This review will be part of a series where we won't be doing the extensive detail (bitrates, bonus captures etc.) to cover many boxsets arriving.

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Kino Blu-ray discs.

ADDITION: Imprint Blu-ray (November 2025): Imprint have also transferred the entire 20-episode series Kolchak: The Night Stalker to Blu-ray. The Imprint Blu-ray collection (released on November 12th, 2025, under their Imprint Television #30 label) appears to be essentially the same as the 2021 Kino Lorber Blu-ray release, compared to the Universal DVD and reviewed HERE, in terms of core content. Both are 4-Blu-ray sets containing all 20 episodes of the series, sourced from the same high-definition 2K restorations (1080P at 1.33:1 aspect ratio.) They share identical special features, including: audio commentaries on every episode (with the exact same contributors and two tracks for "The Spanish Moss Murders",) interviews with David Chase (co-writer of eight episodes) and Dana Gould (creator of Stan Against Evil) and Original TV spots (remastered in 2K).

The main differences are in packaging and extras beyond the discs: booklets: Kino includes a slimmer booklet with an essay by Mark Dawidziak. Imprint upgrades this to a 48-page hardcover booklet that incorporates similar essay content but adds episode screenshots, plot synopses (without spoilers), and details on three unfilmed episodes. Imprint uses a limited-edition hardbox (1,500 copies) with new artwork, while Kino has standard slipcover-style packaging with art by Mark Maddox. Imprint is Region FREE (playable worldwide), while Kino is locked to Region 'A' Blu-rays.

If you're in a Region 'A' territory and already own the Kino set, the Imprint version might not be worth double-dipping unless you really want the enhanced booklet or fancier packaging (it is pretty solid.) Neither includes the original TV movies, as those are licensed separately by Disney - and reviewed; The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973).

NOTE: We have added 100 more large resolution Kino Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

Kolchak: The Night Stalker has aggressive moments, gunfire, creature growls and grunts etc., but the superiority over DVD comes through mostly via the score composed by the likes of Jerry Fielding (The Gambler, Farewell My Lovely, Straw Dogs, Scorpio, The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Killer Elite, The Mechanic, and The Getaway) for 12 episodes, Gil Melle (The Victim, The Andromeda Strain, The Deliberate Stranger, Frankenstein: The True Story, Colossus: The Forbin Project, You'll Like My Mother, The Sentinel and The Organization) for 7 episodes - Mellé also wrote the theme that begins with Kolchak whistling in the opening credits. Solo episodes were scored by Luchi De Jesus (The Six Million Dollar Man, Friday Foster, A Woman For All Men) for The Energy Eater and Greig McRitchie for the lone Horror in the Heights episode. There is some buoyancy and the theme song sounds much better in lossless than on the DVDs.  dialogue in the lossless transfer. Imprint offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-rays. 

The Imprint Blu-ray collection offers the same 21 audio commentaries for all 20 Episodes (2 for The Spanish Moss Murders) as the 2021 Kino Blu-ray set. These are by the likes of people such as Mark Dawidziak (author of The Night Stalker Companion and Kolchak Novel, Grave Secrets,) author / historian David J. Schow (Outer Limits: The Official Companion,) novelist / critic Kim Newman (Something More Than Night) writer / journalist Barry Forshaw (Nordic Noir,) film historian Tim Lucas (Pause. Rewind. Obsess. One Man’s One Year Escape into Cinema,) filmmaker / film historian Constantine Nasr (Roger Corman: Interviews - Conversations with Filmmakers Series,) screenwriter / producer Rodney Barnes, film historian / screenwriter Gary Gerani (Fantastic Television,) film historian / screenwriter Steve Haberman, film historian / author Amanda Reyes (Made for TV Mayhem,) filmmaker / historian Steve Mitchell, screenwriter / producer Cyrus Voris, filmmaker / historian Michael Schlesinger, and Mike White and Chris Stachiw of The Kolchak Tapes Podcast. I have identified the specifics above (who for which episode.) I've only sampled a few but am looking forward, especially, to indulging in Tim Lucas on The Vampire and Constantine Nasr on The Werewolf as they are two of my favorite episodes (and commentarists.) There is also a 10-minute interview with David Chase, the Creator of The Sopranos and co-writer of eight Kolchak: The Night Stalker episodes (The Zombie, The Vampire, The Werewolf, The Spanish Moss Murders, Primal Scream, Chopper, Demon in Lace and The Knightly Murders.) There is also an 11-minute interview with Dana Gould, the creator of Stan Against Evil. Scattered on the appropriate disc are 14 Original TV Spots (remastered in 2K.) The Imprint Blu-ray package has 48-page hardcover booklet with color photos and episode descriptions by Clive Banks.

Growing up, Kolchak: The Night Stalker was one of my all-time favorite TV shows. It's clear how it paved the way for series like The X-Files. Darren McGavin nailed the part of Carl Kolchak, the scrappy, relentless reporter who tangled with supernatural threats week after week. Sadly, the show eventually exhausted its roster of otherworldly foes, and the tight budgets combined with the grind of churning out 50-minute episodes started to wear on the quality. That said, it delivered some truly creative and standout installments, such as Horror in the Heights (with a credit to Hammer icon Jimmy Sangster), The Ripper (featuring Jack himself), The Zombie (complete with Haitian voodoo ceremonies), The Vampire (a fierce, alluring female predator), The Werewolf (set aboard a lavish cruise ship - where Kolchak improvises silver bullets from the captain's buttons!), The Spanish Moss Murders (echoing The X-Files' El Mundo Gira with a chupacabra vibe), and Demon in Lace (a contemporary take on a succubus). The series managed to uphold the strong standards set by the original TV movies, The Night Stalker (1972) and The Night Strangler (1973), thanks to its wonderfully imperfect lead character. Episodes featured a parade of familiar faces, including Keenan Wynn, Richard Kiel, Dick Gautier, James Gregory (The Scarlet Hour, Nightfall, The Big Caper, Our Man Flint, The Manchurian Candidate,) Phil Silvers, Tom Skerritt, William Smith, Julie Adams (The Looters, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Horizons West, Hollywood Story, The Last Movie,) Cathy Lee Crosby, David Doyle, noirista Nina Foch (My Name is Julia Ross, The Dark Past, Escape in the Fog,) Bernie Kopell, Dick Van Patten, Jamie Farr, Larry Storch, Antonio Fargas, Erik Estrada, Scatman Crothers (The Shootist, Truck Turner, Friday Foster, The Shining,) Jim Backus, Frank Campanella, and more. Repeating the caveat I stated above; If you're in a Region 'A' Blu-ray territory and already own the Kino set, the Imprint version probably won't be worth double-dipping unless you really want the enhanced booklet or fancier packaging (it is pretty solid.) To each their own. 

Gary Tooze