I don remember much from this TV movie, except that it is one of three pilot movies that precede the Diagnosis Murder TV series. Dick Van Dyke plays Dr. Mark Sloan who meddles in a police case about former student Dr. Drummond committing suicide, or so it seems. Turns out, Drummond had a double created of himself or some sort so he could run away with some big money.
This movie reveals the perpetrator right from the beginning and you are left trying to enjoy the movie by seeing how the "great" Dr. Sloan puts his detective cap on, investigate the clues and solve the case. This to me is not a murder mystery; you already know who the perpetrator is, so the suspense and intrigue are gone. What you get is just an average TV movie, which has some decent acting for the most part, that shows how Dr. Sloan and his gang solves the case.
This method of revealing the "whodunit" in the beginning would be utilized in other Diagnosis Murder movies and in a few episodes if the TV series. So, if you want at least some suspense and plot twists, I would skip this TV movie and jump to the series.
Grade C
This movie reveals the perpetrator right from the beginning and you are left trying to enjoy the movie by seeing how the "great" Dr. Sloan puts his detective cap on, investigate the clues and solve the case. This to me is not a murder mystery; you already know who the perpetrator is, so the suspense and intrigue are gone. What you get is just an average TV movie, which has some decent acting for the most part, that shows how Dr. Sloan and his gang solves the case.
This method of revealing the "whodunit" in the beginning would be utilized in other Diagnosis Murder movies and in a few episodes if the TV series. So, if you want at least some suspense and plot twists, I would skip this TV movie and jump to the series.
Grade C