Quincy was an entertaining Jack Klugman vehicle which aired shortly after The Odd Couple went off the air. Klugman played a Medical Examiner who routinely assisted Law Enforcement with questionable cases that came across his coroner's table. Eschewing the autopsy theme, Requiem For The Living presents a unique plot in which Quincy tries to determine what will cause a man's death before it actually happens.
When Mob boss Vincent DiNardi (John Vernon) suddenly takes ill, he's told there has been massive destruction to the air sacs in his lungs and has 24 hours to live. Fearing he has been poisoned, DiNardi and his henchmen corner Quincy and partner Sam Fujiyama in the office parking garage and coerce him into running tests to determine the cause of his condition. Knowing DiNardi will seek revenge and order the deaths of those responsible, Quincy refuses to assist him further, but when Sam is threatened at gunpoint, he relents, knowing full well a dying man has nothing to lose.
Accompanied by Dinardi's right hand man Carlo Russo (Val Avery), Quincy spends the bulk of the episode looking for the location of the poison as he searches every place DiNardi has visited alone in the past couple of days. Of course Quincy narrows the search and closes the case with the answers presenting a bit of a surprise for the viewer.
Tonight's questionable plotlines: Nickel Carbonate, the poison DiNardi was exposed to, is only moderately toxic and in no way could cause the kind of immediate deterioration we see in him. And Quincy, a trained professional, casually looks for this poison without any protective gear- no respirator, no mask and no hazmat suit- a breach of safety etiquette that while not destroying the episode certainly damages its credibility.
Guest John Vernon was one of the great small screen villains for three decades, seemingly appearing in every popular detective show of the era. His sonorous voice lent a commanding presence to his portrayals, and in "Requiem" he once again shines. He skillfully avoids a characterization of the stereotypical Italian Gangster, and his introspective conversations with Quincy as he faces death lend depth and believability to the character. Good too is Val Avery, himself a prolific actor who played low-life mid-level villains throughout his career.
Overall a good episode and viewing experience buoyed by the principal characters. Recommended watch.