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Season 1 – Kolchak: The Night Stalker

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Kolchak: The Night Stalker Sep 1974 Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Newspaper reporter uncovers supernatural causes in his investigations.

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Kolchak: The Night Stalker — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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Bruce Fretts Entertainment Weekly 08/13/2020
B
Darren McGavin's disheveled newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak might not be as hunky as David Duchovny's Agent Fox Mulder, but he shares an equally paranoid obsession with the paranormal. Go to Full Review Kevin Carr Fat Guys at the Movies 09/18/2021
3/4
It's a lot of fun, a great background noise Halloween TV series. Go to Full Review Charles Pulliam-Moore io9.com 08/13/2020
The Night Stalker presents its hero as a put-upon man wholly out of his depth in terms of the actual threat at hand, but his unfailing ability to use his eyes and piece metaphorical puzzles together gives him a decided leg up among his peers. Go to Full Review Scott Chitwood ComingSoon.net 08/13/2020
Though predictable and very dated, Kolchak featured an interesting concept. Fans of The X-Files and supernatural mysteries may enjoy it. Go to Full Review Brian Thomas Now Playing Magazine 08/13/2020
A-
[In Kolchak] the supernatural was taken out of gothic castles to prowl in the shadows of the real world. Go to Full Review Steve Dread Central 08/13/2020
4/5
Kolchak: The Night Stalker still stands tall as a true piece of Horror Americana, and rightly so. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Doug A @RT88819649 12/03/2024 This is a banger of a show. Full 70s from the music forward. It is a Monster of the Week show, but taken seriously except for makeup and costumes. A true pleasure. See more babarizam D @RT59932316 11/20/2024 A true Workaholic. He has a passion for finding secrets which is just amazing to watch. See more Test T @TestTest1 05/25/2024 I watched a few episodes from this series on DVD recently. Given that it is nearly 50 years old, I was impressed by how well it stood up to my modern expectations. I liked the style of presentation, having the audience ride alongside the reporter as he investigated each case, with the added benefit of his narration to fill in the gaps. The plot develops at pace, so the viewers attention is never lost. Kolchack's ongoing relationships with his boss and the police create familiarity between episodes, and provide endless opportunities for comedy. The format works well, and in some respects reminded me of Columbo and Quincy M.E. Sadly, given that it is from 1974, it is let down by the technology of the time, in terms of image quality and lighting. This is most noticeable during the nighttime scenes, where it can be difficult to distinguish exactly what is happening. Otherwise, it's a well made series with interesting storys and engaging characters. I am happy to recommend it. See more George A @gasimakos 12/06/2021 One of the best horror series of all time. Amazing dialogue and top-notch performances from Darren McGavin and the rest of the main cast. Set the standard for shows like X-Files. See more 01/05/2020 Seer sucker suits, an old Mustang, and a sometimes campy 'monster-of-the-week? What's not to love! See more Read all reviews
Kolchak: The Night Stalker — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Darren McGavin

Carl Kolchak

Simon Oakland

Tony Vincenzo

Jack Grinnage

Ron Updyke

Ruth McDevitt

Emily Cowles

Ramon Bieri

Guest Star

Keenan Wynn

Guest Star

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 13, 1974 The Ripper Kolchak finds a strong resemblance between the murders of several Chicago women and killings by "Jack the Ripper" in the 1800s. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 20, 1974 Zombie Kolchak once saw the "enforcer" who is now killing gang members in a numbers-racket war lying dead in the morgue. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 27, 1974 They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be ... Kolchak suspects extraterrestrial involvement when a series of electronic-equipment thefts is linked to several bizarre murders. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 4, 1974 Vampire Kolchak theorizes a vampire is behind a string of deaths from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, in which bodies were left drained of blood. Details Episode 5 Aired Nov 1, 1974 The Werewolf A full moon rising over the final cruise of a luxury liner brings on the mauling deaths of a passenger and three crewmen. Details Episode 6 Aired Nov 8, 1974 Firefall The fiery deaths of three associates of a symphony conductor bring fatigued Kolchak into a confrontation with a supernatural force. Details Episode 7 Aired Nov 15, 1974 The Devil's Platform Kolchak believes a senatorial candidate has sold his soul to the devil, after the man's campaign opponents begin turning up dead. Details Episode 8 Aired Nov 29, 1974 Bad Medicine Kolchak suspects that the deaths of wealthy women, following thefts of their jewelry, are the work of an ancient Indian sorcerer. Details Episode 9 Aired Dec 6, 1974 The Spanish Moss Murders Kolchak suspects more than mere murder when a swamp moss not native to the Chicago area is found at the sites of several homicides. Details Episode 10 Aired Dec 13, 1974 The Energy Eater Cracking walls and the mysterious deaths of staff and patients plague a newly dedicated lakefront hospital; guest Joyce Jillson. Details Episode 11 Aired Dec 20, 1974 Horror in the Heights A trail of strange murders leads Kolchak to an elderly Hindu man who reveals an evil spirit is roaming Chicago. Details Episode 12 Aired Jan 10, 1975 Mr. R.I.N.G. A powerful military robot discovers it is to be deactivated and acts upon its survival-instinct programming by killing its creator. Details Episode 13 Aired Jan 17, 1975 Primal Scream Kolchak believes a creature which regenerated from cells frozen during the Ice Age may be responsible for a modern-day homicide. Details Episode 14 Aired Jan 24, 1975 The Trevi Collection A model in the salon of a ruthless fashion designer convinces Kolchak a witch aims to take over the industry. Details Episode 15 Aired Jan 31, 1975 Chopper Kolchak suspects a vengeful, headless ghost is causing the deaths of middle-aged members of a 1950s motorcycle gang. Details Episode 16 Aired Feb 7, 1975 Demon in Lace Horrified looks on the faces of male college students felled by heart attacks lead Kolchak to think a female demon is responsible. Details Episode 17 Aired Feb 14, 1975 Legacy of Terror The bizarre murders of four people by a huge, eagle-like being send Kolchak on a hunt for the revived mummy of an Aztec warrior. Details Episode 18 Aired Mar 7, 1975 The Knightly Murders Converting part of a museum into a nightclub bring about the crossbow, lance and mace murders of people working on the project. Details Episode 19 Aired Mar 14, 1975 The Youth Killer Kolchak makes a connection between the disappearance of four young people and the discovery of corpses of four elderly people. Details Episode 20 Aired Mar 28, 1975 Sentry Kolchak's probe into the bizarre deaths of workers in an underground archive leads to strange, egg-like rocks found during digging. Details

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Kolchak: The Night Stalker — Season 1

Kolchak: The Night Stalker Kolchak: The Night Stalker Kolchak: The Night Stalker Kolchak: The Night Stalker View more photos

Season Info

Director
Don Weis, Allen Baron, Don McDougall, Gene Levitt, Alexander Grasshoff, Gordon Hessler
Executive Producer
Cy Chermak
Screenwriter
L Ford Neale, Arthur Rowe, Bill S. Ballinger, Stephen Lord, John Huff, Michael Kozoll, Rudolph Borchert, David Chase, Rudy Borchert, Don Mullaly, Larry Markes
Network
ABC
Rating
TV-PG (V)
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Sep 13, 1974
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