Before The X-Files and Buffy, There Was THIS Vampire-Hunting Reporter

[TMC]

Today, we're looking at the made for TV movie that started the whole "Monster of the week" genre.

[TMC]

The Forgotten '70s Horror Franchise That Inspired The X-Files

Kieran Fisher
Sat, November 1, 2025 at 7:00 AM PDT

Chris Carter's "The X-Files" is widely regarded as one of the best horror shows of all time, and one could argue that it changed the landscape of television forever. Combining monster-of-the-week scenarios with overarching plots, the spooky sci-fi series provided the template for shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel," and "Supernatural" to tell their own tales of monsters and mayhem. Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) are arguably the most famous paranormal investigators in pop culture history — but they wouldn't exist without Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin).

This brings us to the "Kolchak" saga, a forgotten '70s horror franchise that paved the way for supernatural procedural yarns on the small-screen. Based on Jeff Rice's novel "The Night Stalker," the franchise chronicles the adventures of the eponymous reporter as he investigates mysteries of the supernatural variety, bringing him into contact with vampires, immortal serial killers, androids, headless motorcyclists, and other creatures of the night.

"Kolchak" debuted in 1972 with "The Night Stalker," a TV movie that broke records for ABC at the time of its release. This was followed by 1973's "The Night Strangler" and the short-lived "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" television series, which premiered in 1974. The "Kolchak" IP has since been resurrected courtesy of reboots, comic books, and other spin-off media, but it isn't exactly mainstream. That said, it was a key influence on Carter when he was creating "The X-Files" — and he doesn't even deny it.

[TMC]

The Cult Horror Series That Inspired ‘The X-Files’ Finally Gets the Action Figure Treatment [Exclusive]

"Son, I've seen more dead bodies than you've had TV dinners."