Kolchak: The Night Stalker – The Ripper

September 13, 1974 Season 1 Episode 1

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What better way to kick this series off than by dragging one of history’s most infamous villains out of the fog and dropping him right in 1970s Chicago? The pilot episode, The Ripper, set the tone for the whole series: a mix of supernatural, dark humor, and the persistence of Mr. Carl Kolchak.

Carl Kolchak, now in Chicago working for INS (International News Service) with his old boss Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland), is still involved in supernatural cases. This first episode deals with a rash of murders that have all the trademarks of the London murderer, Jack the Ripper. It has to be a copycat killer, right? Don’t ever count anything out in this series. 

The direction and atmosphere are strong here, with nighttime chases through shadowy alleys, and grim murders are more suggestion rather than gore. It’s shot in a way that feels both television-tight and surprisingly cinematic; it shows how much the show did with a limited budget. The Ripper character himself is handled with restraint, making him scarier: he’s often seen in fleeting glimpses, an unstoppable figure who seems both human and otherworldly.

This is one of the best examples of why this show became such a cult classic. It combines a timeless horror with Kolchak’s pursuit of the truth, all wrapped in that 1970s mix of camp and creepiness. That’s the thing about this show: it can be very creepy. While some of the effects may feel dated today, it still works; the suspense and Darren McGavin’s performance more than carry it. For fans of horror television, this episode remains a must-watch, a great marriage of folklore and late-night chills.

*Sorry, I’m late on this post, but work was chaotic this week and looks to be for a while. So, I’ll probably do this post on Fridays instead. I’m sorry about changing it mid-stream, but Fridays will be the best day. 

The entire episode is in the link below. It’s on Daily Motion, and if I embed it, it plays automatically and will drive people crazy when they open their browser. 

Go to THIS LINK.

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

34 thoughts on “Kolchak: The Night Stalker – The Ripper”

  3. Takes me right back to when I first saw this show. They brilliantly mixed the procedural with mystery and so many other elements. This wasn’t the first show to resurrect the ripper, but it’s pretty much ground zero for a trope that’s been used a hundred times or more since. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Max, don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Your posts are worth waiting for!

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  8. Max, I watched it last night. Was surprised by how less developed the series opener is than the two movies. I know, less time to work with. Maybe they should have had Part 1 and Part 2 for these, to keep the same caliber. You’re right they did the best they could with a low budget, but it feels a little unfinished in comparison to the movies. I wasn’t real thrilled with the fat-shaming in it either! The “fat” woman was a little more pudgy-faced than the massage club skinnies, but no need to put her down again and again.

    Now that the criticism is out of the way, I like that he’s got his cool car back. I like how he and Vincenzo butt heads. I like how they keep the killer in the shadows and how he is vanquished by Kolchak.

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    1. I noticed the fat thing…she wasn’t at all! Him and Vincenzo could have been a comedy but just them. That was smart of them to show the Ripper less as possible.
      The series will not live up to the movies I don’t think but I kept that in mind. But…on IMDB…the lowest rated epsiode is 7.9…thats not bad Lisa…
      Thanks again Lisa.

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      1. There wouldn’t be as many people with eating disorders if people were accepted as they are. I remember literally starving myself when I was younger, and for what?

        I think the show was very compelling for the time it was made in. I also noticed in this episode they were using touch tone phones instead of rotary dials, which kind of surprised me.

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      4. It’s one of those that hung on the wall… Lisa…at least it wasn’t as easy to lose those phones lol. I lose mine constantly.

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      5. I remember where mine hung when I lived in the city. Had that long spiral stretchy cord so you could walk away from it. Knock on wood I only lost mine once when I left it on a bench on a bike ride. Son helped me us the “find my phone” app and it dinged right where it was. Of course you have to use another phone or a PC in order to access it.

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      6. I loved those stretchy chords…oh I lose mine constantly…I’ll get Bailey or Jennifer to call the phone and sometimes…whoops…I had it on silent because I just got home from church lol.

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  13. Max, nice to be back visiting here again! Very underrated show here. I actually caught a couple of episodes late-night somewhere a few months back. I also saw Darren on an X-Files ep recently and was again reminded of his talent. A shame the show didn’t have a longer run but I do think they are a great watch. I do agree the producers created a great atmosphere for the show with obviously limited resources.

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    1. Hey Bruce!!! It’s so nice seeing you again! Now I only blog Fri-Sun and I’m a happier man because of that.
      I watched these around 20 years ago and I forgot how much I like them. He was a perfect fit for X-Files since that show was heavily influenced by this one. Yes it is a shame it didn’t last longer. Again Bruce…it’s so nice to hear from you again.

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