The Last Episode Was the Worst - Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974) Discussion

[–] a_l_i_e_n 13 years ago

I was always inclined to agree that (with only the exception of "The Youth Killer") this one had the worst nemesis Kolchak ever faced. "Mr. Canoehead" as I refer to him is a laughably-designed monster that, when fully revealed, effectively kills whatever tension the director was able to create from just displaying it in tight, quick glimpses. Having said that, there was one reviewer who made a good argument that the episode was largely intended as a comedy, so the sentry itself was supposed to be funny-looking. Not sure I agree, but it's an interesting way to look upon something that many had always seen as a failure.

Anyways, despite it's only occasional creepiness- not to mention a story that comes across like a steal from an old "Star Trek" episode- it does atleast feature McGavin's on-screen chemistry with his wife (guest star Kathie Browne), and a nice final shot that should count as an iconic image for both the Kolchak character, as well as the series itself.

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[–] lenlarga 13 years ago

I did not realize that was his wife!

But I don't buy that the sentry was meant to be comedy. There was always an element of comedy in all the Night Stalker movies/episodes. The comic relief came from Kolchak butting heads with the police and his own boss.

That comic relief only worked well when there was a truly frightening unstoppable monster.

I tend to agree with you on the Youth Killer. However, I did think the ultimate identity of the "monster" in that episode was a nice little surprise and allows me to rate it a couple of notches above the Sentry.

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[–] bookman7772000 13 years ago

Certainly not the best episode, but I have a soft spot for it. I remember my brother and I, as kids, watching the episode first run. We were cracking up over it the whole time, though I don't remember what we thought was so funny about it. Probably Kolchak driving around on that scooter thing...

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[–] AaronCapenBanner 13 years ago

I don't agree at all with the OP,I too have a soft spot for 'The Sentry',which is alot of fun to watch. Sure,it's a man in a cumbersome suit,but I don't think it looked that bad in the underground setting.

I just watched this recently,and Kolchack is in prime form here.He is the only reporter not snowed by the woman captain,bluffs his way down into a top secret facility,then has himself smuggled back in to pursue the story/monster. The man was fearless to the point of self-destruction! He got no respect or recognition for his exploits,but was invariably right about the truth of the situation. A true unsung hero!

Worst episode was the preceding one,'The Youth Killer' which just seemed too far out even for this series. Olympian gods,for real? Absurd.

I also agree that the ending is classic,and a fitting coda for the character.

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[–] Doom 13 years ago

I also like 'The Sentry'. I know it's not their best ep, but count me as another who's always had a soft spot for it.

------

Wait a minute... who am I here?

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[–] a_l_i_e_n 13 years ago

The man was fearless to the point of self-destruction! He got no respect or recognition for his exploits, but was invariably right about the truth of the situation. A true unsung hero!

Yes, I think your description pretty much nails it as to what makes the Kolchak character work. Nobody in charge ever wants to take that one step beyond and consider that what they're after is not "just another psycho". So, the task of defeating these evils falls on the unlikely shoulders of a middle-aged guy in a seer sucker suit. Kolchak doesn't have any special powers and doesn't even carry a gun, so you can't help but be enthralled whenever he does something reckless like breaking into Jack the Ripper's house or crawling down a manhole in search a bone-crushing monster. Carl Kolchak is the unlikiest of heroes and I just love him.

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[–] AaronCapenBanner 13 years ago

What is also different about Kolchack is that he doesn't have any love interests other then Gail Foster from the first film.The fact that she was forced out of Las Vegas and (on screen at least) never met Carl again likely left him brokenhearted,and the fact that he subsequently never pursued any leading ladies,but was dedicated to his work,refreshing.

One of the few good things from 'The Youth Killer' was the scene where he ends up interviewed by the dating service lady,and says,"Me married,never.I work all the time."(something like that).This was in contrast to the other Polish character on the air at that time,the great series "Banacek",had George Peppard always romancing a new woman!

Kolchack was a unique character,and Darren McGavin could not have better.I just wish he hadn't walked away from the series so soon,just like George Peppard had done. A shame.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] bookman7772000 13 years ago

I get the impression that McGavin was a lot like Kolchak...talented (obviously), plucky, opinionated, gruff but basically good hearted, and someone who sticks to their principals come hell or high water. McGavin and Kolchak were one. Thats' why no other actor, even as one as talented as Johnny Depp, could ever do the character justice, because no other actor (from what I can see) is as instinctively Kolchak as McGavin was.

