Back in 2018, host Laura Beil began the awarding-winning podcast Dr. Death on Wondery. Debuting amidst a sea of true crime podcasts, Dr. Death stood out for its focus on the crimes of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, whose surgeries maimed several patients and killed two. This hospital-set story is unique for the true crime genre, with the monster at hand practicing his horrific acts in front of numerous people for far too long. Peacock’s Dr. Death meets most of the fans’ expectations, which is impressive since the podcast series set the bar high.
In Dr. Death, Dr. Duntsch’s (Joshua Jackson) patients come in for routine surgeries, but, many leave worse than they entered. As the list of victims increases, two surgeons, Dr. Randall Kirby (Christian Slater) and Dr. Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin), and a Dallas prosecutor, Michelle Shughart (AnnaSophia Robb), take matters into their own hands. Meanwhile, Duntsch is allowed to continue to operate despite the devastation he’s caused.
With so many police procedurals and true crime stories on television, Dr. Death is a welcomed and refreshing addition for several reasons. In many other shows, the killer or criminal must hide what they are doing; however, Duntsch freely can butcher his patients while being paid for it, even if many are aware of how incompetent and dangerous he is.
Another key point of Dr. Death is how he can continue to get away with his atrocities when many people are aware of them. In comparison to other crime shows, this again stands out — the mystery is not who the killer is, but how he is getting away with his crimes. It also tackles the flaws of the American health care system which is not often addressed in the genre.
With each episode, seeing how this system — supposedly sworn to protect and save lives — enables Duntsch’s behavior and actions keeps audiences wondering what will be the breaking point. It’s an important issue to address and it’s one that’s as shocking as Duntsch’s crimes.
As for the titular doctor himself, he makes for a fantastic villain. Jackson captures Duntsch’s god complex and fragile ego, and while this means it’s going to be easy to hate the doctor with every fiber of your being, that’s the point. He is not subtle about his hubris, and seeing how defensive he gets over his many shortcomings leaves one wondering why anyone would allow him to operate on a living person in the first place. Jackson chews the scenery throughout Dr. Death, yet this does not take away how terrifying Duntsch is.
Both Baldwin and Slater serve as prime rivals. The duo has a classic “good-cop, bad-cop” dynamic, with the former being the more collected and by-the-book surgeon, and the latter being firey and blunt. Through both of their performances, it’s clear these surgeons care deeply about their patients, contrasting nicely with how Duntsch sees his victims. Slater, in particular, wears his heart on his sleeve, lashing out around those in power yet having an excellent bedside manner for Duntsch’s survivors. Like the heroic surgeons, audiences truly grasp how dangerous Duntsch through them and with each episode’s reveal.
Dr. Death‘s non-linear storytelling approach capitalizes on the tensions surrounding his patients’ fates. The series reveals the fate of some of Duntsch’s victims before viewers witness their surgeries. Knowing how one patient will come out of surgery worse than before creates a feeling of dread when audiences later see them on the operating table.
However, this non-linear story can be confusing and, at times, it goes back a bit too far. Duntsch’s backstory is not as interesting as his time spent as a doctor. When it comes down to it, Duntsch isn’t special, which is why he’s so determined to prove otherwise. His time as a doctor and how Dr. Henderson and Dr. Kirby respond to him is more than enough for a series.
Overall, Dr. Death is refreshing and makes true crime fans ask questions they may not often think of when binging the usual docu-series or crime reenactment. Although this show takes plenty more liberties than Beil’s podcast, it lives up to its hype with a cast and crew that clearly care about telling this story.
Based on Wondery’s hit podcast, Dr. Death premieres July 15 on Peacock.
About The Author
