MovieChat Forums > UFO (1972) Discussion > And the winner is...

And the winner is...

posted 7 years ago by madp
17 replies | jump to latest

Well, well, it seems we have a last-minute rising Star that went even higher than the highest Peaks. But not quite there yet.

The winner is Kolchak: the Night Stalker.

* What a blast from the past. An earlier version of our group did this show in 2008 or 2009, not sure. Unfortunately all those messages have been erased. Time to make new ones.

* The final Twin Peaks vs Kolchak battle was epic. I had interest in both shows, so I was divided, even though I personally preferred Twin Peaks. That is I could have taken the points I gave to Kolchak and just kept the Twin Peaks votes. However, I didn't do that because...

- Well, truth be told Twin Peaks was not my original first choice. Mine was 3%, which was unceremoniously ignored. 

- Being just a one-season show, Kolchak is more in tune with the new old spirit of the Sages of the Single Season.

- Honestly, after our long UFO fatigue, I'm leery of extra-long shows. Twin Peaks has a short 8-episode season, than a long 22-eps 2nd season. A show long like that can be done, but the group really has to be on board with it. And Kolchak, on the other hand, has one third fewer episodes: just 20.

- Somehow I felt the love for Kolchak was better distributed among the group (it had the most votes after all), and it was more likely to be a more popular show, so the group would run better with it, and that's the most important thing to me. I'm really sorry for letting down the other Twin Peaks supporters.

- And then I had a very nice surprise. I saw Michael's documentary about Star Cops and loved it! So I gave it my fourth place. I was going to give it my third, but then there would be a new (Star Cops vs Kolchak) tie at the top, and that would not be good, with possible questions about second tie-breaking criteria and demands for new elections. (And we want to be done with that, right?) Again, I loved the idea of Star Cops, but still insist this is not the moment for another British show about a Moonbase. Personally, I want a break from that for a while.

* The official results? Well, here they are:

SHOWS GOLD SILVER BRONZE COPPER TIN VOTES POINTS

Kolchak 1 2 1 1 5 17

Star 2 1 1 4 16

Peaks 2 1 1 4 15

Ted 1 2 3 10

Cat 1 1 2 9

Randall 2 1 3 8

Police 1 1 1 3 7

Brisco 1 1 2 6

Tunnel 1 1 2 6

Awake 1 1 2 3

Undecl 1 1 2 3

Max 1 1 3

Dresden 1 1 1

FlashF 1 1 1

What do you guys think? Well, as agreed, we're starting on the first Friday after the holidays, that is January 6th, 2017. I'll announce our arrival at the Kolchak board on January 1st.

I guess that's it. Merry Christmas!

[–] phantom2-2 7 years ago

time to add another show to my favorites list.... 😊

[–] JohnQ1127 7 years ago

Kolchak has a cult following so we might be able to pick up some people on the Kolchak boards.

Kolchak has a kind of cult following. I never watched a single episode back in 1974-75 and I've never seen it but I'm not opposed to watching it this time. Hey, I was pushing UFO quite a bit and that backfired on me. Kolchak is available on Netflix so that's good. I'm guessing I never watched it partly due to the fact that I was about 7-8 years old when it originally broadcast at 10 PM.

We had 1 color t.v. & 1 B&W tv and I was the youngest so I had virtually no say in what we watched. My older sister and my father usually fought it out as to what we watched on the color tv and my older sister controlled the B&W tv.

Kolchak was originally broadcast on ABC on Friday nights at 10 PM. I was watching "Planet of The Apes" (Done by this group in the Fall of 2014) at 8 PM on on CBS and then usually the Six Million Dollar man at 9 on ABC or the CBS Friday Night Movie at 9-11.

NBC had a virtual stranglehold on the ratings on Friday Nights back then; Sanford & Son, Chico & the Man, Rockford Files then Police Woman.

They switched Kolchak to 8 PM for the Winter/Spring of 1975 but I have no memory of it. I remember CBS was looking for a replacement for "POTA" and had a short lived detective show called "Khan!" on for a bit. Then they broadcasted a really funny show called We'll Get By (1975) Paul Sorvino and created by Alan Alda. Kolchak was cancelled in the Spring of 1975 and so was "We'll Get By". Then I remember watching "POTA" reruns during the summer 1975.

[–] madp 7 years ago

by JohnQ1127 » Kolchak has a kind of cult following. I never watched a single episode back in 1974-75 and I've never seen it but I'm not opposed to watching it this time.

I'm very glad to know that. Since you were the only "Sage" not to have voted for it at any point, I was afraid you'd have a negative reaction. We can't make everybody happy, but it's better if everybody os on board with the decision we made.

Hey, I was pushing UFO quite a bit and that backfired on me. Kolchak is available on Netflix so that's good. I'm guessing I never watched it partly due to the fact that I was about 7-8 years old when it originally broadcast at 10 PM.

