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| NBC series
interesting, but overdramatic Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 9/05/04 Illness can be a sexy topic for television, NBC executives have discovered. They have combined health fears (think western Pennsylvania's hepatitis and salmonella outbreaks) with the investigation formula (CBS' successful "CSI" franchise). The result is "Medical Investigation." The title may not be exciting, but the premise is interesting. A mobile medical team, from the National Institutes of Health, is summoned at a moment's notice to fly anywhere an unexplained health concern arises. The premiere episode is full of intense, melodramatic dialogue. That may be the biggest drawback to this show finding an audience. The overemotional script detracts from the seriousness of the cases. The series offers a home for actors who lost shows last season: Neal McDonough from "Boomtown," Kelli Williams from "The Practice," Christopher Gorham from "Jake 2.0" and Anna Belknap from "The Handler." With Troy Winbush, they form the team. Dr. Stephen Connor (McDonough) leads the team. His moods are explosive, but no one questions his desire to learn the truth and save lives. He can be cocky and arrogant, always butting heads with local medical professionals. "My guess is better," he likes to tell them. Dr. Natalie Durant (Williams) handles the intensive medical experiments and is rarely seen without her lab coat. Eva Rossi (Belknap) is the sexy public relations specialist who travels with the team to keep the news media away. She will do anything she can to keep the investigations secret until the team is ready to release an announcement. Her charm and long legs are inferior only to her devious intellect. Dr. Miles McCabe (Gorham) is the young pup who joined the team three weeks ago. He worries about impressing the demanding Stephen and is full of self-doubt. Frank Powell (Winbush) is the field guy who gathers evidence from victims' homes, offices and anywhere they might have been. The team sweeps into the area and takes over any investigation, often angering local officials. Their only goal is to discover the cause of the outbreak so it can be stopped and save lives. As in most television shows, they are even willing to break the law to achieve that goal. "Let me tell you what the NIH involves itself in," says Miles. "Answers. Your tax dollars pay for the NIH so that when, God forbid, some unforeseen, nasty, never-before-seen-or-heard-of calamity strikes you, that some rubber stamping bureaucrat doesn't write you off without even trying." The premiere episode claims to be based on actual events. A man turns blue and collapses while walking on a New York City street. Within hours nine more cases are reported, with all the patients on the verge of death. While the team tries to deal with that emergency, Miles is sent to investigate a baby hospitalized with spontaneous bruising. His diagnosis will determine if parents are arrested for child abuse. The stakes are high and each character deals with the stress of making life-and-death decisions. Stephen, who is separated from his wife, seems to be the most affected by the extreme nature of the job. The show's premise could rival the mysteries featured on the popular "CSI" and "Law & Order" franchises. Given a chance, "Medical Investigations" could find its stride and offer a hit for NBC on Friday nights. |