Wow. I’m actually starting the last disc in my DVD set today. We’ll be all done before we know it.

The monster problems were all over the place in tonight’s show. We started with three men in bird costumes who seemed to have incredible strength, perhaps due to that mysterious flute music that accompanies them. They can take on a Green Beret or a decorated cop and cut out his heart with a dull knife. (Why the dull knife is never really explained. Why would that be necessary for a sacrifice?) Four heroes get killed with barely a fight, but Carl does manages to save the spoiled kid who’s had his year of being a god and then chickens out with just a little encouragement.

And then we get that mummy at the end. Not very scary at all, and boy is his aim lousy. Kolchak doesn’t even see him coming the first time and the monster comes up behind him and swings his big sword and misses. Maybe they should have sacrificed a baseball player instead of the football hero. Then he somehow vanishes from sight even though he moves as slow as molasses. He comes up on Carl unexpectedly once more and misses by a mile again! And this Joker is going to bring on the end of days or something? I won’t be losing any sleep over him tonight.

So the rest of it is the hunt and the cast. The biggest surprise is Erik Estrada not even listed until the end credits, but this was pre-CHIPS when he was still playing the evil street punk who marries Chin Ho’s daughter in HAWAII FIVE-O and dies before the honeymoon even begins. Here he’s just a spoiled dolt who gets his year of being treated like a god but then is talked out of keeping his end of the bargain by Kolchak. Pippa Scott is fun as Tillie, the hotel PR rep and Sorrell Brooke is okay as the taxidermist. I really found Sondra Currie attractive as one of the three goddesses that tended Pepe. But she was pure evil, of course, the one who lured the cop to become victim number four. I thought Ramon Bieri had been on before, but apparently he was playing a different cop back in “Bad Medicine.” The story editor should have paid a little more attention.

I did like the way Kolchak sneaked into the first scene and almost got away with recording it. Or his attempt to sneak in as a busboy unintentionally sabotaged by Tony. Some of the early scenes with Tony trying in vain to get Kolchak to improve his image in front of the PR people were interesting. (“Take off your hat, Carl. Your hat!”) I liked it when Captain Timmons was trying to explain herself and everyone else was jumping in and talking for her. Finally, Tillie says, “How about letting her finish her own sentences?” Too bad she just ended up getting killed. You could say it was a step forward that a woman qualified to be one of the noble and brave sacrifices to the Aztec gods, but it just meant another woman added to the body count. Sad that the cop who spent all that time chasing Kolchak down got butchered as well.

All the Aztec mythology with the long-winded names and the concentration on the number 52 made some sense, but it was more fun to watch Carl make fun of the unpronounceable names. It was interesting at the end as he talked about not being there in 2027 when the mummy was set to rise again. Of course, he was right about that. I’ll likely be here for 2027, but I’m not worried about it. The world didn’t end in 2012 like the Mayan calendar predicted, so I’m not worried about the Aztec calendar predictions. Did everyone notice how the mummy’s eyes opened up in the last shot; that looked silly. Wasn’t he supposed to be in the dormant phase? Wouldn’t even the dopey museum people find that odd?

I can’t think that anyone involved really took this episode seriously. There was too much attempt at mirth – from Carl telling the cop he was attacked by a giant chicken to the joke about his watch being slow when the mummy collapsed a minute early. The best genuine mirth was the scenes with Tony and Updyke, where Ron said other people had told him a pipe made him look more thoughtful and Vincenzo responds, “They lied to you.” Short and sweet. Too bad the same can’t be said of the episode.

I’ll give this one 4 wooden flutes, which try to make the men dressed in bird costumes sound more sinister but, well…just don’t.

I watched this one without even reading the intro to the thread on it, and the instant I saw Erik Estrada I knew he would be a gag credit in it. Just too popular as Ponch. But upon learning his role in this thing, all I could think of was a line from Scooby Doo, "Rime a racrifice."

The second sacrifice of the series / first one to depict on the show was funny to watch, but definitely not scary. Looked like something out of preschool-aged kids' show with puppets, only taken in a darker direction. Then when I saw the guys in bird-suits for the first time I thought of Voodoo, rather than Aztec human sacrifice. Upon finally getting the Aztec bit out, I got this mental image of an Aztec and a Mayan sitting in a bar taking turns giving each other the heebie-jeebies by each talking about his own religious rituals.

For me, they did a good job of misdirecting my impressions about the monstrosity of the week before the reveal that brought it all together. And poor Carl couldn't do anything to stop the creature but wait out the clock on the planet Venus doing it for him at a specific planetary alignment.

As for the comic relief, I was glad to see Tony get in a good one on Carl and it appear to go over his head. As for dummies in key staff... Mildly amusing to see what Kolchak ended up doing with the taxidermied mouse. Good taxidermy is an art unto itself. I recall once visiting a Texas roadside diner that had a wildcat on display that could scare your pants off.

All in all, I found this to be a solid Kolchak ep. 7 stuffed mice in the inbox.

Our next incursion into the supernatural folklore deals with an Aztec god. Well, I promised Indians, and technically that's what we call them. Unfortunately for them, the Aztecs faced a fate in the hands of White People even worse than that of the American tribes. No wonder they still hold a grudge.

