Quincy M.E. (TV Series) Sweet Land of Liberty (1979) User Reviews

Challenging.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 22 April 2013]

While this episode of "Quincy" seems very paranoid, there are shreds of truth to it. While I am loathe to attack the US government, it has been documented that a variety of studies (often involving people who had no idea they were being experimented upon) where the military gave people LSD--just to see what it would do! Project MKUltra and the Edgewood Arsenal experiments are both documented studies where LSD and other nasty drugs were given to soldiers, prostitutes, the mentally ill and others! This is an evil thing and so I can understand why "Quincy" addressed it--and talked about the context during which it was used.

The show begins with a Japanese-American guy going nuts and killing a cop. It turns out the guy is an old friend of Sam's and Sam gets involved in the case--only to learn that his friend had just killed himself while in custody. Why?! What led to such a huge personality change in the man? When Sam knew him growing up, his friend was gentle and kind. Now, he's been described as angry and almost demented--and a murderer. Through digging and digging, Sam (behaving much like Quincy) finds out that the man was experimented upon with LSD! What's next? See this one.

When the show began, I thought it was all bunk. But, after doing just a bit of research, the show challenged my assumptions--and for this reason alone it's well worth seeing, as it may just challenge you. What also makes this worth seeing is the very funny (and hypocritical) scene where Quincy admonishes Sam to 'not jump to any conclusion'!!!

Fair episode that highlights important struggles of returning servicemen

[rayoflite24 · 6/10 · 13 October 2015]

Sweet Land of Liberty begins with two LA patrol officers locating a stolen Mercedes parked on the street and approaching the closest house to see if the occupants witnessed anything. Lee Yomashira (Nobu McCarthy) answers the door, but when her husband Steve (Bill Saito) sees the officers he has a flashback to his days in the Korean War and thinks they are military leading him to shoot and kill one of the policemen. Sam (Robert Ito) is a friend of the Yomashiras and is shocked over the tragic events which he cannot understand since Steve was always such a kind, gentle person. He is further devastated when Steve commits suicide in his cell and becomes determined to find out what brought about such a drastic change in his friend. Through further investigation, Sam learns that Steve was exposed to the harmful effects of LSD during his military service and this puts him on a mission to see that this is documented in his record with full military honors and benefits restored to him and his widow.

While this episode does address important issues which many returning U.S. servicemen have struggled with for generations, it just didn't make for a great Quincy story as there was very little mystery as to what happened and Quincy (Jack Klugman) takes a backseat to Sam throughout this one. I have no problem with Sam taking the lead once in awhile and particularly liked his scene where he stood up to Dr. Asten (John S. Ragin), but something just seems off balance when Sam is doing the yelling and arguing with Quincy standing quietly in the background.

This was the sixth episode of Season 5 and I haven't seen an episode yet this season that I would characterize as good which is in stark contrast to prior Quincy seasons. Hopefully there will be improvement in the episodes to follow.

Slightly below average Quincy episode.

[poolandrews · 4/10 · 17 April 2008]

Quincy M.E.: Sweet Land of Liberty starts late one night as LAPD cops Kemper (Paul Tuerpe) & DiGregorio (Bert Santos) investigate a possible stolen car parked outside a house, they knock on the door of the house & a Japanese woman named Lee (Nobu McCarthy) answers. The two cops ask to speak to her husband Steve (Bill Saito) who panics & has a violent attack in which he shoots Kemper dead. Kemper ends up on Los Angeles coroner Quincy's (Jack Klugman) autopsy table, it seems an open & shut case. But then Sam (Robert Ito) notices on the police report who is accused of killing the cop, Steve was like a brother to Sam while he was growing up & Sam refuses to believe that Steve could kill a young cop in cold blood for no reason. Then the next morning & Steve is found hanged in his cell, Sam is determined to clear Steve's name & find out what made him kill a cop & take his own life...

Episode 6 from season 5 this Quincy story was directed by Robert Loggia & one has to say that I didn't think that much of it. For a start there's no real mystery element in it at all, there's no murder to solve or killer to find & that hurts the overall interest level. Then there's the fact that Quincy takes a back seat for this episode & it's Sam who orchestrates the moral crusade, in the case of Sweet Land of Liberty against the US Army for giving experimental drugs to interrogation victims. This of course raises the issues surrounding human experimentation, the US Army thinking it can do whatever it wants & the after effect of such treatment on it's soldiers which can last for decades. This isn't anything new though, is it? I mean we have had all sorts of films & telly programmes in which Vietnam vets go mad, go on killing sprees &/or are unable to readjust to normal civilian society. Despite Sam being a good character he usually plays second fiddle to Quincy which is just the way it should be, I mean this episode proves that beyond any shadow of a doubt. Sam's alright but he ain't no Quincy! Then again who is? At fifty minutes it's a little slow at times, the story lacks a hook or any intrigue, the character's are pretty clichéd & it's far too predictable. Does anyone out there not believe Sam & Quincy will not prove Steve innocent? Also the fact that the young cops death seems secondary to everyone doesn't help matters, it's clear that Steve killed the cop & that's that. I don't care whether he wasn't responsible for his actions he still killed him & yet he is talked about like a hero. Didn't sit too well with me at all, just like the episode in general.

The climax of Sweet Land of Liberty sees Quincy & Sam in Washington attend a full military funeral at Arlington, this is probably one of the few times they filmed outside California. Unusually this is a Danny free episode, in fact Danny's bar doesn't even feature either. The acting is alright, Klugman is just brilliant as usual (his arguing with Jim at the end in particular) but he doesn't get much to do as this episode is all about Sam & I'm sorry but Ito just isn't a strong enough performer to carry a emotionally loaded episode such as this. Ex professional baseball player Stack Pierce makes the second of his three Quincy guest appearances here.

Sweet Land of Liberty isn't classic Quincy, in fact one could rename this episode to Sam L.A. (Laboratory Asisstant)! This one didn't do much for me at all & the cop that Steve killed was too easily forgotten.