Requiem for the Living (Quincy, M.E.)

Requiem for the Living
Series Quincy, M.E. Season 2 Episode 20 Airdate March 10, 1978 Airtime Runtime Production No. — Writer Irv Pearlberg (teleplay), Ray Danton (story) Director Rowe Wallerstein Music by Guest Star(s) John Vernon as Vincent DiNardi Victim Vincent DiNardi (still living) Autopsy Findings Inhaled nickel‑carbonyl poisoning; organizing pneumonia; massive lung fibrosis Network NBC Production Company Glen A. Larson Productions / Universal Television Previous Episode Double Death (Quincy,_M.E.) Next Episode Last Six Hours (Quincy,_M.E.) Previous Season Next Season

Quincy and Sam confronted by DiNardi in the lab

Screencap from Requiem for the Living

Episode Quote

“You want answers—I’ve got answers. But the clock's ticking and the heart isn’t.” — Dr. Quincy, to Vincent DiNardi

Episode Overview

Requiem for the Living is the 20th episode of Season 3 of *Quincy, M.E.*, originally aired on NBC on March 10, 1978 :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}. In a unique reversal, Quincy and Sam are coerced by mob boss Vincent DiNardi, who has been poisoned, to determine how he was contaminated—and by whom—while he remains alive.

Application of The QME Episode Laws

✅ **Law 1:** Though DiNardi is alive, Quincy still seeks truth and justice—identifying his toxin and helping prevent further victims. ✅ **Law 2:** The episode explores power imbalance: a criminal forces medical examiners to follow protocol, highlighting ethical tensions in medicine versus coercion. ✅ **Law 3:** Featuring a living poisoned victim held hostage, the episode addresses legal and moral constraints with sensitivity. ✅ **Law 4:** The diagnosis of nickel‑carbonyl poisoning and resulting organizing pneumonia is medically detailed and scientifically grounded, honoring forensic accuracy :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.

Episode Synopsis

Late one night at the morgue lab, Quincy and Sam are accosted and brought back inside by Vincent DiNardi, a dying mob boss who believes he has been poisoned. He demands they conduct forensic tests on him—while he remains conscious—to determine the toxin’s nature and how it entered his system before he seeks vengeance.

DiNardi exhibits symptoms of massive lung fibrosis due to inhaled nickel‑carbonyl poisoning. As Quincy investigates his recent activities and movements, he also discovers clues that could implicate a surgeon involved in refining DiNardi’s criminal empire. Quincy and Sam must work quickly under threat, balancing scientific rigor with personal risk to uncover the mechanism of toxin administration before DiNardi’s death.

Main Cast

• **Jack Klugman** as Dr. R. Quincy
• **Robert Ito** as Sam Fujiyama
• **Garry Walberg** as Lt. Frank Monahan
• **John S. Ragin** as Dr. Robert Asten

Guest Cast

• **John Vernon** as Vincent DiNardi (poisoned mob boss) :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
• **Val Avery** as Carlo Russo (associate) :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• **Ina Balin** as Irene DiNardi (hostage family) :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
• **Terri Lynn Wood** as Lisa DiNardi
• **Max Showalter** as Dr. Gold (attending physician)
• **Larry Gelman** as Rossiani
• **Peggy Crosby** as Dee Dee :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Case File Summary

• **Case:** Investigation of living victim poisoned via inhalation of nickel‑carbonyl
• **Medical Diagnosis:** Organizing pneumonia due to nickel‑carbonyl inhalation
• **Forensic Focus:** Environmental exposure and inhalation pathway; differentiating from ingestion or injection
• **Resolution:** Quincy's precise identification of toxin source helps thwart further deaths and ensures toxic provider accountability

Filming Locations and Exterior Footage

The episode is primarily set within the Los Angeles County Coroner's lab and exterior parking lot; interiors were filmed on studio soundstages. The distinctive lab environment provided claustrophobic tension as Quincy and Sam worked under duress.

Forensic Science Insight

• Detailed analysis of pulmonary tissue confirms nickel‑carbonyl exposure
• Identification of inhalation route via lung biopsy and environmental trace sampling
• Medical investigations conducted on a conscious, threatened subject—an unusual forensic scenario
• Challenge of maintaining testing integrity under physical threat

Themes & Tropes

• **Reverse Hostage Thriller** – Victim alive, forcing doctors to diagnose
• **Ethics Under Duress** – Medical professionals coerced to comply with a criminal
• **Science as Lifeline** – Forensic pathology used to prevent escalation
• **Temporal Pressure** – Countdown theme akin to classic “40‑hour” narratives

Reception & Ratings

Widely regarded as one of the season’s most memorable episodes, *Requiem for the Living* earned a 7.7/10 rating on IMDb (based on ~1,100 votes) :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}. Critics and fans praised John Vernon’s performance and the unusual “victim still alive” narrative twist.

Trivia

• This was the final episode of Season 3; NBC canceled two ordered episodes as Jack Klugman was experiencing burnout after filming this one :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.
• DiNardi's case mirrors the classic noir film *DOA*, with Quincy in the protagonist role (as noted by longtime fans) :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.

Cultural Impact

This episode demonstrated the versatility of *Quincy, M.E.* in combining sensational narrative with grounded medical storytelling. As a rare procedural episode featuring a living victim whose death looms, it influenced future forensic dramas exploring “race against time” medical mysteries.

See Also

• Quincy, M.E.
• List of Quincy, M.E. episodes
• Forensic pathology
• Nickel carbonyl poisoning
• NBC
• 1978 in television

External Links

• Requiem for the Living on IMDb
• Quincy Season 3 episode listing – TV Guide
• Quincy Examiner fan site episode guide
• discussion threads on season highlights and favorite episodes