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= NBC Mystery Movie =

The '''NBC Mystery Movie''' was a rotating anthology television series that aired on the [[NBC]] network beginning in 1971. It served as the original launching platform for several now-iconic detective and crime procedural dramas, including ''[[Columbo]]'', ''McCloud'', ''McMillan & Wife'', and most notably, ''[[Quincy, M.E.]]''.

== Format and Structure ==
The series followed a "wheel" format, in which multiple standalone series would rotate in the same weekly time slot. Each show typically aired a new 90-minute to two-hour television movie episode once per month. This unique programming strategy allowed NBC to experiment with different crime and mystery formats while maintaining consistent audience engagement.

== Role in Quincy, M.E. ==
''[[Quincy, M.E.]]'' premiered as part of the NBC Mystery Movie lineup on **October 3, 1976**, with a two-hour pilot titled [[Snake Eyes (Quincy, M.E. episode)|''Snake Eyes'']]. Starring [[Jack Klugman]] as the titular forensic pathologist, the series initially functioned as one of several rotating features. However, due to strong ratings and growing audience interest, ''Quincy'' broke away from the anthology format by the spring of 1977 and began airing as a weekly one-hour standalone series.

This transition marked a pivotal moment in the show's development, as its format evolved from a mystery-of-the-week approach to a socially conscious procedural exploring themes such as public health, environmental safety, and justice reform.

== Legacy ==
The NBC Mystery Movie concept was instrumental in shaping the structure of modern television procedurals. Its format not only introduced audiences to groundbreaking characters but also paved the way for genre-bending crime dramas like ''Quincy, M.E.'' that mixed science, medicine, and advocacy.

== Related Pages ==
* [[Quincy, M.E.]]
* [[Snake Eyes (Quincy, M.E. episode)]]
* [[Jack Klugman]]
* [[Ray Danton]]
* [[Tissue of Truth]]
* [[A Question of Time]]