Villainess Review: Clare Brantigan (Diagnosis Murder)

A classic show that had its share of interesting villainesses was Diagnosis Murder, which was actually a spinoff of another CBS series, Jake and the Fatman. Dick Van Dyke's main character, Dr. Mark Sloan, appeared on the latter series before being spunoff into a triumvirate of TV films, which later turned into a TV series that aired for eight seasons between 1993 and 2001. Some very appetizing female baddies have appeared on long-running CBS series, and one of them appeared in Season Seven's "Man Overboard."

The episode saw Mark, son Steve Sloan, and fellow doctors Amanda Bentley and Jesse Travis on a cruise ship, but they all had to get to work when a man, Robert Brantigan, was suddenly feeling the effects of an apparent insulin overdose. Robert was on vacation with his daughters, Amy and Tracey, along with his wife and stepmother to the girls, Clare, and it was Amy who informed Mark about her father. The group managed to save Robert, and regarding the overdose, it was pinpointed by Mark that the vials were switched, and that Robert had inadvertently taken the vial with the higher dosage.

Amy, Tracey, and especially Clare expressed their gratitude for saving their patriarch, and we later see the Brantigans dining with the group. It was after dinner where things get interesting, as we see Clare enter her and Robert's bedroom, and afterwards, she drugs Robert's glass of champagne before taking her husband to the docks. In no time, Robert's immensely inebriated as Clare goes on about the beautiful night sky, and it's at that point where Clare bash Robert's head with a champagne bottle...twice...with the second shot sending Robert to a watery grave.

So in one fell swoop, Clare went from a concerned wife grateful over Robert being saved, to a murderous villainess sending her husband to his death. Without question, Clare's sudden heel turn clearly meant that she was behind the insulin sabotage, and she played the role of a woman concerned over her "missing" husband to Mark. Once Robert's body is found, Clare lashed out at Amy, accusing her of causing Robert's death with their argument at dinner on the previous evening. Amy actually ended up arrested for Robert's murder, as the drugs used in the crime were found in her room.

Of course, Clare planted them to frame her stepdaughter, and Mark had a bit of an inkling regarding Clare's guilt. It ended up being confirmed by Steve, who revealed that Clare was a "black widow"; she had been married to another wealthy man in the past, Greg Donahue, and afterwards, she put out an insurance policy on Greg before killing him, and had done the same to Robert. Mark's conversation to Clare saw the scheming villainess claim that both of her husbands were "brutish," but prior to their confrontation, Clare had drugged Mark's tea, and as Mark was feeling the effects, Clare stated that she had to get Mark out of the way to further her villainous scheme. However, Clare ended up thwarted by Steve, Jesse, and Amanda, the latter pair saving Mark while Steve placed Clare under arrest.

"Man Overboard" was the 12th episode of Diagnosis Murder's seventh season, and aired on January 6, 2000. The episode featured Brynn Thayer as villainess Clare Brantigan; her second appearance in the series as a villainess, as she played murderess Claire Whitfield in Season Four's "The Merry Widow Murder." I loved both of Thayer's villainous appearances, but this was clearly the better of the two; Clare Brantigan was very scheming, ruthless, and greedy. Clare's heel turn was the true highlight of the episode; we first see Clare as a grateful wife in regards to Robert's well being, but within minutes, Clare transforms into a villainess bent on having Robert killed. I loved that Clare's heel persona came out in steady fashion--she was very methodical and particular. Those traits make for a very lethal villainess, and Clare Brantigan truly fit the bill.

Brynn Thayer is best known for playing Leanne MacIntyre, the title character's daughter on the long-running series, Matlock, and she has done her share of soap operas, playing on One Life to Live, General Hospital, and Days of Our Lives. Thayer has also guest-starred on shows such as 7th Heaven, Monk, 9-1-1, and NCIS (among many others).

If you like this story and review, feel free to click the heart below, and if you really love this story and review, feel free to leave a tip (if you want)!

Click here for Clare Brantigan's profile on Villainous Beauties Wiki!