Eddie's Way Back Machine - 1974-75 Kolchak: The Night Stalker

 A bit about Eddie's Way Back Machine. This is not per se a column breaking down reviewing, and exploring in details of the shows episodes themselves, more it is an appreciation of an old show. This is not intended to remove any of the joy viewers get from these shows but I will comment on the attitudes that do not stand up a modern viewing. Those of us that lived through the airing, or watched reruns of these shows will look at them quite differently than someone coming to them today. I'm try to remember that times and attitudes change, and what was socially acceptable at one time may be viewed differently today.  It is that lense of our modern society that will highlight where this entertainment fits or does not fit. I can't change the past but I can certainly attempt to see it through the knowledge and experience I've have gained through the years. Hopefully, with the warts and all of these shows,  you will find this look back as interesting as I did.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker (20 episodes) 

This television show aired 1974-75 and was a popular syndicated show years after that.

Wikipedia has all the details anyone needs to know about any show that will be reviewed here so if you are looking for such information that is your go to place. The review covered all twenty episodes of the television show, the two made for TV  movies it is based on, The Night Stalker (1972) and the Night Strangler (1973) and the book, The Night Stalker (1972) by Jeff Rice

 Carl Kolchak is a reporter for the Chicago based INS (Independent News Service) who instead of doing his assigned work is drawn to stories that are strange and hard to believe or possibly supernatural in origin. each week the show starts with a voice over of Kolchak laying out the start of the story as we watch the cold open and get a sense of the mystery he will be attempting to solve. The two made for television films are based in Las Vegas and the last scene of The night Strangler have Kolchak and Vincenzo heading to NYC, but we learn in the first episode of the show that the NYC INS has the two men open an office in Chicago. 

The dynamics of the show: Kolchak (Darren McGavin) is a force to be reckoned, an experienced reported who can get the story. A personality who is at times determined, manipulative, and at times dishonest he does what it takes to get to the bottom of each mystery he encounters. McGavin pulses with energy in the lead role,  a veteran actor has created a character that is both masculine but with a touch of doubt in his ability to deal with the violent nature of the crimes he investigates. His personality is lovable while at times irritating to those around him. His light colored leisure suit and cheap hat are staples of his look making him forever recognizable. The stories he writes never seem to be published because the they seem so unbelievable. He primarily works in an office with editor Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland), and fellow reporters Ron Updyke (Jack Grinnage) and Emily Cowles (Ruth McDevitt) although there were characters who were around for a few episodes these four made up the recurring cast. Kolchak is often at odds with Tony, failing to finish his assignments but instead tracking down the strange and unbelievable and getting arrested for trespassing quite often. Kolchak's antics are giving Tony an ulcer but a great thing about Vincenzo is he cares about Kolchak, bailing him out, defending his rights as part of the press and defending him with the home office in NYC. Simon Oakland plays the character with a great hardboiled strength while still exuding a tenderness that comes through even when the scenes where he is frustrated, scolding and yelling. Updyke and written as an effeminate man, impeccably dressed covering the art scene for the paper and Emily as retiree working in the office to stay busy writes the advice column. They are primarily used for comic relief but in later episode at least have scenes where they have something to say beyond being foils foils for Kolchak. The final steady character is the local precinct police official which is a different character in each episode, they all have one thing in common because of Kolchak's reputation none of them like him.

The supernatural is real!  One of the great things about the show is the supernatural is real. Kolchak is not one of the Scooby gang in the world of the show the creatures, monsters, are real. From the original film where Kolchak hunts a serial killer who ends up being a vampire through to the end of the show where an Alligator woman is living beneath the streets of Chicago, the monsters really do exist. The contrivance of the show is Kolchak is telling us the audience the story while it never gets published primarily because of lack of evidence, destroyed evidence,  government or home office interference. The stories are covered up and the public never hears what really happened. The show covers many of common horror tropes, vampires, voodoo zombies, werewolves, witchcraft, succubus and less familiar ones like ancient goddess worship, Aztec gods, various cryptids, vengeful spirits, aliens forces. Creative in the sense that the stories are modernized to the time period but still very well tread ground. During the 70's there was a craze for paranormal things from the Bermuda Triangle to Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, to out of body travel and telekinesis and spontaneous combustion, were in in the cultural zeitgeist. Kolchak reflects the crazes and brings them all to Chicago. Now there is an angle to consider, all the stories are narrated to us by Kolchak is it possible that he is an unreliable narrator? As a reporter looking for a sensational story is he embellishing to create the fantastical story? No one believes him while the story happens. We see in the show that others including the authorities see unexplainable behavior but insist every time that it is not supernatural in any way. Even at one point an episode has Kolchak hammering a stake into a call girl's heart as the police arrive they see him. The next scene is Kolcheck on a plane explaining that he was arrested for murder by was released 12 hours later after the coroner's report said the victim had been dead for three years. So is it just Kolchak is making stuff up and telling stories? 

  The Night Stalker and popular culture of the time. The show certainly reflects the times it was written in more ways that the the fantastical subject popular in its day. There are references throughout about the culture of the time. From acceptance of adult cinema, swinging, gentrification of poor neighborhoods, corporate greed, women in the workplace and treatment of the elderly were all reference at some point in the twenty episodes. 

What doesn't hold up so well abound in this series. There is a steady and pervasive sexism in the show, even though there are victims of both sexes, the primary use of women in the show is as a victim or as someone Kolchak can charm, or attempt to charm. They fit into roles sometimes as the villain, an old voodoo witch, a stealer of youth using a Greek goddess, a call girl vampire, w model using witchcraft to get ahead and a succubus. Secondary female characters are characterized as ditsy or in one case called fat and made fun of through an episode. Even when attempting to have a positive woman role they swing and miss. The fortune teller more interested in what Kolchak can pay, or the police captain who cares more about her attractive image. If there is something positive to be said about the portrayal of women in the show it would be,  it was a time before the entertainment business decided that only really young women are attractive. The actresses in the show at the time range mostly from their 30s to 60s 

There are a couple of episodes featuring Native American themes neither of which are as culturally sensitive as they would be today. As to this the couple o episodes featuring other cultures, Indian (India), Jewish, Cajun, Black, Urban and even Aztec which I am sure would be handled differently if the show was made today.

Should you watch this show if you have the opportunity? A GIANT YES!  This show is a predecessor to many other shows that are based in a real world but with supernatural aspects. Supposedly it was an influence for Chris Carter before he developed The X Files.  Kolchak is the epitome of a well developed character and Darren McGavin is the reason why. Like all television some of the episodes outshine others there are some really wonderful ones in this series but Gavin is steady and strong in his characterization of Kolchak always rings true. The show has a scary edge but is not particularly frightening. Many of the monsters are far from raising terror in the audience. Still it's charms strongly outweigh its drawbacks.