Originally airing as part of the NBC Mystery Movie, Quincy, M.E., headlined by Jack Klugman, rotated with the returning Columbo, McCloud and McMillan beginning in the fall of 1976. Jack Klugman was a flawless fit as Dr. Quincy, an ethical medical examiner working for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office.

Klugman’s Dr. Quincy was based on the real-life Los Angeles County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Noguchi, who became an advisor on Quincy, M.E.

As the precursor of sorts to shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Quincy, M.E. was unlike the then traditional crime-solving drama. The basic formula began with Jack Klugman as Dr. Quincy working on a corpse whose death was generally ruled as an accident. Naturally, it was never that simple, as Quincy often found something strange in the autopsy that could indicate it was murder. Quincy would then start his own investigation, picking up clues missed by the police. By episode end, he would expose the identity of the killer.

Quincy, M.E. was an immediate hit. After four 90-minute installments within the NBC Mystery Movie, it was upgraded to a one-hour standalone weekly series effective in February 1977. It ran for eight seasons, producing 148 episodes in total. The cast included Robert Ito as forensic lab technician Sam Fujiyama, Gary Walberg as Lt. Monahan, who resented Quincy’s constant meddling, and John S. Ragin as Dr. Asten, who was often also at odds with Quincy.

Marc Taylor Scott, who was originally hired as a technical advisor on Quincy, M.E., became a semi-regular cast member midway through its run because he could operate electron microscopes and other complex instruments. Anita Gillette played Quincy’s second wife, Dr. W. Emily Hanover, in the last season of Quincy, M.E.

In a mystery within the series, Quincy's first name was never revealed. But in one episode, his business card was briefly seen and it read "Dr. R. Quincy." So, that narrows the guesses!

You can catch Jack Klugman in Quincy, M.E. on GET starting Saturday, July 17 with back-to-back episodes from 11p to 1a ET.