The episode is an odd mix of interesting and... not. William Smith as Jim Elkhorn is the show's highlight, and I'd watch a show with Elkhorn as a main character. An MBA who is also an Indian shaman and a construction site foreman. There are other good bits: Elaine Giftos as Nurse Janice has some decent bits "A well-performed autopsy is a joy forever" is a line that always cracks me up, even if she gets a very unclimactic death. The INS office humor, with Kolchak telling Vincenzo that Matchemonedo is a Cuban boxing bantamweight, and then Vincenzo pawning the same off on Updyke when he asks.
The opening bit where Kolchak arrives at the dedication and the greeters pawn him off with some pithy lines, is also good.
But the episode overall is just kinda... blehh. Matchemonedo has a great presence on the plates, but when invisible most of the time, it's must less impressive than the invisible alien(s) in "They Have Been..." It just cracks walls, sparks, and makes a crackling noise. And it's defeated by... cold. Ho hum.
The supporting cast other than Smith and Giftos are also very blehh. Robert Yuro is the least memorable of the Kolchak captains throughout the series. Michael Strong is anything but, and he and Robert Cornthwaite are horribly wasted. Even if there are hints of rivalry between their two characters that go nowhere.
Also, wild theories just get tossed out. Kolchak and Elkhorn say Matchie sucks out energy and blows it out. When did they establish that? It's like the high-steel workers that die off-screen in Kolchak's prelude. Apparently the show was already running out of budget at the mid-season: we don't see any of this. So there's a bit where Kolchak and Nurse Janice go to Elkhorn's apartment, and Janice slowly falls for Elkhorn's charms while the neighbor finally leaves in irritation with her toaster. It's humorous, but it all takes place in an apartment set.
While the hospital underground corridors look like they were later borrowed for "The Sentry".
So I'm not sure what would have improved the episode in the time allotted. Maybe play up Matchie some more (how did it kill those workers at the beginning? And show not tell), and do more with the hospital setting. And give Kolchak a bit more to do in killing Matchie than just spray a fire extinguisher. Kolchak is a guy who grabs some monster-killing weapon and then... drops or breaks it. And then thinks his way out of trouble by setting a cross on fire or lynching a POC zombie. There's none of that here.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
The opening bit where Kolchak arrives at the dedication and the greeters pawn him off with some pithy lines, is also good.
But the episode overall is just kinda... blehh. Matchemonedo has a great presence on the plates, but when invisible most of the time, it's must less impressive than the invisible alien(s) in "They Have Been..." It just cracks walls, sparks, and makes a crackling noise. And it's defeated by... cold. Ho hum.
The supporting cast other than Smith and Giftos are also very blehh. Robert Yuro is the least memorable of the Kolchak captains throughout the series. Michael Strong is anything but, and he and Robert Cornthwaite are horribly wasted. Even if there are hints of rivalry between their two characters that go nowhere.
Also, wild theories just get tossed out. Kolchak and Elkhorn say Matchie sucks out energy and blows it out. When did they establish that? It's like the high-steel workers that die off-screen in Kolchak's prelude. Apparently the show was already running out of budget at the mid-season: we don't see any of this. So there's a bit where Kolchak and Nurse Janice go to Elkhorn's apartment, and Janice slowly falls for Elkhorn's charms while the neighbor finally leaves in irritation with her toaster. It's humorous, but it all takes place in an apartment set.
While the hospital underground corridors look like they were later borrowed for "The Sentry".
So I'm not sure what would have improved the episode in the time allotted. Maybe play up Matchie some more (how did it kill those workers at the beginning? And show not tell), and do more with the hospital setting. And give Kolchak a bit more to do in killing Matchie than just spray a fire extinguisher. Kolchak is a guy who grabs some monster-killing weapon and then... drops or breaks it. And then thinks his way out of trouble by setting a cross on fire or lynching a POC zombie. There's none of that here.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?