Diagnosis: Watchable! (Diagnosis Murder)

Member Name: Karon

Product:	Diagnosis Murder
Date:	06/12/00 (84 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great guest stars

Disadvantages: shown at a bad time

Diagnosis Murder is tucked away in the BBC afternoon schedules, usually around 2.10pm athough it does move around a lot and get taken off for several weeks.

It stars Dick Van Dyke as a doctor who solves crime as a sort of hobby. This is a similiar premise to the ludicrously successful "Murder she Wrote" however this is slightly better made.

The supporting cast include Barry Van Dyke who play's Dick's son in the show and is also his son in real life. Barry is probably best known for playin one of the two main characters in the ill-fated Galactica 1980.

In the first series Scott Baio (Chaachie in happy Days) appeared as Dick's other doctor sidekick, but in later shows he was replaced by Charlie Sclatter, a minor film star. (I think he appeared in the Delinquents with kylie Minogue but that could be Craig scheffer as I get the two confused!)

What is most appealing about this series is the high calibre of guest stars that they get for each episode. there is usually at least one face/name that you will instantly recognise. I saw an apisode last week that featured Robert vaughan (man from Uncle) Barbara Bain (space 1999) Patrick McNee (Avengers) and Robert Culp (I Spy). How's that for a guest cast? The episode also cleverly played with the ideas of spies, which was central to the series for which most of these actors were known.

Diagnosis Murder dserves a better time slot and better publicity, but if you do find yourself home one afternoon, sit down and check it out,or better yet set the video and watch it when nothing else is on. Its a painless way to while away 50 minutes.

Summary: