I felt 8 episodes was a little long, and the constant jumping back and forth along the timeline felt unnecessary at times, however there was some top tier acting and I really enjoyed the chemistry between Slater and Baldwin. Overall a well executed story.
187 Reviews
Makes you think
mandela14217 July 2021
This is the first ive heard of this doctor so i had no idea there was a podcast. Im gonna warn you,this is scary and may shook you to the core. The acting is phenomenal and the only problem i had was that it was confusing at times. It doesnt have a proper timeline from paint a to point b ,instead, jumps from patient to patient until you honestly barely remember their names(maybe thats a me problem).
All in all, worth your time and attention.
All in all, worth your time and attention.
Compelling Disturbing and great performances
tm-sheehan29 July 2021
My Review - Dr Death Streaming on Stan
My Rating 8/10
Just imagine the shock of coming out of what you've been told by your Doctor is a fairly routine operation only to discover that your now a quadriplegic or worse ?
Now imagine that the charismatic charming Doctor who has performed your operation is really an arrogant sinister surgeon who's later mental diagnosis is described as a psychopath with malignant narcissistic tendencies.
The most disturbing aspect of this series is that it's not fiction . It's an account of real events that occurred in Texas U. S. A. Around 2012 2013. The series is based on the hit podcast inspired by the terrifying true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch.
After building a flourishing neurosurgery practice, everything suddenly changes when two fellow surgeons Dr Randall Kirby (Christian Slater ) and Dr Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin)start to investigate Dr Christopher Duntsch's increasing record of botched operations that resulted in the maiming and deaths of a number of patients.
That's enough of the story as it's the process of Dr Duntsch's eventual trial and conviction that's the focal point of this 8 part series.
It's on the public record that Duntsch was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 patients in less than two years before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board and in 2017, was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment.
It's the performances in Dr Death that make this series so worth watching especially Joshua Jackson as Dr Christopher Duntsch .
A friend of mine who lives in Texas says the resemblance between the actor and the real "Doctor" is uncanny. I read that Dr. Duntch was originally to be played by Jamie Dornan (The Fall, Fifty Shades of Grey) only to be replaced by Joshua Jackson due to conflicts from COVID 19. Dornan and his family were in New York for filming as the Pandemic hit the US and the Country began to shut down.
As much as I admire Jamie Dornan I think Joshua Jackson was the better choice for this complex role. His performance is quite spellbinding pretending to be the caring and optimistic Surgeon but once you know he has the mind of a serial killer who actively recruits his next victims for the operating table he shows a chilling indifference to the tragic outcomes of his malpractice and no guilt or regret what so ever.
One assisting nurse later described the experience of observing Dr Duntch operating procedure to a doctor, "It was like he learned what to do just so he could do the opposite." Christian Slater is also wonderfull in the role of Dr Randall Kirby who's dislike and determination to expose Duntch with the tenacity of a fox terrier killing a snake . He's an interesting character with a sharp tongue and full on personality that gets him offside with a few of the authoritarian figures in the Texas medical community .
The other stand out performances are Alec Baldwin as the more reserved Senior Dr Robert Henderson who is as keen to bring Duntch to trial but takes a more cautious approach .
Dominic Burgess gives a great performance as Jerry Summers an associate and friend of Dr Duntch who refuses to believe the tragic outcome that Duntch has inflicted on his life.
Two very impressive women play important roles in Dr Death one is Grace Gummer as a Nurse and lover of Christopher Duntch .
If you close your eyes Grace Gummer sounds so much like her mother Meryl Streep its very obvious that she has inherited her Mums great acting talent.
The other impressive female role is AnnaSophia Rob as the young prosecutor Michelle Shughart who finds the only appropriate and effective charge to put Duntch behind bars or life.
An impressive script of 7 writers , and excellent direction by three women So Yong Kim, Maggie Kiley and Jennifer Morrison help make Dr Death an interesting and compelling series but a warning if blood or operations make you queasy perhaps this series is not for you ?
What I found most disturbing and I suspect or hope couldn't occur in Australia because of our strict reporting regulations was the fact that what Dr Christopher Duntsch, committed were hideous crimes but the true scandal is that some of Texas's leading hospitals, such as Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Plano and Dallas Medical Center, quietly passed him on-letters of recommendation in hand-to other clinics, where he could continue to solicit and harm other patients.
As is shown at the end of the series unless changes are made these events could occur again in Texas and the U. S. A.
My Rating 8/10
Just imagine the shock of coming out of what you've been told by your Doctor is a fairly routine operation only to discover that your now a quadriplegic or worse ?
Now imagine that the charismatic charming Doctor who has performed your operation is really an arrogant sinister surgeon who's later mental diagnosis is described as a psychopath with malignant narcissistic tendencies.
The most disturbing aspect of this series is that it's not fiction . It's an account of real events that occurred in Texas U. S. A. Around 2012 2013. The series is based on the hit podcast inspired by the terrifying true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch.
After building a flourishing neurosurgery practice, everything suddenly changes when two fellow surgeons Dr Randall Kirby (Christian Slater ) and Dr Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin)start to investigate Dr Christopher Duntsch's increasing record of botched operations that resulted in the maiming and deaths of a number of patients.
That's enough of the story as it's the process of Dr Duntsch's eventual trial and conviction that's the focal point of this 8 part series.
It's on the public record that Duntsch was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 patients in less than two years before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board and in 2017, was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment.
It's the performances in Dr Death that make this series so worth watching especially Joshua Jackson as Dr Christopher Duntsch .
A friend of mine who lives in Texas says the resemblance between the actor and the real "Doctor" is uncanny. I read that Dr. Duntch was originally to be played by Jamie Dornan (The Fall, Fifty Shades of Grey) only to be replaced by Joshua Jackson due to conflicts from COVID 19. Dornan and his family were in New York for filming as the Pandemic hit the US and the Country began to shut down.
As much as I admire Jamie Dornan I think Joshua Jackson was the better choice for this complex role. His performance is quite spellbinding pretending to be the caring and optimistic Surgeon but once you know he has the mind of a serial killer who actively recruits his next victims for the operating table he shows a chilling indifference to the tragic outcomes of his malpractice and no guilt or regret what so ever.
One assisting nurse later described the experience of observing Dr Duntch operating procedure to a doctor, "It was like he learned what to do just so he could do the opposite." Christian Slater is also wonderfull in the role of Dr Randall Kirby who's dislike and determination to expose Duntch with the tenacity of a fox terrier killing a snake . He's an interesting character with a sharp tongue and full on personality that gets him offside with a few of the authoritarian figures in the Texas medical community .
The other stand out performances are Alec Baldwin as the more reserved Senior Dr Robert Henderson who is as keen to bring Duntch to trial but takes a more cautious approach .
Dominic Burgess gives a great performance as Jerry Summers an associate and friend of Dr Duntch who refuses to believe the tragic outcome that Duntch has inflicted on his life.
Two very impressive women play important roles in Dr Death one is Grace Gummer as a Nurse and lover of Christopher Duntch .
If you close your eyes Grace Gummer sounds so much like her mother Meryl Streep its very obvious that she has inherited her Mums great acting talent.
The other impressive female role is AnnaSophia Rob as the young prosecutor Michelle Shughart who finds the only appropriate and effective charge to put Duntch behind bars or life.
An impressive script of 7 writers , and excellent direction by three women So Yong Kim, Maggie Kiley and Jennifer Morrison help make Dr Death an interesting and compelling series but a warning if blood or operations make you queasy perhaps this series is not for you ?
What I found most disturbing and I suspect or hope couldn't occur in Australia because of our strict reporting regulations was the fact that what Dr Christopher Duntsch, committed were hideous crimes but the true scandal is that some of Texas's leading hospitals, such as Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Plano and Dallas Medical Center, quietly passed him on-letters of recommendation in hand-to other clinics, where he could continue to solicit and harm other patients.
As is shown at the end of the series unless changes are made these events could occur again in Texas and the U. S. A.
It's me, the real pool guy.
ibmongo15 August 2021
Well I can definitely say that Christian Slater nailed Dr. Randall Kirby's personality. Please no offense Dr. Kirby I owe you a great debt. It was quite difficult for me to watch my surgery was quite accurate the gentleman that portrayed me in the movie did a great job I think his name was Joe I found the actor on Instagram and we communicated he asked if I looked anything like him I told him no I was a overweight middle-aged white guy we both had a good laugh. The story was extremely accurate to my recollection.
I am left with a condition called adhesive arachnoiditis it's extremely painful and gets worse as time goes on. Medical bills are never ending. The movie was great please watch the documentary.
Thanks to everyone who participated in making the film I greatly appreciate the hard work.
I am left with a condition called adhesive arachnoiditis it's extremely painful and gets worse as time goes on. Medical bills are never ending. The movie was great please watch the documentary.
Thanks to everyone who participated in making the film I greatly appreciate the hard work.
Joshua Jackson is Superb
marydm-4347018 July 2021
Compulsively watched all 8 episodes over the weekend. One of the most chilling biopics ever. Think three times now before consenting to go under the knife.
The most frightening aspect is of course the systemic corruption in the medical system that allowed the situation of this surgeon to exist at all.
Interesting subtext too about the role of parenting in shaping personality. The endless Bible quoting of an unsupportive father in the boy's early years and youth comes across as at least a questionable way to raise children. No wonder a child may develop into a sociopath when constantly told how he never measures up to anything. By the time the father seems to become supportive it's too late and "seems" is the key word here. What parent tells an adult offspring that jail's the best place for them after all? Not a whisper about the possibility of failed parenting but more harping on hardwood floors and furniture...see it to find out what this means!
The three actors in the centre of the story are brilliant. The ever brilliant Slater just keeps getting better and better with age. And Baldwin casts off his loudmouth bad boy reputation to turn in an incredibly low key but nuanced performance. He's a real surprise here.
But kudos and heaps of credit must go to Joshua Jackson for accepting the role of Dr Death: ugly, unglamorous, unsexy, sociopathic, narcissistic, downright a garbage heap of a human being. Only a brave brave actor would throw themselves into such a role with the commitment Jackson has done. Especially in the last couple of episodes when he's physically transformed and all the bravado has vanished from his behaviour, Jackson is a screen presence to behold. He makes the most of the "Kubrick eyes" (look it up if you don't know) facial expression to communicate the depths into which his existence has sunk. We watch a loathsome character totally mesmerised by Jackson's acting. Superb. Just superb.
Watch it for the urgent theme that's at the core of the series, but above all watch it to relish these three central performances. Just superb.
The most frightening aspect is of course the systemic corruption in the medical system that allowed the situation of this surgeon to exist at all.
Interesting subtext too about the role of parenting in shaping personality. The endless Bible quoting of an unsupportive father in the boy's early years and youth comes across as at least a questionable way to raise children. No wonder a child may develop into a sociopath when constantly told how he never measures up to anything. By the time the father seems to become supportive it's too late and "seems" is the key word here. What parent tells an adult offspring that jail's the best place for them after all? Not a whisper about the possibility of failed parenting but more harping on hardwood floors and furniture...see it to find out what this means!
The three actors in the centre of the story are brilliant. The ever brilliant Slater just keeps getting better and better with age. And Baldwin casts off his loudmouth bad boy reputation to turn in an incredibly low key but nuanced performance. He's a real surprise here.
But kudos and heaps of credit must go to Joshua Jackson for accepting the role of Dr Death: ugly, unglamorous, unsexy, sociopathic, narcissistic, downright a garbage heap of a human being. Only a brave brave actor would throw themselves into such a role with the commitment Jackson has done. Especially in the last couple of episodes when he's physically transformed and all the bravado has vanished from his behaviour, Jackson is a screen presence to behold. He makes the most of the "Kubrick eyes" (look it up if you don't know) facial expression to communicate the depths into which his existence has sunk. We watch a loathsome character totally mesmerised by Jackson's acting. Superb. Just superb.
Watch it for the urgent theme that's at the core of the series, but above all watch it to relish these three central performances. Just superb.
Season 2
mccabe-shannon22 December 2023
First - IMDB please allow people to do different ratings for different seasons- especially for anthology type shows like this!
Second- I think I liked season 1 more but pretty close ratings wise.
S1 I had not listened to podcasts or anything just some general chit chat so I didn't know much. S2- I'd seen the Netflix special before.
After watching both S1 and S2 I did watch the actual Dr Death documentaries so this review is written with those contexts.
There were a few dramatized things in s2 I wasn't a fan of (namely her sneaking into the Barcelona house after the overly dramatic this propert doesn't exist and having her friend go to the door to allow her time to sneak out, which we know didn't really happy. We see from the actual videos in the car there were 3 friends and they drive near and just saw the kids). I don't think that added anything to fake that.
As much as I love MM, and I love seeing her in something and she is gorgeous- this wasn't it for her. Had I not seen the real person I would have thought she was great (so nothing on her at all) just bad casting.
Main character was pretty good casting but they never gave him that bad hair cut I saw in reality.
I did like the liberal take on the dude characters- the American - loved him in marvelous Mrs maisel, English girl was great as Ashley in revenge (I've disconcerted why she hadn't been in more since!). We know on these the there are more liberties taken with accuracy of side characters.
Overall it's obviously an attention grabbing story.
And scary. All those CVs that don't add up. Nobody ever checked?!? Hmmmm.
Overall. Very good. Some incongruities for me as far as story telling and how they cut episodes but an entertaining watch.
Second- I think I liked season 1 more but pretty close ratings wise.
S1 I had not listened to podcasts or anything just some general chit chat so I didn't know much. S2- I'd seen the Netflix special before.
After watching both S1 and S2 I did watch the actual Dr Death documentaries so this review is written with those contexts.
There were a few dramatized things in s2 I wasn't a fan of (namely her sneaking into the Barcelona house after the overly dramatic this propert doesn't exist and having her friend go to the door to allow her time to sneak out, which we know didn't really happy. We see from the actual videos in the car there were 3 friends and they drive near and just saw the kids). I don't think that added anything to fake that.
As much as I love MM, and I love seeing her in something and she is gorgeous- this wasn't it for her. Had I not seen the real person I would have thought she was great (so nothing on her at all) just bad casting.
Main character was pretty good casting but they never gave him that bad hair cut I saw in reality.
I did like the liberal take on the dude characters- the American - loved him in marvelous Mrs maisel, English girl was great as Ashley in revenge (I've disconcerted why she hadn't been in more since!). We know on these the there are more liberties taken with accuracy of side characters.
Overall it's obviously an attention grabbing story.
And scary. All those CVs that don't add up. Nobody ever checked?!? Hmmmm.
Overall. Very good. Some incongruities for me as far as story telling and how they cut episodes but an entertaining watch.
Scary
carlasad15 July 2021
The subject matter is just downright scary to imagine and I truly feel for the people who put their trust in a doctor who ended up being a butcher. Reading about everything he did to his patients was unbelievable. More unbelievable was that fact the he was allowed to keep performing surgeries because of all the red tape. On another note, Christian Slater just keeps getting better in his craft as an actor. He stole the show!
Duntsch of All Trades
owen-watts15 January 2022
This curious dramatic podcast spin-off was an instant watch due to the absorbing performance of Joshua Jackson and the strangely addictive partnership of Slater & Baldwin but structurally it's a wild ride. It lurches backwards and forwards in time and tonally can go from courtroom drama to comedic parody and back. Eight episodes was probably too much but the central premise and performances kept me glued to it however much it flails around. Like a particularly unwise bucking bronco session.
Disturbing But True Story
mandagrammy17 July 2021
This is a series that is hard to stop watching, even though it is supremely disturbing. What makes it even more tragic is that it is a true story. Anyone who has ever had a medical procedure done will feel affected by this series. Having lost my mother only hours after surgery for heart bypasses (which was supposed to improve her life, not take it) I felt particularly disturbed. This series is as much about the inhumane way that corporations (hospitals in this case) care more about their bottom line than they do the people they are supposed to help, as it does about the one doctor who is at the center of this whole story. My only quibble with the series is that it bounces from time period to time period like a tennis ball in play. Why oh why, are so many films being made in such a way, rather than giving us a linear telling of the story? Outside of this, I found the whole thing so fascinating, I ended up watching all of the episodes in a single day, something I very rarely do. I highly recommend the series, but be prepared to get really mad, really sad, and really frustrated more than once. P. S. Acting, all around is top notch too.
interesting true story limited series
SnoopyStyle12 October 2021
In 2012, Christopher Duntsch (Joshua Jackson) is the arrogant new surgeon at Dallas Medical Center. His ex Kim Morgan, nurse Josh Baker, and others are concerned about his work. Dr. Randall Kirby (Christian Slater) goes to his boss Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin) with damning concerns. He is desperate to stop Duntsch and his long history of incompetent surgeries. Michelle Shughart (AnnaSophia Robb) is the young ADA eager to take on the challenging case.
This is an 8 part Peacock limited series. It's a compelling true story. Joshua Jackson does a nice villain performance but maybe the show could use less of him. I want more of Slater and Baldwin going up against the medical establishment. That's the more compelling journey. Duntsch can be a repetitive character although getting fat is kind of fun. As for the time jumping, there is a bit too much of that. I'd rather have longer flashbacks but less of them. They also need to be more strategic in their placements. All in all, I found some of Duntsch's scenes a little repetitive but he is still an interesting performance.
ADDITION: Hey, this is apparently not a limited series. They are doing a different doctor for the second season. If they continue with this, there would be no end to the supply of quacks in the medical world. In the second season, investigative reporter Benita Alexander (Mandy Moore) is doing a story on experimental surgeon Paolo Macchiarini (Edgar Ramírez), known as The Miracle Man. He's doing stem cell trachea transplants. I remember the case. It's still the same issue as the first season. I'm not intrigued with the doctor's story. The drama has to come from a reporter uncovering the case and someone to prosecute.
This is an 8 part Peacock limited series. It's a compelling true story. Joshua Jackson does a nice villain performance but maybe the show could use less of him. I want more of Slater and Baldwin going up against the medical establishment. That's the more compelling journey. Duntsch can be a repetitive character although getting fat is kind of fun. As for the time jumping, there is a bit too much of that. I'd rather have longer flashbacks but less of them. They also need to be more strategic in their placements. All in all, I found some of Duntsch's scenes a little repetitive but he is still an interesting performance.
ADDITION: Hey, this is apparently not a limited series. They are doing a different doctor for the second season. If they continue with this, there would be no end to the supply of quacks in the medical world. In the second season, investigative reporter Benita Alexander (Mandy Moore) is doing a story on experimental surgeon Paolo Macchiarini (Edgar Ramírez), known as The Miracle Man. He's doing stem cell trachea transplants. I remember the case. It's still the same issue as the first season. I'm not intrigued with the doctor's story. The drama has to come from a reporter uncovering the case and someone to prosecute.
This was quite good
marymcfarland-0186616 July 2021
I didn't see whatever podcast people are referencing. I was familiar with the case from the news and watched this limited series. It was good. It drew me in, made me think, scared me....it was well done. I watched it in a day. Recommend.
Good but I'm getting dizzy from the flashbacks and flash forwards
persian-belle15 January 2024
Interesting series. Good acting. Staying close to the true stories.
I must say that I'm not a fan of constant jumping back and forth in the story timeline. Even though I can understand and follow, I personally find it unsettling where I'd have to shift my place vis-à-vis the plot. All of these scenes are date-stamped. Maybe my mind just perfers linear accounts of stories.
For the second season, I enjoyed watching the single-episode documentary "Dr. Death: Cutthroat Conman". There's also a series called "Bad Surgeon: Love under the Knife" which has had high ratings, but I haven't seen it yet.
The stories are definitely compelling, and yet I don't appreciate the title "Dr. Death" for both malpracticing surgeons.
Being a true-crime fan and having numerous stories about so-called "angels of death", I've both read and heard real and fictional stories about certified or sham medical professionals who ended up as serial killers, whether in the name of compassion or just because they were psychopathic murderers.
However, the surgeons in both of these seasons strike me as living in a kind of pathologically fantastic world where they think they are god's, and so in their own blind narcissism or self-delusion, they don't want to accept the truth about their medical failures.
It's sad nonetheless.
Definitely worth a shot.
I must say that I'm not a fan of constant jumping back and forth in the story timeline. Even though I can understand and follow, I personally find it unsettling where I'd have to shift my place vis-à-vis the plot. All of these scenes are date-stamped. Maybe my mind just perfers linear accounts of stories.
For the second season, I enjoyed watching the single-episode documentary "Dr. Death: Cutthroat Conman". There's also a series called "Bad Surgeon: Love under the Knife" which has had high ratings, but I haven't seen it yet.
The stories are definitely compelling, and yet I don't appreciate the title "Dr. Death" for both malpracticing surgeons.
Being a true-crime fan and having numerous stories about so-called "angels of death", I've both read and heard real and fictional stories about certified or sham medical professionals who ended up as serial killers, whether in the name of compassion or just because they were psychopathic murderers.
However, the surgeons in both of these seasons strike me as living in a kind of pathologically fantastic world where they think they are god's, and so in their own blind narcissism or self-delusion, they don't want to accept the truth about their medical failures.
It's sad nonetheless.
Definitely worth a shot.
Had so much potential but fell a bit flat
felicity-murphy17 July 2021
The podcast of this was amazing, it's such a horrific story and I just don't feel they were able to capture that in the way this drama was directed. An all star cast and unbelievable story but just wasn't directed right. It was slow paced and dis-jointed.
One scene from his college football opened in a blur, it may have intended to be a transition effect but just seemed out of place or badly edited. The timeline is hard to follow and the pace is too slow for some things to make sense in the way the played out in real life.
My parting comment is "pity"
One scene from his college football opened in a blur, it may have intended to be a transition effect but just seemed out of place or badly edited. The timeline is hard to follow and the pace is too slow for some things to make sense in the way the played out in real life.
My parting comment is "pity"
A chilling and superbly acted True Crime drama that examines inhuman acts enabled by a broken system that enabled and covered for them.
