Fatal Vision (miniseries)

{{Infobox television

| image = Fatal Vision movie.PNG

| caption = VHS cover

| based_on = {{Based on|Fatal Vision|Joe McGinniss}}

| screenplay = John Gay

| director = David Greene

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| composer = Gil Mellé

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_episodes = 2

| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|

Dan Wigutow
Mike Rosenfeld

}}

| producer = Richard L. O'Connor

| cinematography = Stevan Larner

| editor = {{Plainlist|

Parkie L. Singh
William B. Stich

}}

| runtime = 181 minutes

| company = NBC Productions

| network = NBC

| first_aired = {{Start date|1984|11|18}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1984|11|19}}

}}

Fatal Vision is a 1984 American true crime drama television miniseries directed by David Greene from a teleplay by John Gay, based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Joe McGinniss. The miniseries stars Karl Malden, Eva Marie Saint, Barry Newman, Gary Cole, and Andy Griffith. It recounts the celebrated case of Jeffrey R. MacDonald, the former Green Beret physician who was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and their two small children.{{cite news|date=November 21, 1984|title='FATAL VISION,' ON NBC, TOP PROGRAM OF WEEK|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/21/arts/fatal-vision-on-nbc-top-program-of-week.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 12, 2023}}

The miniseries received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special, with Malden winning Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for his performance as MacDonald's father-in-law, Freddy Kassab.{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/fatal-vision|title=Fatal Vision - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins|website=Television Academy|access-date=March 12, 2023}}

Cast

;Starring

Karl Malden as Freddy Kassab
Eva Marie Saint as Mildred Kassab
Barry Newman as Bernie Segal
Gary Cole as Jeffrey R. MacDonald

;Special guest star

Andy Griffith as Victor Worheide

;Also starring

Gary Grubbs as James Blackburn
Joel Polis as Brian Murtagh
Mitchell Ryan as Paul Strombaugh
Wendy Schaal as Colette MacDonald
Scott Paulin as William Ivory
Barry Corbin as Franz Grebner
Albert Salmi as Judge Dupree

;Co-starring

Alexandra Johnson as Helena Stoeckley
Paddi Edwards as Perry MacDonald
Frank Dent as Joe McGinniss
Carmen Argenziano as Col. Pruett
Andy Wood as Robert Shaw
Dennis Redfield as Peter Kearns
Joe Mays as William Posey
Rex Ryon as Jay MacDonald
J.P. Bumstead as Col. Rock
Brandy Gold as Kimberly MacDonald (age 5)
Judith Barsi as Kimberly MacDonald (age 3)
Dylan Galer as Kristen MacDonald
Lance Rosen as Dennis Eisman
Patricia Duff as Joy
Nadine van der Velde as Randi
Laurence Haddon as Gen. Flanagan
Jack Rader as Provost Marshal
Kenneth Tigar as Pathologist
Roy London as Dr. Thornton
Eugene Butler as Capt. Somers
Anne Betancourt as St. Mary's Sister

Production

NBC paid $130,000 for the rights to the book, according to McGinniss, a transaction that was complicated by a prior contractual claim by Dell publishers.{{cite news|last=Hill|first=Michael E.|date=November 18, 1984|title=FATAL VISION/ Did He Do It?|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1984/11/18/fatal-vision-did-he-do-it/3ce75b75-177c-47b2-973d-9531b82aef75/|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 12, 2023}} The miniseries was filmed in Santa Clarita and Pasadena, California, as well as at NBC Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

Reception

=Critical response=

John J. O'Connor of The New York Times called the story "chilling" and the miniseries "certainly compelling", but stated it was not "as overwhelming as Mr. McGinniss's book." O'Connor also praised the cast, writing that Cole, Malden, and Saint "contribute outstanding performances."{{cite news|last=O'Connor|first=John J.|date=November 16, 1984|title=TV WEEKEND; 'FATAL VISION,' STORY OF FORMER GREEN BERET|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/16/arts/tv-weekend-fatal-vision-story-of-former-green-beret.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 12, 2023}} Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times lauded Fatal Vision for its "superb, meticulous storytelling that will have you on the edge of your seat, with Greene managing to convey the brutality of the crime in a surreal way without showing actual violence." Rosenberg also named it "the highest-rated miniseries of the 1984-85 season."{{cite news|last=Rosenberg|first=Howard|date=January 12, 1986|title="FATAL VISION," 9-11 p.m. Sunday and Monday...|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-12-tv-26992-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 12, 2023}}

=Accolades=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
Year ! Award ! Category ! Recipient(s) ! Result
rowspan="11"\| 1985 \| 35th ACE Eddie Awards \| Best Edited Episode for a Television Mini-Series \| "Part II" Parkie L. Singh, William B. Stich \| {{won}}
39th Edgar Awards \| Best Television Feature or Miniseries \| John Gay \| {{nom}}
rowspan="3"\| 1st TCA Awards \| Program of the Year \| rowspan="3"\| Fatal Vision \| {{nom}}
Outstanding Achievement in Drama \| {{nom}}
Outstanding Achievement in Specials \| {{nom}}
rowspan="5"\| 37th Primetime Emmy Awards \| Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special \| Mike Rosenfeld, Dan Wigutow, Richard L. O'Connor \| {{nom}}
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special \| Karl Malden \| {{won}}
Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special \| David Greene \| {{nom}}
Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special \| John Gay \| {{nom}}
Outstanding Achievement in Makeup \| Stephen Abrums \| {{nom}}
1st Artios Awards \| Mini-Series or Movie of the Week Casting \| Karen Hendel \| {{won}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

Year

! Award

! Category

! Recipient(s)

! Result

rowspan="11"| 1985

| 35th ACE Eddie Awards

| Best Edited Episode for a Television Mini-Series

| "Part II"
Parkie L. Singh, William B. Stich

| {{won}}

39th Edgar Awards