Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974)
A hard-bitten reporter with a nose for news and an open mind.
Creator: Jeffrey Grant Rice
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974–1975 season. It featured a fictional Chicago newspaper reporter who investigated mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly those that law enforcement authorities would not follow up. These often involved the supernatural or even science fiction, including fantastic creatures.
Where to watch
Peacock Premium
Peacock Premium Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Trailer
Creators
Jeffrey Grant Rice
Cast
Darren McGavin
Simon Oakland
Jack Grinnage
User Reviews (2)
The influential Kolchak TV series from 1974-1975 The TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker ran for one season in 1974-1975, consisting of 20 episodes. Two additional episodes were scheduled to be filmed, but star Darren McGavin was becoming disillusioned with due to an exhausting schedule and the fact that he was rewriting scripts plus doing much of the production work without compensation. The ratings were mediocre so he asked to be released from his contract with two episodes yet to be shot. The network granted his request in light of the ratings. I wish Darren would’ve persevered and finished out the season because then we’d have two more episodes to enjoy. He was too fatigued at the time to see that this unique and groundbreaking series would be his most well-known role, along with “A Christmas Story” (1983). If you haven’t seen the two pilot movies, “The Night Stal…
This could have been a witty show instead of a depressing one that borders too much on Hitler worship. Kolchak is an obnoxious reporter and terrible role model. He does anything for a story. Trouble is, the writing for the series seems to always degenerate into some Nazi ideology where all the murder victims are women with dark hair and dark eyes. It's impossible not to notice this worship of Hitler's genocide program. You feel like you're watching the reels of Nazis taking beautiful brunettes out to be executed. That's the weakest part of the series, and it's impossible not to notice. It appears either the writer or director was jilted by too many brunettes in his life and couldn't get over it. Simon Oakland almost salvages this series with his matter of fact character who has the sanity that Darren McGavin's Kolchak totally lacks. But it isn't enough to save the poor writing.