It's available on youtube as well. I never watched it either. Maybe because I was 11-12 years old at the time. Also, the show never sounded like anything but a regular detective/reporter show, so it never attracted my attention. I guess it was badly advertised. But I knew it existed.

[–] JohnQ1127 7 years ago

From Madp:

I'm very glad to know that. Since you were the only "Sage" not to have voted for it at any point, I was afraid you'd have a negative reaction. We can't make everybody happy, but it's better if everybody os on board with the decision we made.

I was really in more of a mood to watch a comedy this time around so that's why I nominated "Police Squad". Plus, it's only 6 episodes. I thought that would have been a good sorbet after the long and somewhat tedious UFO.

I'm more of a comedy fan in general. I know this group skews heavily towards sci-fi.

It's available on youtube as well. I never watched it either. Maybe because I was 11-12 years old at the time. Also, the show never sounded like anything but a regular detective/reporter show, so it never attracted my attention. I guess it was badly advertised. But I knew it existed.

Back when I was 7-8, I was at the mercy of my older sister and father's viewing habits. My bedtime was about 10 pm back then but I think I was allowed to stay up until 11 on Friday and Saturday. On Fridays CBS would show a fairly recent movie from 9-11. It's hard to imagine now but this was kind of a big deal back then in the pre cable, pre VCR/DVD, pre streaming world. Those Friday night movies might be the only chance you could see a certain movie. If you missed "Sleeper" on the Friday Night Movie, you might not have a chance to see it again in 2-4 years.

[–] Simian_Jack 7 years ago

(whistling a jaunty tune as I sit down to my keyboard)

The winner is...

Uh-huh, uh-huh?

Kolchak: the Night Stalker.

"VinCENZOOOOOOOO!"

So, it seemed like everyone who voted already has seen the show before? (edit - John hasn't.) If anyone is unfamiliar with it, it was based on two TV movies-of-the-week, The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973). Folks might want to see those before we begin, or not. It's not necessary, I had never seen them as a child before getting into the show. They introduce the lead characters of Kolchak and his editor. Also, one of the episodes is a semi-sequel. They were written by Richard Matheson and produced by Dan Curtis of Dark Shadows fame. Curtis directed the second movie.

An earlier version of our group did this show in 2008 or 2009, not sure. Unfortunately all those messages have been erased...

A few were still up not long ago. I actually ran across this group back then while it's earlier iteration was in the process of going through Kolchak! Not knowing what was up, I didn't join in.

Merry Christmas again, everybody! 

[–] madp 7 years ago

by Simian_Jack » So, it seemed like everyone who voted already has seen the show before? (edit - John hasn't.)

Me neither.

If anyone is unfamiliar with it, it was based on two TV movies-of-the-week, The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973). Folks might want to see those before we begin, or not.

Hmmm.  I didn't know that. That's a bit of a complicating factor, and I don't know what to do with it. We can do two things: include the movies in the regular schedule, assign them as "homework" to be watched before we resume in January or do without them at all. I wouldn't like to miss on the characters' introduction. On the other hand, two whole movies might steal the show's freshness and get us tired of the whole thing even before we begin. Also, there might be spoilers in the movies that could make some episodes less interesting.

What do you guys think?

Also, one of the episodes is a semi-sequel. They were written by Richard Matheson and produced by Dan Curtis of Dark Shadows fame. Curtis directed the second movie.

Now I'm even more inclined to include the movies in the regular viewing schedule. Are the movies also available? Anybody knows?

An earlier version of our group did this show in 2008 or 2009, not sure. Unfortunately all those messages have been erased...

A few were still up not long ago. I actually ran across this group back then while it's earlier iteration was in the process of going through Kolchak! Not knowing what was up, I didn't join in.

Interesting to know. I wish these last archaeological remnants of our Sage forefathers, the Ancient Ones, hadn't been forever erased.

Merry Christmas again, everybody! 

Ho, ho, ho for you too! 

[–] Simian_Jack 7 years ago

They're both on YouTube.

...two whole movies might steal the show's freshness and get us tired of the whole thing even before we begin.

That's what I'm thinking but felt everyone should know in case they wanted to see them first. It's a step down to go from Richard Matheson scripts fully worked out over sufficient airtime to episodes that have to constrain themselves to fifty minutes. There are no spoilers to worry about.

I never saw the two TV movies until years later, and even then not in order. Skipping them won't hurt at all and might benefit.

I say treat them the same way you would if we voted a show based on a feature film. They weren't pilot films, intended for development into a series. Matheson and Curtis were already preparing a third Kolchak movie when ABC opted to do a series instead.

[–] Simian_Jack 7 years ago

Interesting to know. I wish these last archaeological remnants of our Sage forefathers, the Ancient Ones, hadn't been forever erased.

The discussion threads from The Lone Gunmen ae still posted from 2010. I've been reading them as I watch the series on YT. They believed it might be the last show they took in before the group disbanded!

