Watch Kolchak: The Night Stalker

TV-PG
1974
1 Season
8.5 (5,647)

Kolchak: The Night Stalker is a supernatural drama series that was broadcast on ABC from 1974 to 1975. The show was based on a character created by Jeff Rice, who wrote a pair of novels featuring the character in the early 1970s. The series follows Carl Kolchak, a tenacious newspaper reporter who is always on the trail of a good story. However, his tendency to pursue the unusual and unexplained leads him down some dark and dangerous paths. Kolchak's investigations often involve supernatural elements, including vampires, werewolves, and other paranormal phenomena. The show stars Darren McGavin as Kolchak, a rough-edged reporter with a distinctively raspy voice and a relentless pursuit of the truth. Simon Oakland plays Tony Vincenzo, Kolchak's grouchy editor at the newspaper where he works. Ruth McDevitt plays Emily Cowles, a local librarian who serves as Kolchak's friend and sometimes confidante. Throughout the course of the series, Kolchak stumbles upon a series of bizarre and inexplicable cases, each more sinister than the last. In one episode, he investigates a series of violent attacks by a mysterious creature that turns out to be a modern-day werewolf. In another, he chases down a cult of Satan-worshippers that are staging deadly rituals in the city. Kolchak's investigations often put him at odds with the authorities, who are often skeptical of his claims and dismissive of his evidence. Nevertheless, he persists in his pursuit of the truth, using his keen investigative skills and resourcefulness to uncover the real story behind each case. The show has a distinctive tone, with a blend of horror, suspense, and dark humor that sets it apart from other supernatural dramas of the era. McGavin's performance as Kolchak is a standout, bringing a level of grit and determination to the character that makes him a compelling and memorable protagonist. The supporting cast is also strong, with Oakland bringing a gruff charm to Vincenzo and McDevitt providing a touch of warmth and humanity to the series. Overall, Kolchak: The Night Stalker is a classic of the genre, a darkly entertaining series that offers a unique blend of mystery, horror, and humor. With its iconic lead performance and unforgettable stories, it remains a cult favorite among fans of supernatural television.

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Seasons

20. The Sentry

March 28, 1975

A prehistoric lizard is on the loose in a labyrinth of caves and tunnels under a research facility when its eggs, thought to be rocks, are taken for study.

19. The Youth Killer

March 14, 1975

Kolchak believes the owner of a computer dating service is sacrificing her clients to achieve eternal youth when four of their bodies turn up as the corpses of elderly people.

18. The Knightly Murders

March 7, 1975

Carl Kolchak is the Knight Stalker, as a haunted suit of armor goes on a killing spree when there are plans to turn the museum that houses it into a disco.

17. Legacy of Terror

February 14, 1975

While investigating the deaths of four men whose hearts have been cut out of their chests, Kolchak uncovers ties to an Aztec cult and a 500 year old mummy in the basement of a hotel.

16. Demon in Lace

February 7, 1975

A college professor unknowingly unleashes a succubus, a demon that takes female form, on the male students of Illinois State Tech. Kolchak teams with a reporter from the campus newspaper to find away to destroy the creature before it kills again.

15. Chopper

January 31, 1975

A headless biker from the 50's returns from the grave to exact his revenge on those responsible for his grisly death.

14. The Trevi Collection

January 24, 1975

Fashion models and snitches are being murdered and the only link is Madame Trevi and her salon. When Carl starts to poke around, he finds evidence that witchcraft may be involved.

13. Primal Scream

January 17, 1975

Carl stumbles into an oil company cover-up involving a murdered research scientist and what may be a creature revived from the ice age.

12. Mr. R.I.N.G.

January 10, 1975

A hush-hush government project tries to keep Kolchak from reporting a story of a self-aware android who is killing those who would try to shut him down.

11. Horror in the Heights

December 20, 1974

Elderly residents of Roosevelt Heights are being killed by a creature that appears as the person they trust the most.

10. The Energy Eater

December 13, 1974

A series of deaths during the construction of a hospital on sacred Indian land leads Kolchak to team with a Native American shaman to stop a vengeful bear god.

9. The Spanish Moss Murders

December 6, 1974

A slimy green substance, identified as swamp moss, seems to connect a series of deaths to the legend of a Cajun bogeyman.

8. Bad Medicine

November 29, 1974

The police have ruled the deaths of several of Chicago's upper class as suicides, but Carl believes they were murdered by a Native American shape-shifter.

7. The Devil's Platform

November 15, 1974

While being hounded by a devilish dog with a Satanic medallion on its collar, Kolchak tries to piece together the puzzle of a series of mysterious deaths surrounding a young politician.

6. Firefall

November 8, 1974

Several members of the Great Lakes Symphony are seeing a mysterious doppelganger of the conductor, Ryder Bond, and then apparently dying from "spontaneous combustion".

5. The Werewolf

November 1, 1974

Just as Tony's about to take his first vacation in five years, auditors show up at the INS newsroom. Tony decides to send Carl in his place on the condition that Kolchak come back with a few stories about the ship and its single's cruise, not knowing that a werewolf will be along for the trip.

4. The Vampire

October 4, 1974

Kolchak convinces Tony to send him to Los Angeles to cover a story about a transcendental meditation guru, but he's using the trip as a cover so he can investigate a series of murders in which the victims have been completely drained of their blood.

3. They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be

September 27, 1974

Animals missing from the zoo, lead ingots, stereo parts and electrical equipment stolen by invisible thieves, and a strange black substance found at the location of each incident lead Kolchak to one conclusion, a UFO.

2. The Zombie

September 20, 1974

Someone is using a twice dead Haitian named Francois Edmunds to put a hurt on the mob, but Kolchak's the only one who believes the man is a zombie.

1. The Ripper

September 13, 1974

After four young women are murdered, Kolchak sees some eerie coincidences to the Whitechapel killings of 1888 and must race to find and save the fifth victim from "Jack the Ripper".

Description

The show stars Darren McGavin as Kolchak, a rough-edged reporter with a distinctively raspy voice and a relentless pursuit of the truth. Simon Oakland plays Tony Vincenzo, Kolchak's grouchy editor at the newspaper where he works. Ruth McDevitt plays Emily Cowles, a local librarian who serves as Kolchak's friend and sometimes confidante.

Throughout the course of the series, Kolchak stumbles upon a series of bizarre and inexplicable cases, each more sinister than the last. In one episode, he investigates a series of violent attacks by a mysterious creature that turns out to be a modern-day werewolf. In another, he chases down a cult of Satan-worshippers that are staging deadly rituals in the city.

Kolchak's investigations often put him at odds with the authorities, who are often skeptical of his claims and dismissive of his evidence. Nevertheless, he persists in his pursuit of the truth, using his keen investigative skills and resourcefulness to uncover the real story behind each case.

The show has a distinctive tone, with a blend of horror, suspense, and dark humor that sets it apart from other supernatural dramas of the era. McGavin's performance as Kolchak is a standout, bringing a level of grit and determination to the character that makes him a compelling and memorable protagonist. The supporting cast is also strong, with Oakland bringing a gruff charm to Vincenzo and McDevitt providing a touch of warmth and humanity to the series.

Overall, Kolchak: The Night Stalker is a classic of the genre, a darkly entertaining series that offers a unique blend of mystery, horror, and humor. With its iconic lead performance and unforgettable stories, it remains a cult favorite among fans of supernatural television.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (20 episodes). The series first aired on September 13, 1974.

Where to Watch Kolchak: The Night Stalker

Kolchak: The Night Stalker is available for streaming on the ABC website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Kolchak: The Night Stalker on demand at Apple TV and NBC.