soulexpress
Take a series with fine character actors playing quirky, interesting roles, inject it with an equal mix of horror and humor, and you have the original 1974 "Night Stalker" series. Exclude everything that made the original show a cult classic, and you have the flaccid, boring "X Files" clone that was the 2005 reboot.In the original series, Carl Kolchak was a dumpy, cynical middle-aged man whose determination to uncover the facts got him into trouble and often made for hilariously awkward situations. In the new series, Kolchak is young, handsome, steely-eyed, and morose. It ruins the character, transforming Kolchak into something as vapid and generic as a male fashion model.In the original series, Kolchak and his editor, Tony Vincenzo, were each about 50 years old and maintained an antagonistic friendship based on mutual (if grudging) respect. In the new show, Vincenzo was twice Kolchak's age, which recast their relationship as master and apprentice. That doesn't work any better than Kolchak as Brooding Millennial.In the original series, Kolchak worked alone. In the reboot, he had two partners, neither of whom was any more interesting a character than Carl himself.In the original series, Kolchak's foils included a vampire, a werewolf, a zombie, an invisible space alien, a headless biker, a swamp monster, and even the original Jack the Ripper. Some of the monsters were silly-looking, but that somehow added to the show's appeal. In the reboot, Kolchak's foils are frequently human or just amorphous. And like the show it emulates, there's a big, bad conspiracy going on. God forbid a 21st-century horror series not have an ongoing storyline!Thankfully, this pathetic drivel went off the air after a mere six episodes (ten were produced). The original series made it to 20.
petra-59
Calling a program "Night Stalker" and the main character Carl Kolchak, does not mean that this program bears any resemblance at all to the earlier series. The brief appearance of Darren McGavin, star of the original series, in the first episode, seems to have been an unsuccessful attempt to give the new show some kind of official approval. But the light-hearted approach and genuine comedy of the original series is completely lacking. Kolchak is saddle with a side-kick and another hanger-on. Vincenzo does nothing and the actor seems to be completely lost. As I suspect is the older viewer who may have seen Kolchak – The Night Stalker and may remember it. The stories are no worse than on many other shows, but then again they are no different from other shows. The on-going problem of who killed Kolchak's wife just gets in the way. And the answer surely is simply that Kolchak had no wife. The result is simply yet another show designed for late-night viewing, which falls into the category of "If you miss it, you won't miss it." My rating of 6 is probably one more than it deserves, and is given in memory of the original and superior series.
rockchick9
ABC had too high of expectations for this show. By pitted it against CSI on Thursday night, which is now occupied by Grey's Anatomy, they put a bullet in the back of the show. It went against titans, expected to become the cult classic like the original, and lost.This show was not supposed to be the original, as people often forget. The new, re-imagined, and more understandable Night Stalker had dozens of great qualities about it. From the cast to the cinematography to the production team, if given the appropriate time to gain its footing it would've become great. Not all shows were as popular as they are now including Law & Order, Seinfeld and the X-Files, but were given a chance.Which was what this series should've been given. It does have fans who still fight for it and will continue to fight even when we should move on. In the end, we have the DVD to tide us over. But that doesn't mend the wound of negligence.If you have a chance, check this show and see if you don't love it by the second or third episode.
