, because we've had threatening rumbles and dark clouds from the skies for days now, but the long promised rain still hasn't arrived.  Therefore, hundreds are still alive.  We're especially lucky not to have those corpses numbering in the triple digits with Q not at his day job for the better part of a week.  He's too busy, folks, out supervising the toxic waste team.

Uh, Quince--can I have my job back now?

You can question who really ought to be in charge out here, but once again, Quincy, M.E. comes through, bellowing instructions while the crew members and firemen get all the barrels under a large tarp, which is in place literally seconds before that rain finally hits hard.

Is there anything a coroner can't do?

Well, he has trouble saying without spraying....

Dead Stop takes a while to get to our first Outrage! and the final act is strangely anti-climactic, but Danton adds plenty of ominous foreshadowing and cliched symbolism, keeping this lower decibel QUINCY, M.E. entertaining.  Also an interesting soundtrack to go with the usual surfeit of chuckles and a little help with your next chemistry exam.  It isn't as over the top as other Hilarious Years entries, and therefore doesn't have quite as many big belly laughs, but it's a solid, re-watchable episode.  (***1/2 out of four)