I've just started watching Kolchak: The Night Stalker (the TV series starring Darren McGavin; not the TV films and not the revival from earlier this century) and am finding it to be highly entertaining.  I imagine that without the series regulars (McGavin, Simon Oakland, Jack Grinnage, and Ruth McDevitt) it wouldn't hold up that well - I'd likely notice the same flaws McGavin did with its "Monster of the Week" format while also constantly wondering how Kolchak earns a living since it seems as if he has to kill every one of his stories by episode's end - but this is one of those series that seems to have been blessed with a stellar cast, though star aside, they make mostly only brief appearances in every episode.  Tenacious, yet in over his head, and only slightly better equipped than you or I to be facing the supernatural forces he's up against, Kolchak is a unique TV character during a period of unique TV characters as a sort of hero by default - the type of guy who bounces between fast thinking conman to tripping over his feet as he attempts to improvise a way of defeating a vampire or warlock or demon simply because he knows if he doesn't, no one else will.

The opening is something else too - to the uninitiated, it looks like you're about to watch a light hearted, breezy, comedy set in a newsroom with Kolchak whistling a bright, cheery tune as he tosses his hat at an imaginary hook on the wall before it falls to the floor, he sits down, a nice little upbeat 'Folgers Instant Coffee' inspired tune plays, then, as the music switches to a note of impending urgency, Kolchak's hands are seen typing, the room goes dark with the exception of one side of McGavin's face, the clock on the wall freezes as does the fan, we get a tight close up of one of Kolchak's eyes in profile conveying his sense that something evil has just entered the room, he freezes, he then violently turns as if to face the viewer, the screen freezes once more, then goes dark.  I've never seen that before - an opening which would be perfectly suited for 'Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman' phasing into Night Gallery.  

Although I have the complete series on DVD, the collection doesn't include the two films.  I'll be ordering these soon online since they've recently been made available on Blu ray, but from what I've heard, they're somewhat different in tone to the TV series itself (grittier, less humour, Kolchak even has a love interest in at least one them).  Did you find this to be the case Mecha? 

That sounds great, Mecha - I can't wait to see these!  Thanks for the insight - I've always appreciated your knowledge!

Kolchak was a huge deal for me in the '70s, especially the second tv movie with that Seattle underground! It's always mentioned that it inspired the X-Files which I just never have really gotten into, I'm probably more of a Darren McGavin fan or something (even got his old River Boat tv series on DVD). From the Kolchak series i remember the 'Spanish Moss' one most vividly.

I'm still following the current season on Supergirl alongside Doctor Who, but other than dipping into the Coronation Street soap again despite having tired out on it about a year earlier, that's about all I'm watching in new shows. Isn't there supposed to be a second season of Taboo?

Catching up with Counterpart on Starz. For those unfamiliar it's basically an espionage story with a sci-fi twist.

Season 2 episode 6 "Twin Cities" reveals

Avoiding spoilers right now, but seriously, [email protected]$& the guys in charge of Game of Thrones. Last night was like a gut punch and a kick in the junk at the same time.

I haven't been this let down by a TV show since the finale of How I Met Your Mother, which took 10 years and over 100 hours of my life only to totally cop out at the end.

One last episode to go, but I can't see how they redeem it now. At least when they were using George R.R. Martin's source material, there were twists that you didn't see coming. The past two years, however, have been predictable and seem like they were written by the worst kind of hacks. So disappointed.