ENTERTAINMENT: ABC Cancels ‘Night Stalker’ After Only 6 Episodes; Show Faced Top-Rated ‘CSI’ on Thursday Nights
By David M. KinchenEditor, Huntington News Network
Hinton, WV (HNN) – If, like me, you’re wondering what’s happened to ABC’s “Night Stalker,” a tribute to the iconic 1970s series starring Darren McGavin, wonder no more: ABC has canceled the new series after only six aired episodes. Nine episodes of the series from Frank Spotnitz (“The X-Files”) were shot. Word has it the whole shebang will end up on the Sci-Fi Channel.
On his blog (Biglight.com/blog), Spotnitz had this to say: "While I'm disappointed the series has come to an end, I am enormously grateful for the experience and the opportunity given me by the network and Touchstone Television.” He thanked the cast and crew and added: "It was a blast." The show was well written and acted, with Stuart Townsend in the Darren McGavin role of Carl Kolchak and Gabrielle Union as his skeptical newspaper colleague in the top roles, but it was up against TV’s top-rated series, “CSI.” I’m a big fan of “CSI” star William Petersen, having seen him live on stage in his hometown of Chicago, but I’m fed up with police procedurals, especially ones that focus on the police techs like “CSI” and its spinoffs.
In its six weeks on the air “Night Stalker” averaged just 5.2 million viewers and also struggled in the key adults 18-49 demographic. The original show “The Night Stalker,” created by Jeffrey Grant Rice, lasted only one season, 1974-5. It inspired a whole generation of TV writers and producers, including Chris Carter of “The X-Files” and has a cult following.