IonicBreezeMachine19 July 2021
Set over the course of several years, the series follows Christopher Duntsch (Joshua Jackson) from his formative college years to eventually becoming a medical doctor and surgeon. Over the course of his career at hospitals all over the state of Texas Dr. Duntsch is involved in the maiming or death of 33 patients while facing no disciplinary action or suspension. Two medical doctors Randall Kirby (Christian Slater) and Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin) team up to try and find a way to stop Duntsch and prevent him from harming more patients.
Based on the Wondery podcast of the same name, Dr. Death chronicles the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch the disgraced and now incarcerated former neurosurgeon who was nicknamed "Dr. Death" when details of his surgeries came to light. The show does a respectable job telling its true life story respectfully and with purpose telling a story of not only a malignant narcissist and sociopath, but also the layers of bureaucratic buck passing and deceptive and misleading documentation that covered for Dr. Duntsch's actions for the sake of protecting public image, prestige, and dodging legal liability.
Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater are terrific as Doctors Henderson and Kirby and have great chemistry with Baldwin's more serious level headed planner well complimented by Slater's more laid back and loose attitude making them for an endearing and likable set of heroes. But by far the biggest asset in the show is Joshua Jackson as "Dr. Death" Duntsch himself. From the first time we meet Duntsch he absolutely oozes with contempt. Alternating between a veneer of smug and phony unearned confidence that has the same level of slimy appeal as a used car salesman and a searing intensity of rage, insecurity, jealousy, and paranoia that gives the man the level of threat on par with a live wire next to a puddle. It's a brilliant performance by Jackson and great examination of a terrible person.
Dr. Death does struggle getting viewers hooked thanks to a tendency to jump around the timeline with multiple sequences taking place at different points in Duntsch's past intercut with the ongoing investigation with Kirby and Henderson. While the title text does give us a sense of time and place I'd often find myself lost briefly wondering if certain events took place before others thanks to the non linear storytelling. While the time jumps can be disorienting I did eventually find myself settling into the show's rhythm and was able to become fully immersed.
Dr. Death is not an easy sit and will be a haunting experience for many viewers. With its cold analytical narrative detailing actions of inhuman callousness and indifference there will be many viewers who will not be able to stomach this series for the surgery scenes alone (not that they're excessively gory, but they are intense). With that said, the show is a well made and well-acted story that tries to do justice to the victims and understand why this happened and who was responsible. Highly recommended.
Based on the Wondery podcast of the same name, Dr. Death chronicles the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch the disgraced and now incarcerated former neurosurgeon who was nicknamed "Dr. Death" when details of his surgeries came to light. The show does a respectable job telling its true life story respectfully and with purpose telling a story of not only a malignant narcissist and sociopath, but also the layers of bureaucratic buck passing and deceptive and misleading documentation that covered for Dr. Duntsch's actions for the sake of protecting public image, prestige, and dodging legal liability.
Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater are terrific as Doctors Henderson and Kirby and have great chemistry with Baldwin's more serious level headed planner well complimented by Slater's more laid back and loose attitude making them for an endearing and likable set of heroes. But by far the biggest asset in the show is Joshua Jackson as "Dr. Death" Duntsch himself. From the first time we meet Duntsch he absolutely oozes with contempt. Alternating between a veneer of smug and phony unearned confidence that has the same level of slimy appeal as a used car salesman and a searing intensity of rage, insecurity, jealousy, and paranoia that gives the man the level of threat on par with a live wire next to a puddle. It's a brilliant performance by Jackson and great examination of a terrible person.
Dr. Death does struggle getting viewers hooked thanks to a tendency to jump around the timeline with multiple sequences taking place at different points in Duntsch's past intercut with the ongoing investigation with Kirby and Henderson. While the title text does give us a sense of time and place I'd often find myself lost briefly wondering if certain events took place before others thanks to the non linear storytelling. While the time jumps can be disorienting I did eventually find myself settling into the show's rhythm and was able to become fully immersed.
Dr. Death is not an easy sit and will be a haunting experience for many viewers. With its cold analytical narrative detailing actions of inhuman callousness and indifference there will be many viewers who will not be able to stomach this series for the surgery scenes alone (not that they're excessively gory, but they are intense). With that said, the show is a well made and well-acted story that tries to do justice to the victims and understand why this happened and who was responsible. Highly recommended.
Great series but the REAL story is even more shocking!
murphy907-987-8171692 August 2021
Usually when watching a series or movie based on a true story the events are exaggerated to add to the drama but in my opinion this show was watered down a touch as the true story would have seemed even more far fetched if relayed in a series.
