Night Stalker: Burning Man

"Burning Man" is the fourth episode of the supernatural drama television series Night Stalker. It was directed by Tony Wharmby with a script written by Noah Baylin. It first aired on ABC on Thursday, October 20th, 2005. In this episode, a whack-a-doodle is burning, burning, burning for you! Carl Kolchak pursues leads relating to a copycat killer using the same M.O. as that of a bio-terrorist who is now dead. He's convinced that this new string of murders is related to the supernatural. Of course he does. He wouldn't by Kolchak if he was just a normal guy, now would he?

Notes & Trivia

 * Night Stalker was developed by Frank Spotnitz. It is based on the Kolchak: The Night Stalker television series created by Jeff Rice.


 * This episode is rated TV-PG.


 * This episode is included on disc one of the Night Stalker: The Complete Series DVD collection. The collection was produced by Buena Vista Home Entertainment and released in Region 1 format on May 30th, 2006.


 * The setting for this series is Los Angeles, California.


 * Actor Brandon Fobbs is credited as Brandon T. Fobbs in this episode.


 * This is the only episode of Night Stalker directed by Tony Wharmby.


 * This is the only episode of Night Stalker written by Noah Baylin. Baylin is also an executive story editor on the series.


 * There are a total of fourteen credited cast member in this episode, which is one more from the previous episode and one more from the following episode.

Allusions

 * The title of this episode is taken from the Burning Man festival, which is held annually in Black Rock City, Nevada. Its where a bunch of hippies go to express themselves and discuss art and music and performance art while engaging in other experimental activities. The event takes its name from its culmination, the symbolic ritual burning of a large wooden effigy.


 * The name of the storage facility featured in this episode is Moxey Storage. It is named for John Llewellyn Moxey, who directed the original The Night Stalker television movie in 1972.

Quotes

 * Carl Kolchak: They're in the news every day. Warnings about what you should eat, drink, breathe, think. In the modern world, fear of death isn't a distant anxiety reserved for old age – it's daily life. The ordinary no longer offers comfort – not when death can come any time. From any thing.

....
 * Perri Reed: How long have you been working here?
 * Carl Kolchak: Umm, about two months.
 * Perri Reed: And in that time I've witnessed more freaky things then I've seen my entire life.
 * Carl Kolchak: Thanks.

....
 * Carl Kolchak: Panero spent 10 years trying to catch a monster. I think that monster finally caught him.

....
 * Carl Kolchak: That would be the real-world explanation.
 * Tony Vincenzo: I live in the real world, Carl – that's the explanation I'm looking for.

....
 * Carl Kolchak: Thanks for cutting us some slack, Tony.
 * Tony Vincenzo: Try not to hang yourself with it.

....
 * Carl Kolchak: Doug Panero lived with the fear he finally came to see. A fear I know too well, of a question that holds a terrible answer. Should I ever look into the eye of the monster I'm chasing... whose face would I see?