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Night Stalker, The
SERIES: ABC, Thursday 9:00p (60 minutes)


7.3

based on 23 reviews
read critic reviews
how did we calculate this?

based on 34 votes
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Get more information on this show at TV.com.

Starring Gabrielle Union, Stuart Townsend, Eric Jungmann, and Cotter Smith

Two Los Angeles-based newspaper reporters investigate mysterious crimes in this drama based on the 1974-75 Darren McGavin series "Kolchak: The Night Stalker."

GENRE(S):	Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
CREATED BY:	Frank Spotnitz
FIRST AIR DATE:	September 29, 2005
LAST AIR DATE:	November 10, 2005

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

New York Post Linda Stasi

A really good, really weird show.

Detroit Free Press Mike Duffy

Right from the dark start, the new "Night Stalker" is a more provocative, emotionally layered thrill ride.

Hollywood Reporter Barry Garron

A dependable source of entertaining fright.

Kansas City Star Aaron Barnhart

For all those who are not confirmed “CSI” fans, this is worth a look.

The New York Times Ned Martel

There's something stylishly scary at work here.

Chicago Sun-Times Doug Elfman

The show's weaknesses, in its first two episodes, rest in some slack dialogue and unevenly edited payoffs of suspense.

New York Daily News David Hinckley

What the show lacks most is the humor that lightened the original.

People Weekly Tom Gliatto

This doesn't have as distinctive a style as The WB's Supernatural--that's more like a jeans ad for the undead--but Kolchak three decades on still knows how to move. [24 Oct 2005, p.41]

Variety Phil Gallo

[It] lacks the flavor of the original and would have worked better under a different title.

Los Angeles Times Robert Lloyd

Perfectly fine and nothing special.

Cleveland Plain Dealer Mark Dawidziak

Give it some style points, no doubt, because there are several very cool moments. But you get the feeling that Spotnitz knows where the problems are, and he's trying to fix them.

PopMatters Bill Gibron

Despite these obvious missteps and in between the blatant attempts to appease original fans, Night Stalker shows promise.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Rob Owen

If a show could get by on atmosphere alone, ABC's stylishy shot "Night Stalker" would be an outright success. It is creepy, spooky and scary.... But all this isn't enough to overcome what will likely prove to be an insurmountable problem: casting.

USA Today Robert Bianco

There are two major things you need to know about Night Stalker. One is that it's a third-rate rip-off of a superior series. The other is that the series it's ripping off is The X-Files.

San Francisco Chronicle Tim Goodman

The first episode is moody and violent but not particularly frightening. The second is psychobabble nonsense without much suspense.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Melanie McFarland

It looks a lot less like "Kolchak" than like a cup of weakly brewed "X-Files" -- minus the spice and clever humor.

Newsday Verne Gay

What is missing here is heart, drama, and - most inexcusably - horror.

Philadelphia Inquirer Jonathan Storm

Individually and as a team, Townsend and Union exhibit less chemistry than a third-grade science set.

Boston Globe Matthew Gilbert

It's not the weakest of the new supernatural pilots, but it so quickly falls into generic horror moves and a stifling atmosphere that it doesn't make for a terribly auspicious hour.

Chicago Tribune Sid Smith

A bland, routine echo of its predecessor, even if it boasts much more spectacular effects.

LA Weekly Robert Abele

This is one decidedly unfrightening resurrection of the Night Stalker.

Salon Heather Havrilesky

The story is weak and, based on their performances, the cast knows it.

Miami Herald Glenn Garvin

Kolchak's ridiculously precious writing is not the only thing that rings false about Night Stalker.

The average user rating for this tv show is 7.3 (out of 10) based on 34 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Karl K gave it a10:
Da gurl sa hotty

Sandy B gave it a9:
Great show with an addictive gritty feel. Seems some of the bad reviews slate how it isn't as good as the original. Having never seen the original I was free to enjoy it on its own merits.

bill s gave it a0:
Not only is this a halfhearted attempt at capitalizing on yet another cult classic, but it has received the most offensive CSI-style glazing-over that the networks seem to think is what constitutes good story and visuals these days: Glamour, Glitz, Perfect Hair, Stylish Clothes, Fake Top 40 Music, Anorexic Women and let's not forget Flash Scene Cuts and Grotesque Overuse of CG Recoloring. That some spritzer-sipping network fop in an Armani thinks this CSI-meets-XFILES mess is a 'homage' to Darren McGavin's cult favorite is the REAL scary subplot behind this one.

pam k gave it a10:
i loved the show . it was quite exciting and i look forward to watching it every week and now they cancelled a top rate show for some really lousy shows which noone seems to talk about. why did they cancel this great show?

Chris F gave it a9:
This show is awesome, my Thursday nights are dull when it isn't on. Along with its suspense it provides a mystery and even has hidden "easter eggs." Like the appearance of the original Koltchack in the newsroom on the first episode. I really hope this show continues.

adrian c gave it a10:
when i watched the first show of night stalker i just loved it i loved how it is more like x-files to me its great.

Debbie H gave it a10:
I love this show and can not wait until Thursday to watch it. I liked the original series but I just love this new and improved version!

Night Stalker, The SERIES: ABC, Thursday 9:00p (60 minutes)

Night Stalker, The
SERIES: ABC, Thursday 9:00p (60 minutes)