'Night Stalker' heads to ABC

Frank Spotnitz is bringing The Night Stalker back to life this autumn on ABC.

The 1970s consisted of two T.V. movies - The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler - and a series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. The yarns followed the misfortunes of reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) trying to get a scoop on supernatural goings-on.

In writing his version, Spotnitz (executive producer of The X-Files) has made a much darker affair, with Stuart Townsend (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) playing the lead character.

The new Kolckak is on a mission to solve the supernatural mystery of his wife's death, which the F.B.I. suspect him of causing. To find the truth about her death, he must first solve a greater mystery behind red marks found on the victims' wrists.

Zap2it.com quotes Spotnitz as saying: "What does that mark mean? You're meant to think all kinds of things. Obviously, I want people to ask questions. What the show's really about is good and evil. In this show, evil really does have supernatural forces at its command. Good does not. Good has to operate through human beings. That is so interesting to me."