The Two Sides of Truth begins with Quincy (Jack Klugman) being called into court at the last minute to testify as a substitute for another pathologist and coming up against his mentor, Dr. Herbert Stone (Barry Sullivan), on the opposing side. Dr. Stone disputes the findings being asserted by the county causing them to lose the case and Quincy chalks it up to a difference of opinion. Things begin to change, however, when Quincy and Stone come up against each other again in a questionable explosion death case where a hefty insurance policy payout to the wife is on the line. Dr. Stone asserts that the victim was the insured despite evidence suggesting otherwise, and Quincy digs further to get to the truth while also trying to protect his friend.
On the positive side, this episode does involve an intriguing murder mystery and there are some good guest stars featured, but for me it was not enough to overcome other problems. One of the things I really take issue with in this one is the lengths Quincy went to in covering up and protecting his mentor who was a willful party to insurance fraud and provided false testimony in several cases for his own financial gain. These are criminal offenses, and just because you have a sympathetic friend who happens to be the coroner does not give you a free pass. If it was anyone else, Monahan (Garry Walberg) would have been called in for an arrest. Even more ridiculous, Dr. Stone somehow evades all charges and is then offered a job in the lab at the end which is unbelievable.
Another criticism I have is that there is a major question left unanswered at the end as to the identity of a body, but I won't go into detail so nothing is spoiled. The final scenes should have been devoted to resolving this aspect of the investigation rather than securing a job in the coroner lab for a fraud.