I am – Hercules!!

Even if you don’t care for ABC’s new “Night Stalker” series, you can be grateful for the fact that its arrival last week precipitated today, at long last, the DVD issue of Kolchak: The Night Stalker – The Complete Series, the enterprise that kept me glued to WFAA-TV’s broadcast signal every Friday night, and would inform and inspire subsequent genre television efforts for decades.

Based on two highly rated TV-movies scripted by revered “Twilight Zone” vet Richard Matheson, the series dealt with a wire-service reporter with a strange faculty for uncovering stories about murderous robots, extraterrestrials, vampires, werewolves, zombies and their uncanny ilk. It kicked off Sept. 13, 1974. (That same night saw the premiere of NBC’s “The Rockford Files,” another Universal Studios property long-coveted by DVD collectors. “Rockford” lasted six seasons; “Kolchak” barely limped through one.)

Primitive and pitifully underbudgeted, the 1974 “Kolchak” had at least three things going for it: 1) It was the first regular TV gig for “Sopranos” mastermind David Chase, who served as “Kolchak’s” story editor and authored eight of its 20 teleplays. 2) It featured that creepy, stringy and unforgettable bass-fiddle theme music. 3) It offered a career-defining performance by Darren McGavin, who knew how to sell and showcase Kolchak’s indignant, authority-defying dialogue.

“Kolchak” also gave us “Chopper,” the only produced TV episode authored by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the team that would go on to script Spielberg’s “1941,” as well as “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” “Used Cars” and a little sci-fi comedy titled “Back to the Future.”

Also out today? Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Complete First Season. The documentary included in the set provides some much-needed context with regard to just how involved Hitchcock was in this black-and-white TV show, which came on the heels of color movies like “Rear Window” and “To Catch a Thief” and “The Trouble With Harry,” continued through “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” “The Wrong Man,” “Vertigo,” “North by Northwest” and “Psycho,” then ended before “The Birds.” Hitch only directed 17 of 266 episodes, but filmed about 10 intros and 10 outros a day. Though star writers like Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Charles Beaumont, Roald Dahl, George Clayton Johnson, Ira Levin (!), Richard Levinson & William Link, Philip Roth, Stirling Silliphant and Alexander Woolcott contributed stories and teleplays over the series’ run, the real hero of the franchise was apparently a witty fellow named James Allardice, who scripted all those intros and outros (and went on to script that famous trailer Hitchcock made for “Psycho”).

Also also out today? The Bob Newhart Show 2.x, funnier than any live-action sitcom being produced today except possibly “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” You’ll come to stare at Emily Hartley’s nummy hinder - and stay to laugh at at the profoundly troubled mental patient Elliott Carlin. Season two sees Bob guilted into putting his therapy group on TV, Bob getting propositioned by Jerry’s pretty friend in Peoria, Bob enduring Emily as his receptionist, Bob refereeing when Howard and Jerry fall for the same girl, and Bob learning that Emily has the higher IQ. Do NOT play the “Bob” drinking game while watching more than two episodes on this DVD or you will die.

TV on DVD!

Last Week
The Amazing Race 1.x
Are You Being Served Christmas
Beverly Hillbillies: Ultimate Collection Vol. 1
Cheyenne: TV Favorites
Chico and the Man: TV Favorites
Creature Comforts 1.x
Dark Shadows: Vol. 20
Dr. 90210 1.x
The Dukes of Hazzard: TV Favorites
Family Guy Presents
Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story
F-Troop: TV Favorites
Gilmore Girls 4.x
Hogan's Heroes 2.x
Kingdom Hospital Vol. 2
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 2.x

Maverick: TV Favorites
Quads! Vol. 2
Rugrats: Snow White
Sigmund and the Sea Monsters 1.x
SpongeBob SquarePants 3.x
Star Trek: Enterprise 3.x
Tales of the Unexpected Set 3
The Vicar of Dibley: 10th Anniversary Specials
Wyatt Earp Collection
X-Files: Colonization