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[–] AaronCapenBanner 13 years ago

Johnny Depp is an excellent actor,and I think his best chance to make Kolchack work on the big screen would be to play him the way he portrayed Ichabod Crane in "Sleepy Hollow(1999)",only with a knowledge of modern technology,unless they plan on doing it in the 1970's,like they're doing in the "Dark Shadows" movie. I would want a serious film though,not a comedy or sendup,which would be awful.

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[–] WinstonNephron 13 years ago

After seeing the utterly putrid trailers and TV spots for Burton's moronic kiddie spoof of Dark Shadows - a film over which Depp, as executive producer and full owner of the film rights, had creative control - I have absolutely zero faith that Depp will do Kolchak any justice whatsoever.

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[–] AaronCapenBanner 13 years ago

You may be right,I just enjoyed "Sleepy Hollow" as a film adaption of the Washington Irving story,but that's no guarantee of anything! It may be better to leave well enough alone,since nobody could improve on Darren McGavin,Simon Oakland,etc.

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[–] WinstonNephron 13 years ago

Oh, I loved Sleepy Hollow, and had hoped ever since Dark Shadows was announced that they would use that as the model. The trailers and TV spots clearly, to anyone not in severe deep denial, indicate that Burton and Depp have instead chosen to reduce Dark Shadows into something more akin to Pee Wee Herman Goes Trick or Treating at the Fish Cannery.

I fully agree - no one could improve upon what McGavin and Oakland did, so they should not even try, least of all, the guy who just fubar'd Dark Shadows. Also, the fact that Disney is involved, gives me serious reservations as to whether Kolchak, with or without Depp, would be anything other than a dumbed-down, kiddified(sic?), in-name-only rip-off of the original. That appears to be all that the soulless morons who run the major Hollywood studios are even capable of, currently.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] sized-2 12 years ago

There is no such thing as a "worse" Kolchak episode, just one not as good as the others. :p

My Blu-ray Collection http://tinyurl.com/yat3zka

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[–] a_l_i_e_n 12 years ago

There is no such thing as a "worse" Kolchak episode, just one not as good as the others.

I like this.

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[–] sommert-507-32566 12 years ago

I'd agree it was the weakest, mostly due to the bad costume, but I wouldn't call it 'bad' per se. Anything Kolchak was fun just from Darren alone, and it was a fun supporting cast of 'this weeks guest stars' in the episode.

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[–] a_l_i_e_n 12 years ago

Yes, especially Mcgavin's wife playing his police nemesis.

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[–] KGGone 12 years ago

Its not a favorite and been a while since I watched it but I did like how they tried to cheat the costume's ineffectiveness by having it smack the lights. I remember it to be a bit like Star Trek's Devil in the Dark combined with Arena.

But the series was on flimsy footing from the start because the idea of a guy who is skeptical and encounters monsters could only work so long. The two tv movies are still the best. It would have fizzled out by the end of season two-they were already running out of ideas when they had a Greek goddess as a character.

Depp couldnt do a Kolchak, even in his dreams. Totally wrong type. The type of character actor McGavin was, along with a Roy Schieder or Lee Marvin--they wouldnt get hired these days. They have to be models.

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[–] a_l_i_e_n 12 years ago

But the series was on flimsy footing from the start because the idea of a guy who is skeptical and encounters monsters could only work so long. The two tv movies are still the best.

Oh, but he's not a skeptic; that's Vincenzo's function. Carl is the guy who recognizes that accepting these dark forces are real is the only way to defeat them.

-they were already running out of ideas when they had a Greek goddess as a character.

Yes, that's my nominee for worst foe Carl ever faced. However, despite both that one terrible idea, and a couple particularly bad makeup jobs, I think the majority of the series works extremely well. And that's thanks in large part both to the overall quality of the writing, and Mcgavin's undeniable appeal. Since "The X-Files" enjoyed such a long life, and another step child of Kolchak, "Supernatural" continues in it's run, I feel "K:TNS" could well have gone into another season. But, I think the reason "K:TNS" has such a following today is precisely because it only went one season. It stuck pretty rigidly to it's formula, which was fine as it's the best monster-hunt-style series ever made. But stopping after 20 mostly successful episodes kept it from becoming too shop worn like some shows that don't know when to call it quits.

The type of character actor McGavin was, along with a Roy Schieder or Lee Marvin--they wouldnt get hired these days. They have to be models.