# Kolchak Returns **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 15, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579 "2005-03-15T03:31:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/21 "2005-03-15T17:07:41Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > I loved Kolchak. And the fact that the new producers felt that Kolchak had to be A) young and B) have a sidekick, tells me that they don’t even remotely understand what made the original show work. This is going to be a lame knock-off of the X-files, if you ask me. **The Night Stalker** was about a lone newspaperman with an attitude. His being alone was a big part of the appeal, as was the fact that he was an older, crotchety guy. > > If they really wanted to do a remake, they should have gotten someone like Billy Bob Thornton to play Kolchak. Someone like Thornton would never take a TV remake (although I believe that he can play anything and pull it off), but someone like French Stewart (Harry on _3rd Rock_) might and I think he might be able to pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/22 "2005-03-15T17:25:48Z")
I am going to watch the pilot and reserve judgement…but I have serious trouble with eye candy as Kolchak…he was _supposed_ to be an older reporter who started out at a good paper, and through the years had gotten ‘quirky’ and kept losing jobs until he is working as a stringer for a third rate news company office in a dead end job in a backwater city [yes I KNOW Chicago is a major city, but as news reporting goes, how frequently does anything of real note happen there? No broadway, no real notables other than business and crime…no real _haute_ society. Hot news occurs in Washington, New York, and LA for the most part…] Kolchak needs to be about 50, make enough to exist but not too much, have clothing that is about 10 years out of date and drive an older car. He is not supposed to be seeing anybody/dating/married, he is not stylish or sexy. [sidetrack] and what is it with VING RHAMES being Kojak!!! WTF :eek: [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/23 "2005-03-15T17:36:52Z")
Aside from the pilot, the episode I really loved was [“Mr. R.I.N.G.”](http://www.scifilm.org/tv/kolchak/kolchak12.html) But then, I’ve always had a soft spot for anything with robots. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/24 "2005-03-15T18:24:31Z")
The great Richard Matheson wrote the original movie, but I don’t know who invented the character. To echo what everyone else said about how McGavin and the world-weariness he played made the show, recall the very last scene under the closing credits of each show. Kolchak is in his dark office, writing up a story based on what he just went through. He rips the paper from the typewriter, looks at it, then throws it in the trash. He knows no one will believe him, and he is too experienced to even try to convince anyone. The truth is out there, but he knows no one is ready for it or will believe it. I sure hope in the new series Kolchak isn’t on a crusade to convince the world. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/25 "2005-03-15T20:19:09Z")
The scariest episode for me involved a witch. She was a model and was trying to work her way up in the fashion world by maiming or killing her rivals. In one instance, the witch caused the temperature of the water in a shower to burn one of her rival’s to death. Right after it was over, my mom told me I had to take a shower and go to bed. I really wanted to take a bath. I was terrified of going back to the shower in our house for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/26 "2005-03-15T22:02:28Z")
Matheson based his screnp[lay on an unpublished (unpublishable) book called, iirc, “The Kolchak Tapes” by Jeff Rice. Think that was the guy’s name. Once the movie was a success, Rice finally got his paperback published. I remember the one about the aliens stopping off on Earth for blood much like we would stop at McDonalds. Also remember some teenager getting killed “while enjoying his version of the evening cocktail” (a joint). Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![jeffh3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@jeffh3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeffh3000)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/27 "2005-03-15T23:05:44Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Yeah, he was cool in the role. He mentioned in an interview that he wouldn’t do it again because it was “The _Night_ Stalker” and they were filming in the dark at 2:00 and 3:00 AM. 🙂 I am curious to see how this turns out as I always thought Darren McGavin was what made night stalker good. I find it funny that one of the x-files producers is doing this, as I always felt that x-files was a modern spin on night stalker. I can imagine storyline conflicts with x-files/chris carter/fox . It is interesting to see a network trying to go on a scifi hit hunt. I am sure that the success Lost on their own network, plus BSG on Sci Fi may be starting this movement again. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/28 "2005-03-15T23:58:10Z")
> [@TV time](#): > > Someone like Thornton would never take a TV remake (although I believe that he can play anything and pull it off), but someone like French Stewart (Harry on _3rd Rock_) might and I think he might be able to pull it off. OH, GOD, NOOOOOOO!!! Actually, Thornton wouldn’t be too bad… ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/29 "2005-03-16T00:41:02Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > OH, GOD, NOOOOOOO!!! > Actually, Thornton wouldn’t be too bad… But Darin McGavin wasn’t that crusty in the early 70’s, was he? I remember this show, it was great. I was in elementary school, the opollo missions were going on, and _Creature feature_ ran every Saturday night on the local UHF channel. I was a big fan of Star Trek, the Godzilla monster movies, the Hammer films with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery and Kolshak. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/30 "2005-03-16T03:33:39Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > But Darin McGavin wasn’t that crusty in the early 70’s, was he? Are you kidding? He was _born_ that crusty! ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/31 "2005-03-16T03:50:56Z")
