It’s horrifying to think that there’s a sociopathic surgeon out there who, whether intentionally or not, is screwing up spinal operations so that innocent patients are either maimed or killed. But it is a reality that Dr. Death brings to the fore with great skill and sensitivity. The pacing is brisk, making it bingeable and frankly hard to put down once you start watching it. It also rightfully divides screentime between understanding the criminal’s motives, the system that allows it, and the people who are determined to put an end to this insanity. But the real highlight is how well-casted the series is. In season 1, Joshua Jackson is unnerving as Dr. Duntsch, while Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater’s buddy cop rapport makes the show more gripping than it already is. Season 2 guns for romance with Édgar Ramírez and Mandy Moore as conflicted lovers, and Lifetime-level cheesiness aside, it actually works to deliver something equally compelling as the first season. With Dr. Death, Peacock has built a worthwhile if terrifying anthology.
"The generally underrated Joshua Jackson carries Dr. Death with a fascinating blend of idiotic confidence and nonchalant sociopathology."
— Brian Tallerico
An anthology series, with each season following a new medical true crime story.
Each season, Dr. Death tells the true story of a dangerous medical professional, the innocent lives they harmed, and the people who brought them to justice.
Do surgeons really talk this much (and this trivially!) while performing surgery? Thanks to the show, I know far worse things can happen in an operating room, but, come on.
Please just never watch this before surgery.
