(1974)
Dir - Don Weis
Overall: GOOD
One of four Kolchak: The Night Stalker episodes to be removed from its original syndication run so that it could be combined with others to form two more television movies with new scenes and narration added to link them, (long story), "Firefall" thankfully stands on its own in its initial solo form. Scripted by Bill S. Ballinger, the premise is void of most familiar trappings, concerning a ghost that tries to take over a famed conductor via becoming his doppelgänger, spontaneously and instantaneously being able to char people's bodies to death, and doing so whenever his victims get some shuteye ,which warrants Darren McGavin trying to stay awake for several days straight once he ends up on the baddie's hit list. The supernatural rules are loosey-goosey at best, (one would-be doomed character is able to take a nap in a church while his ghostly pursuer just grins at him from the windows), but the guest and regular cast do their usual charming work, plus the horror bits are as well executed as ever.
(1974)
Dir - Allen Baron
Overall: GOOD
Beating Richard Donner's The Omen to the whole "Raising through the ranks of political office via Satanic means" gag by two years, "The Devil's Platform" is a Kolchak: The Night Stalker stand-out for several reasons. For one, the usual and occasionally tired practice of having Darren McGavin square-off against police detectives who are having none of his tomfoolery is finally given a break, though he and editor/boss Simon Oakland still have their moments of raising each other's blood pressures. This is hardly an issue though since the two main player's chemistry with each other was always hilarious and goes back to the original two television movies that spawned the series. Ruth McDevitt had appeared on the program as another character before, but this marks her first official appearance as INS's columnist, adding yet another fun addition to the small newspaper crew ensemble. It is the concept of Tom Skerritt making a deal with the Devil though, (and turning into a ruthless rottweiler with a pentagram necklace on), that is the most memorable. Strange, creepy, and playing into the era's goofy occult obsession, it has as much to offer as can be expected.
(1974)
Dir - Alex Grasshoff
Overall: GOOD
Not the most culturally sensitive of mid 70s television with 7'2", (and Caucasian), Richard Kiel portraying an evil Native American Diablero shaman spirit who is after rich old people's diamonds, "Bad Medicine" still ends up being another textbook solid installment of Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Victor Jory also appears in redface, though he is only granted one scene to deliver the expository dialog necessary to cue Darren McGavin in on the specifics of how to defeat this week's evil doer. Besides such common casting practices of the time, (as well as the fact that L. Ford Neale and John Huff utilize some stereotyped motifs to fuse quasi-Native folklore into a menace), the episode is loaded with interesting and atmospheric set pieces. Kiel is able to transform into a coyote and a crow depending, and the title character's stand-off against him at the top of a forty foot building is a high point for the program, benefited from the suspenseful ambience that the show's closing moments often had, as well as some eerie chanting to make up for the fact that the Diablero is bested by silly means.
(1974)
Dir - Gordon Hessler
Overall: GOOD
As far as monsters of the week go, Kolchak: The Night Stalker's "The Spanish Moss Murders" features one of the program's more unique, a Cajun boogieman that springs to life once a guy undergoes a six week-long sleep experiment where he is not allowed to dream. This Père Malfait creature, (roughly translated to "father of mischief"), is poorly realized, looking like nothing more than a tall actor in some blankets with moss haphazardly thrown around it. The thing, (or actor portraying the thing), also grunts around in an unintentionally silly manner, but as was the show's M.O., the scary bits are played straight with plenty of bodies pilled up to keep the stakes high. Keenan Wynn makes his first of only two appearances as this week's law enforcement official who Kolchak pushes to a breaking point, which is a shame since he is the most amusing of the lot, working on centering his zen in group therapy only for Darren McGavin to undue all of his noble efforts with his overstepping, aggressive questioning, and wildly accurate supernatural accusations.
(1974)
Dir - Alex Grasshoff
Overall: MEH
Tweaking that ole motif of a haunted house being built on an ancient Indian burial ground, "The Energy Eater" instead has a hospital being built on a place where a fictional Native American bear god called Matchemonedo has slumbered for centuries. Of course now is the time for said entity to arise and drain the facility of power in order to reclaim its former glory, remaining invisible, (aside from some x-rays which miraculously produce a close up of one of it's eyes), as it destroys the building's foundation and leaves a train of bodies in its wake. To help our determined title character crack the case, William Smith appears as an indigenous construction foreman who is about as Native American as Queen Elizabeth, but such white-washing aside, his character provides that rarest of moments where Kolchak is able to go up to the people in charge with a willing witness at his side who backs all the supernatural bologna that he claims. In fact several characters accept the otherworldly scenario here, differentiating this from the usual shtick of Darren McGavin having no allies on his lone quest. It is not as atmospheric or fetching as other episodes of the program, (and it has an anticlimactic ending), but it is still far from a waste.
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