Ignore the 1-star reviews.
rhyss-5301114 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Firstly, any 1-star review that starts with "I switched it off after ten minutes" shouldn't be allowed to leave a review. How can you review a series that ran for eight episodes when you refused to watch it?
The story was interesting. The actors did a great job. I'm sure there are parts that are not medically accurate but please understand that this needs to be simplified for entertainment purposes. The switching between timelines got a bit confusing and I'm not sure what it was trying to achieve in doing so. The big reveal in episode seven of how Dr Death ripped his scrubs felt more like a "so what?" moment.
Biggest let down was not seeing the guilty verdict delivered. Ending felt a bit weird.
The story was interesting. The actors did a great job. I'm sure there are parts that are not medically accurate but please understand that this needs to be simplified for entertainment purposes. The switching between timelines got a bit confusing and I'm not sure what it was trying to achieve in doing so. The big reveal in episode seven of how Dr Death ripped his scrubs felt more like a "so what?" moment.
Biggest let down was not seeing the guilty verdict delivered. Ending felt a bit weird.
Joshua Jackson is Chilling
jennfinn2 August 2021
I have to say at first the back & forth of the timeline was kinda annoying but after watching all 8 episodes I realize it was necessary to tell the story.
Joshua Jackson has come a long way from Pacey, he was brilliant as the psychotic Neurosurgeon, Dr. Christopher Duntsch. As a parent I certainly want my kids to be confident and have high self esteem but this dude was on a whole other level with his massive ego.
It was great seeing Christian Slater on screen again because he is charismatic in EVERY role he portrays and his voice is like butter. He plays Dr. Randall Kirby, a Vascular surgeon who helps expose Dr Death for the monster he truly is.
Alec Baldwin is in my opinion a very underrated & under appreciated actor who excels in either comedy or drama which few actors can actually do. He plays Dr. Robert Henderson, an Orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spine care and had the unfortunate task of trying to correct Duntsch's botched surgery. Together with Dr Kirby they convince the district attorney's office to criminally prosecute Duntch and help collect evidence against him.
I watched all eight episodes in a row and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time even though I knew the outcome.
Joshua Jackson has come a long way from Pacey, he was brilliant as the psychotic Neurosurgeon, Dr. Christopher Duntsch. As a parent I certainly want my kids to be confident and have high self esteem but this dude was on a whole other level with his massive ego.
It was great seeing Christian Slater on screen again because he is charismatic in EVERY role he portrays and his voice is like butter. He plays Dr. Randall Kirby, a Vascular surgeon who helps expose Dr Death for the monster he truly is.
Alec Baldwin is in my opinion a very underrated & under appreciated actor who excels in either comedy or drama which few actors can actually do. He plays Dr. Robert Henderson, an Orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spine care and had the unfortunate task of trying to correct Duntsch's botched surgery. Together with Dr Kirby they convince the district attorney's office to criminally prosecute Duntch and help collect evidence against him.
I watched all eight episodes in a row and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time even though I knew the outcome.
Great Series
johnboyblues30 July 2021
I thought this was a great mini series although it could have been cut in half. Christian Slater was excellent, as usual, as the radical doctor out to cut Duntsch down to size or cut off his head. Alec Baldwin is the cool headed doctor trying to pave the way for Duntsch to exit the medical field. It occurred to me that Baldwin played a narcissistic surgeon in 1993's Malice with Nicole Kidman in which Baldwin proclaims that when in the operating room he is God. Just demonstrates the acting range he can cover and do it well.
[8.2] Besides the editing and unneat time jumps, a superb show
cjonesas29 August 2021
A tremendous series in its own way. The incredible level of acting by the whole cast, especially by Joshua Jackson, the heavy, suspenseful and really-felt atmosphere, thrilling moments and the fitting score, make it one of a kind of a show.
Easy Summary
rhinome-2946422 July 2021
Great film idea.
Wayyyy too long. Should have been 3 episodes...maybe.
Unnecessarily jumps back-and-forth in time. Why do you do that? Utilization of this method here does not give insight to the viewer whatsoever. It's literally just pointless.
Wayyyy too long. Should have been 3 episodes...maybe.
Unnecessarily jumps back-and-forth in time. Why do you do that? Utilization of this method here does not give insight to the viewer whatsoever. It's literally just pointless.
Brilliant acting but absolutely TERRIFYING!
scottpatrick-7681516 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Watched all eight episodes in one setting. Acting was fantastic all around. The scene that bothered me the most was Dr. Death paralyzing his best friend (Jerry). Jerry's fear is heart wrenching once he realized he was a dead from the neck down. Intense show!