> [@TV time](#): > > It should be remembered that McGavin with all the tongue-in-cheek manner he played Kolchak (including using a silly 110 camera and wearing that hat) was a well-trained actor having begun with the Auctors’ Group (which later evolved to the Actors Studio) did Broadway and Off Broadway (before it was known as such). He had done a number of films and also had two pretty successful televison shows. He played _Mike Hammer_ and was the star of _Riverboat_. Ah, _Riverboat_ “Route 66” re-set on the old Missipp’, with a paddle-wheeler instead of a Corvette. Burt Reynolds was McGavin’s sidekick, cast to lend youth-appeal. According to Reynolds, as the senior star, egotistical McGavin kept having Reynolds’ onscreen time and close-ups shortened. I’m no big fan of Burt Reynolds, but I did like his quote “The first Sunday after he dies, McGavin’s in for a big disappointment.” My favorite line from _The Night Stalker_ “Because this is a NEWSPAPER, and in it we print NEWS!” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/32 "2005-03-16T03:58:16Z")
> [@Slithy Tove](#): > > Ah, _Riverboat_ “The first Sunday after he dies, McGavin’s in for a big disappointment.” I don’t get it. Obviously something about McGavin thinking he’s G-d, but I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![chefjef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@chefjef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chefjef)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/33 "2005-03-18T18:37:28Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > [sidetrack] and what is it with VING RHAMES being Kojak!!! WTF :eek: [/hijack] I just saw a promo for that last night and yes, i think of Telly Savalas as a god and it will be hard to fill his shoes but I have faith in Rhames. Also, I’m going to be tuning into this remake faithfully for Chazz Palminteri . . . I’ve been following him since his performance in Usual Suspects. That man has my full respect. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/34 "2005-03-18T19:51:12Z")
> [@Slithy Tove](#): > > Ah, _Riverboat_Burt Reynolds was McGavin’s sidekick, cast to lend youth-appeal. According to Reynolds, as the senior star, egotistical McGavin kept having Reynolds’ onscreen time and close-ups shortened. I’m no big fan of Burt Reynolds, but I did like his quote “The first Sunday after he dies, McGavin’s in for a big disappointment.” I had heard that McGavin felt that Reynolds was nothing but a pretty-boy exjock who had paid no dues and wanted more and more screen time without earning it (as in rehearsals and character development). Please don’t ask for a cite - I heard this years ago and I have no idea where. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/35 "2005-03-18T20:05:25Z")
Mel Ferrer was in a movie called “The Night Flyer” where he played an aging tabloid photographer on the track of a vampire … I think Ferrer would do a great job with the Kolchak role, based on that. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/36 "2005-03-18T21:14:36Z")
> [@TV time](#): > > I had heard that McGavin felt that Reynolds was nothing but a pretty-boy exjock who had paid no dues and wanted more and more screen time without earning it (as in rehearsals and character development). > > Please don’t ask for a cite - I heard this years ago and I have no idea where. Reynolds, for all his good looks and the life they’ve brought him, seems to be an angry guy basically and is probably hard to get along with. ---
**Author:** ![Tenzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tenzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenzin)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/37 "2005-03-19T01:04:28Z")
Count me in as another who loved this show as a kid. And, Voyager, you took the words right outta my mouth. McGavin does world-weary so well. Part of the scariness of the show was how alone the guy was, the typewriter in the dark, no connection. I’m curious how a modern version will handle that–you just can’t be that disconnected from the world now, the typewriting hooks up both ways; in a “what’s going on here?” research sense, and in a “here’s what happened” broadcast sense. Special effects are so much better now, though, so, with good writers, it could be promising. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/38 "2005-03-19T01:31:14Z")
> [@Tenzin](#): > > the typewriter in the dark, no connection. I’m curious how a modern version will handle that He’s get a “server not found” error message before he looked up and the fan stopped. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tenzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tenzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenzin)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/39 "2005-03-19T01:48:38Z")
Nyuk! Or maybe he’d have a slow ol’ crotchety DSL like mine and find himself twisting in the wind before any crucial useful info could come in… ---
**Author:** ![Tenzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tenzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenzin)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579/40 "2005-03-19T02:44:47Z")
Well, that didn’t make much sense…Meant dial-up, want DSL too bad, I guess. This episode of Techno-Idiot Theatre brought to you by: Smith-Corona. (Dim lighting included.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kolchak-returns/294579.md?page=3)