This episode of Diagnosis Murder was quite prescient, as it seemed to foreshadow the rise and dominance of spot betting and TV advertisements during sporting games. Here we have a cardiologist, Dr Hodiak, who is a compulsive gambler, and who would bet on almost anything in sports, and wins and loses big.
I noticed in this episode a larger number of ethnic characters than usual, if you know what I mean. You've got Borashevesky, Claude and also an American of East Asian descent (at the high stakes poker game). Maybe it's in keeping with the high stakes of the gambling world I guess. Talking of which, I hardly ever see an Indian or East Asian doctor at Community General Hospital, even though a significant proportion of medical staff are from this ethnic background. Maybe if Diagnosis Murder was to devote an episode to a Spelling Bee murder then maybe we'll see an Indian doctor parent who drives his kid too hard.
Hodiak gets himself into hot water when attorney Lawrence Kendall (played by Lawrence Pressman) thinks that he cheated in a high stakes poker game, and also recognizes the name. Zodiac...Hodiak...that's him! Uma, Oprah...Zodiac, Hodiak. Kendall's late son took his own life due to massive gambling debts, and his son (and Kendall) blamed the shenanigans of Zodiac, I mean Hodiak.
Alex (Shane Van Dyke) also makes an appearance and refers to his earlier experience as a contestant in the reality show Hot House (season 8, episode 7). Alex also has a gambling problem, and Dr Sloan encourages him to attend Gamblers Anonymous.
The ending was kind of upbeat, when you hear the jubilant news of Dr Hodiak's widow.
I noticed in this episode a larger number of ethnic characters than usual, if you know what I mean. You've got Borashevesky, Claude and also an American of East Asian descent (at the high stakes poker game). Maybe it's in keeping with the high stakes of the gambling world I guess. Talking of which, I hardly ever see an Indian or East Asian doctor at Community General Hospital, even though a significant proportion of medical staff are from this ethnic background. Maybe if Diagnosis Murder was to devote an episode to a Spelling Bee murder then maybe we'll see an Indian doctor parent who drives his kid too hard.
Hodiak gets himself into hot water when attorney Lawrence Kendall (played by Lawrence Pressman) thinks that he cheated in a high stakes poker game, and also recognizes the name. Zodiac...Hodiak...that's him! Uma, Oprah...Zodiac, Hodiak. Kendall's late son took his own life due to massive gambling debts, and his son (and Kendall) blamed the shenanigans of Zodiac, I mean Hodiak.
Alex (Shane Van Dyke) also makes an appearance and refers to his earlier experience as a contestant in the reality show Hot House (season 8, episode 7). Alex also has a gambling problem, and Dr Sloan encourages him to attend Gamblers Anonymous.
The ending was kind of upbeat, when you hear the jubilant news of Dr Hodiak's widow.