Based on truth but roughly put together
roxmewild15 September 2021
I wasn't aware of Christopher Duntsch or his crimes possibly due to living in the Uk it was not broadcast on the news stations.
The story is incredulous and calls into account the US medical system that he was allowed to continue to practice surgery after the dreadfully botched surgeries that left his patients maimed and dead I am unable to comprehend how this was allowed and that 38 people suffered and if not for the continual attempts to stop him from the 2 physicians that tried to have him struck off he may still have been piling up the bodies!
This mini series is good but I did find the jumping back and forth in years confusing and added little to the production I feel to have told the story accurately in a timeline would have been a lot better and less confusing. So on that basis Regardless of the superb acting from the leads I had to knock a few stars off for the way it was produced.
The story is incredulous and calls into account the US medical system that he was allowed to continue to practice surgery after the dreadfully botched surgeries that left his patients maimed and dead I am unable to comprehend how this was allowed and that 38 people suffered and if not for the continual attempts to stop him from the 2 physicians that tried to have him struck off he may still have been piling up the bodies!
This mini series is good but I did find the jumping back and forth in years confusing and added little to the production I feel to have told the story accurately in a timeline would have been a lot better and less confusing. So on that basis Regardless of the superb acting from the leads I had to knock a few stars off for the way it was produced.
Very Interesting but way too long
maddison-5965719 July 2021
This is an interesting show, however it is extremely dragged out. It would have been really good if it were only a 3 or 4 episode mini series. I found myself losing interest in the show by the 5th and 6th episode and just wanted it to finish. The actors in it, Mr Baldwin, Mr Slater, and Mr Jackson were brilliant though.
Think about it ....."If at first you don't succeed ...... then just maybe skydiving (in this case surgery) is not for you"
Ed-Shullivan13 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Based on a True Story
Christopher Duntsch was (past tense) a.practising neurosurgeon in Dallas, Texas, and he was sentenced on February 20, 2017, to life in prison for gross malpractice resulting in the maiming of several patients' spines and killing two of them while working at hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
I don't know how the producers acquired so many A-Lister stars to agree to star in the TV series but my guess is they have all been (in)directly affected by a past surgery that once went wrong, or know someone close to them that have been maimed/died on the operating table.
For any IMDB reviewers who criticize the series for not being accurate just remember that each episode is only approximately 42 minutes long, and unfortunately Dr. Duntsch's actual surgeries were prolonged and very painful for his victims. Not everyone skydives successfully and sometimes surgeons were not meant to be surgeons either.
I look forward to watching future episodes to see how some of the hospital administrative bureaucrats try and cover up their own part in allowing Christopher Duntsch to continue surgeries at their respective hospitals, I give the series a highly rated 9 out of 10 IMDB rating.
Christopher Duntsch was (past tense) a.practising neurosurgeon in Dallas, Texas, and he was sentenced on February 20, 2017, to life in prison for gross malpractice resulting in the maiming of several patients' spines and killing two of them while working at hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
I don't know how the producers acquired so many A-Lister stars to agree to star in the TV series but my guess is they have all been (in)directly affected by a past surgery that once went wrong, or know someone close to them that have been maimed/died on the operating table.
For any IMDB reviewers who criticize the series for not being accurate just remember that each episode is only approximately 42 minutes long, and unfortunately Dr. Duntsch's actual surgeries were prolonged and very painful for his victims. Not everyone skydives successfully and sometimes surgeons were not meant to be surgeons either.
I look forward to watching future episodes to see how some of the hospital administrative bureaucrats try and cover up their own part in allowing Christopher Duntsch to continue surgeries at their respective hospitals, I give the series a highly rated 9 out of 10 IMDB rating.
WOW, a series EVERY person should watch, especially those with medical issues, PHENOMENAL!!
joiningjt4 August 2021
I cant tell you how phenomenal this series is and was to watch. I have terrible back issues and thanks to a friend who had similar issues have avoided surgery. After watching this I'm glad I did, the acting in this features multiple Emmy winning performances. Joshua Jackson was nothing short of flawless in his lead role here, alec Baldwin and Christian Slater both were worthy of an Emm as well. Dont know all the other actors and actresses names but not 1 was even average THE WHOLE CAST was absolutely phenomenal, you will become involved in this story both mentally and emotionally. I'm a person who tries to find the positive in every scenario. At the end you decide if there was any. Thanks to some great doctors and legal professionals I think there is.
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