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Channel 5's Autopsy Series - Your views?

laurence1870laurence1870 Posts: 213
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in UK TV Shows #1
Anyone who has seen this documentary will know that each episode investigates into pathology reports of celebrities who have died under strange circumstances.

Tonight's episode focused on River Phoenix and featured a picture of his corpse, a graphic reconstruction of his death and the original 911 call made by his brother whilst he was overdosing.

How do you think this series stands in terms of morality? Do you find them interesting or simply find them an insult to the deceased and their families? I am very split on it I think.

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    1fab1fab Posts: 20,052
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    #2
    It seems to go against all the rules of medical confidentiality. It seem wrong, as it could cause distress to the friends and relatives.
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    EuanMebabeEuanMebabe Posts: 1,188
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    #3
    I haven't seen the River Phoenix episode but I did watch the one on Robin Williams. The clips they showed of the Robin Williams lookalike preparing to hang himself I found distressing and I felt it was unnecessary to show such a thing. The rest of the programme was interesting though.
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    RadiomaniacRadiomaniac Posts: 43,510
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    #4
    Horrid intrusive disrespectful rubbish that no-one needs to see or know about.
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    elliecatelliecat Posts: 9,890
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    #5
    I haven't watched it(River Phoenix was my teenage crush and one of my favourite actors) but to show the recording of the 911 call that his brother made is sick to then also show his corpse is just wrong. Fine look at the pathology reports, investigate them if they have to but they aren't Crimewatch and are in my view using these people's deaths as entertainment.
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    mikwmikw Posts: 48,715
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    #6
    I think it's a good, scientific programme.

    I'm always amazed how media reports become the "truth" - this programme often disproves them.
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    solaresolare Posts: 11,601
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    #7
    I like it, although I'm surprised that they are able to reveal so many medical details. Perhaps the law in the US is different after a person has died?

    I've watched most of the episodes and have found them very interesting. Contrary to my expectation (for a Channel 5 programme) they haven't set out to "dig the dirt" on the people featured. Instead, the analysis of the autopsy report and the 'reconstruction' of the last days have usually provided a more sympathetic understanding of the situation leading to to a person's death.
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    sarahj1986sarahj1986 Posts: 11,305
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    #8
    I think it's really interesting how a persons death can be broken down like that. I'm fairly certain autopsy results are public records so anybody can view them?
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    wilehelmaswilehelmas Posts: 3,610
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    #9
    Yes, the events are a matter of public record afaik so no problem there?

    You find out how the body works and how substances affect the body. It's not graphic, sensationalist or intrusive. All of it is already out there. It just took a medical professional to front it and package it up into a well-edited programme that explained the mechanics of each person's death.

    Anyone getting offended or precious about this programme just needs to have a word with themselves, for christs sake. It's a brilliant series, handled sensitively and honestly, thank goodness we get to hear facts from a scientist rather than fiction from tabloids.
    I've enjoyed it, in particular the actors who played Whitney Houston and River Phoenix last night.

    Our heroes are fallible and human, like us. That's all you need to keep in mind when watching this.
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    seagull_Markseagull_Mark Posts: 3,982
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    #10
    I watched the Robin Williams one and found it very interesting but some of the reconstruction footage with the lookalike was at times quite unnecessarily crass and 'typical' of Channel 5. Overall it did bring a lot of 'new' thinking to his death though which was good.
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    Ed R.MarleyEd R.Marley Posts: 9,157
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    #11
    An hour of filler if there isn't anything else on. I watched the Karen Carpenter one and at the end I just thought "meh"
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    towerstowers Posts: 12,183
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    #12
    I find the autopsy side interesting but some of the reconstructions a bit morbid - especially the Robin Williams one - so I have mixed feelings like the OP...
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    akhenatenakhenaten Posts: 707
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    #13
    Theres a similar program to this on the ID channel called "DR G medical examiner" that shows how they work out how a person died, not celebrity.
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