The first episode of the series, following the television films The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler, "The Ripper" attempts to condense the better elements of the longer entries into a workable hour-long format. Now based in Chicago and working for the news agency INS, reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) continues his crusade to expose the supernatural as printable fact much to the dismay of editor Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland, reprising his role from the two films). Removed from covering a string of Ripper-like murders because of a predilection for pestering police, Carl finds himself writing for the agony column. Only Kolchak can find a way to answer the letters of the lonely-hearted and solve the murders. Although lacking the sharp writing of Richard Matheson and skillful direction of Dan Curtis, the series retains much of the two films' wit, grittiness, and imagination. Originally aired September 13, 1974, on ABC. ~ Paul Durica, Rovi