[–] madp 7 years ago

by Simian_Jack » The discussion threads from The Lone Gunmen ae still posted from 2010. I've been reading them as I watch the series on YT. They believed it might be the last show they took in before the group disbanded!

Interesting to know. Well, back then people were simpler and had the strangest beliefs! Definitely less complicated times.  Well, one by one they left. Seriously now, we had that feeling at regular intervals. In fact, at some point I thought UFO was going to be our last one, or perhaps most would've dropped along the way. I had no idea the group would grow and we'd even adopt a name.

[–] JohnQ1127 7 years ago

From Madp:

Interesting to know. Well, back then people were simpler and had the strangest beliefs! Definitely less complicated times. Well, one by one they left. Seriously now, we had that feeling at regular intervals. In fact, at some point I thought UFO was going to be our last one, or perhaps most would've dropped along the way. I had no idea the group would grow and we'd even adopt a name.

I thought "The Prisoner" was going to kill the group because people were leaving in droves. I actually felt kind of guilty because I was the new to the group and I nominated that show. I think we were down to 3 people at one point (Myself, Madp & Brimfin). Then we picked up Michaellevenson and convinced him to continue to "Prisoner 09" & "Total Recall".

[–] madp 7 years ago

by JohnQ1127 » I thought "The Prisoner" was going to kill the group because people were leaving in droves. I actually felt kind of guilty because I was the new to the group and I nominated that show.

Yes, The Prisoner was a real watershed for us. It was when the last of the Old Guard left for good. I remember the guy who used to organize things before me said once that there were two shows he swore he would never watch: The Prisoner and UFO. I guess he chose the right moment for him then.

[–] JohnQ1127 7 years ago

From Madp:

Yes, The Prisoner was a real watershed for us. It was when the last of the Old Guard left for good. I remember the guy who used to organize things before me said once that there were two shows he swore he would never watch: The Prisoner and UFO. I guess he chose the right moment for him then.

Yeah, I had no idea how divisive "The Prisoner" was. I just sort of innocently nominated it and then it became a whole controversy because "Charmed" decided to leave. I had no idea "The Prisoner" was such a point of contention. I actually had some good conversations with "Charmed" about "The Planet of the Apes" so I was taken aback with his hostility my selection of "The Prisoner."

We lost Wicebtg somewhere around episode 4-5 as he just disappeared. We lost DTMueller at the end of The Prisoner. Like I said previously, I felt kind of guilty because I had no intention to break up the group. In retrospect had I known that "The Prisoner" was so divisive, I wouldn't have nominated it.

[–] phantom2-2 7 years ago

people come, people go, for whatever reason that we're not always privy to. having been in publishing as a hobby for a long time, i choose to believe when a previously active contributor disappeared that they'd won the lottery and mail service was terrible at their new home in tahiti.

there's no reason to disappear forever simply because one doesn't like the latest choice. these people could have easily gone dormant for the prisoner and come back for the next selection...or the one after that. so don't take it too hard, especially since i assume the group as a whole elected to watch the prisoner.

[–] dtmuller 7 years ago

JohnQ1127: We lost DTMueller [sic] at the end of The Prisoner. Like I said previously, I felt kind of guilty because I had no intention to break up the group. In retrospect had I known that "The Prisoner" was so divisive, I wouldn't have nominated it.

Hey, don't feel bad on account of me. I had nominated The Prisoner previously and was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a major disappointment. Not nearly as good as I remembered.

I dropped because there was just too much going on in my life and I had to drop some things. I really wanted to start a 50th anniversary viewing of The Time Tunnel last September, but I just couldn't do that either.

I dropped once before, just after Wonderfalls, then returned for Journeyman. So it's happened before. I've been following you guys--sorry--Sages just so I don't lose you in case I decide to make another comeback. We'll see.

[–] madp 7 years ago

by dtmuller » I've been following you guys--sorry--Sages just so I don't lose you in case I decide to make another comeback. We'll see.

So... I'm trying to decide whether that's "A New Hope" or "The Phantom Menace." hardy-har-har!  Seriously, you'll always be welcome, pal!

[–] Cloister56 7 years ago

Never heard of Kolchak but the episode titles have me interested, The Ripper, The Zombie, The Vampire and the Werewolf.
Without reading the synopsis is it about a series of murders at a Hammer horror studio and Kolchak is a private investigator brought in each week to solve the crime in 45 minutes usually by confronting the suspect at the end with the police on standby so no need to worry about "evidence" or "due process"
Nope read the synopsis now, forget my idea it was rubbish this is awesome.
Sounds good, I shall purchase this fantastic series now. Have a good Christmas all and I look forward to taking part in the New Year.

[–] brimfin 7 years ago

KOLCHAK will be a good choice. I like that almost everyone voted for it and that JohnQ (the only one who didn't) sounds like he'll be okay with it. I didn't realize that STAR COPS was getting so close to winning. But, Madp's probably right that two British series so close together might have been a bit much. Still, I'll be voting for it again next time. See you all in January.