October 4
Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1.x
America's Funniest Holiday Home Videos
The Bob Newhart Show 2.x
Cartoon Network: Christmas Rocks
Christmas with SCTV
Count Duckula
Drawn Together 1.x: Uncensored
Farscape: Starburst Edition 2.3
Into The West
Kenny Vs. Spenny 1.x
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Oblongs: The Complete Series
Postcards From Buster

Spike The Vampire: Love Is Evil
Stargate SG1 8.x
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 19: Mutant & Monsters
Tom Green: Inside and Outside
A Twist in the Tale
Wild Palms: The Complete Series

October 11
All Grown Up: RV Having Fun Yet?
Arrested Development 2.x
The Captain & Tenille: Ultimate Collection
Dora the Explorer: Dance To The Rescue
The Duchess of Duke Street 1.x
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Vol. 2
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air 2.x
Jeffersons 4.x
Kingdom Hospital Vol. 3
Mutant X 3.x
Only Fools and Horses 6.x
Soap 4.x
South Park 6.x

Veronica Mars 1.x

October 18
The Adventures of Superman 1.x
Atomic Betty Vol. 1
Atomic Betty Vol. 2
The Batman Vs. Dracula
Braceface: Turning 13
CSI: New York
Dark Shadows: Complete 1996 Series
Garfield: Cat Tales Gift Set
Ghost Hunters 1.x
He-Man 1.x Vol. 1
The Hilarious House of Frightenstein
The Legend of Zelda: The Complete Series
Nick Picks Vol. 2
Pet Alien: Aliens Unleashed
Pet Alien: Atomic Tommy
Saved by the Bell: The New Class 5.x
Strawberry Shortcake: Dress-Up Days

The Twilight Zone 4.x
Unscripted

October 25
Alias 4.x

The Ambassador <--- NEW!!
American Gothic: The Complete Series
The Beverly Hillbillies/Petticoat Junction Christmas Collection
Bewitched 2.x
Danger Mouse 3.x/4.x
Degrassi Junior High: The Complete Series
The Doris Day Show 2.x
Hamish MacBeth 1.x
Hart To Hart 1.x
Little House on the Prairie 9.x
In Living Color 4.x
Invasion Earth: The Complete Series
Kids in the Hall 3.x
Little House on the Prairie 9.x
Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Vol. 3
The L Word 2.x
Mad TV: Best of 8/9/10.x
The Munsters 2.x
The Planet's Funniest Animals
Point Pleasant 1.x
Puppets Who Kill 2.x
Tales From The Crypt 2.x
3rd Rock From the Sun 2.x
Tom & Jerry Vol. 2
Tripping the Rift 1.x
Upstairs Downstairs 24-Disc Collector's Edition

November 1
The Adventures of Pete & Pete 2.x
American Chopper 3.x
The Brady Bunch 4.x
Dick Cavett: John & Yoko
Disney Channel Holiday
Fame 1.x

Hearts Afire 2.x
Merv Griffin Show: 40 Most Interesting People
Monster Garage 3.x
Outer Limits (1999) 1.x
Sex and the City: Collector's Edition
Star Trek: Enterprise 4.x
Star Trek Enterprise: The 27-Disc Complete Series
Tales of Tomorrow Vol. 2
21 Jump Street 4.x
Ultimate Fighter 1.x
War of the Worlds 1.x
World Poker Tour 3.x

November 8

Beavis & Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection Vol. 1
Blue Collar TV 1.x Vol. 1
Chip & Dale Vol. 1
A Different World 1.x
Doctor Who: City of Death
Doctor Who: Claws of Axos
DuckTales Vol. 1
Five Mile Creek 1.x
Jay and Silent Bob Do DeGrassi
Jeopardy! An Inside Look
The Kingdom
The Kumars at Number 42
The Partridge Family 2.x
Remington Steele 2.x
Swiss Family Robinson: The Complete Series
Tales From Avonlea 1.x
What's New Scooby Doo Vol. 7
The White Shadow 1.x

November 15
Beast Machines Transformers: The Complete Series

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 40-Disc Collector's Set
Charmed 3.x
Cheers 7.x
Fantasy Island 1.x
The Flintstones 4.x
Frasier 7.x
Friends 10.x Follow aicn