I'm glad Erik "Poncherello" Estrada had such a central role in the story, but I did not like the affected manners the writers chose for him (or was it the actor's choice?). Anyway, he was in an awesome physical shape back then. And he still looks great. So, Darren McGavin was right to say he wouldn't be around for the Aztec Millennium/Rebirth, but I bet Eric Estrada will. In fact I think we all should do a Kolchak revival then, before the world ends.

I'm just tired to see Kolchak assaulted and having stuff like cassetes and films stolen from him. I don't know how policemen would expect to get away with that. One cop might lose his temper and do that, but this practice is systematic and can be interpreted as department policy.

In his search for information, Kolchak ends talking to a taxidermist, who makes Kolchak admit that there's no question in his mind that he would like to be stuffed after dead like those poor animals the taxidermist "paid tribute to". That was really creepy. Well, Kolchak will do or say just about anything for a story. But the taxidermist had limited "free" information. He offered Kolchak a bird for $250, which he cut down to $125. A real bargain, if you ask me. Coincidently, about the same amount Kolchak wanted for his broken camera last episode, so I guess that was not such a bargain after all. in the end, Kolchak ends buying a stuffed... ahem preserved rat for just $24.75, which was not a bargain after all, considering you'd get "a dozen live ones for half that." But why someone would want to buy a dozen live rats for $12.37 and ¹/2 penny totally escapes me.

This episode had the highest concentration of beautiful women in all episodes, even more than that episode about fashion models, but they were totally wasted. At least I would've asked Tillie Jones to discuss some Aztec folklore issues in some quite and elegant Mexican restaurant.

The actress that played Capt. Madge Timmins also called my attention. I thought it was interesting that they would choose a woman to be a noble sacrifice and an accomplished officer, someone being considered for combat or something, though that seemed to be rare for a woman back then. Also, it's clarifying how men praised her but didn't let her finish a sentence. Nowadays this is called "mansplaining." Even though I don't agree with most of these feminist labels for ordinary exemples of rudeness that have nothing to do with gender, it does seem that men did that a lot back then.

The whole Aztec angle was nice, but the monster and his minions were laughable. Those bird people never seemed really threatening and I was never sure they were ghosts or living cult members. And their god must've been the slowest god in the world, seeing how he attacked Kolchak and kept missing him all the time. And, oh my god, at the end the god corpse BLINKED!

It's confirmed: Kolchak wore a Timex Electronic. Kolchak says the watch must've been slow. No way, Kolchak! A Timex takes a licking and keeps on ticking. But it must've been adjusted wrong to begin with. I find it funny that on several TV shows writers have always used the same gimmick considering wrist watches: when something is going to happen at, say, 12:07 (a god rises, time restarts, an eclipse begins, an attack commences) it always shows in the hero's watch the precise time up to the last second. But this episode played with that concept, perfectly illustrated earlier, when Tony and Updyke couldn't agree on what time it was exactly. They say the Watch family is the family in which its members disagree the most.

Not much more to say about this episode, but I'm getting tolerant to the show's declining standards. I was going to give this episode stuffed mice, but someone beat me to it, so instead, "Legacy of Terror" gets 5 unfairly murdered confident and accomplished old-fashioned women who, when you say hello to them they say hello back to you and smile, and if you say they are pretty they say "thank you" instead of suing you for sexual harassment.

Our globe spanning monster mash continues with a creature from the Aztecs.
The episode starts well setting up the premise of these victims having their hearts removed. Sadly the first murder we see did not come across well and with the flute accompaniment reminded me too much of Mitchell and Webb's Green Clarinet man that I found it more amusing.

Kolchak's arrival at the Sherwood Hotel was very well played. Updyke prediction that Kolchak won't even get his suit pressed turns out to be too conservative, as Kolchak lopes around his car, to stand looking his usually bedraggled and rumpled self. To compound it the radio, his syren call, draws him off moments after arriving.

I tend to enjoy the parts where Kolchak sneaks into the crime scene and this one is probably the best. Dangling his recorder down to the examiners and then taking secretive pictures all while seeming to argue or leave the scene was great.

@mad-pac wrote: I'm just tired to see Kolchak assaulted and having stuff like cassetes and films stolen from him. I don't know how policemen would expect to get away with that. One cop might lose his temper and do that, but this practice is systematic and can be interpreted as department policy.

Yes I agree with this, it came off ok at first just a hothead officer but now they all do it. I would expect Kolchak would get in trouble if he broke into a crime scene that was clearly marked but I don't know they can take his property if they fail to secure the area properly. Maybe I'm wrong.

We then meet our soon to be victim, the very attractive Captain Timmins. I didn't really buy her as this accomplished and highly decorated officer. Mostly because she stays sitting the whole time while everyone else talks down to her, she also sounded a bit weak and didn't really stand up (ho ho) for herself. Her death was quick and fortunately this time without the Flute man being so featured.

Kolchak's radio calls him again this time to where Timmins' body has been left. I did find it funny how Kolchak refused a head X-Ray as his head is full of "dark thoughts and evil plans". Kolchak does steal an important clue with a feather.
I thought it was a nice way to introduce our next victim by having him as the officer stopping Kolchak entering the hotel room. I thought at first it was Kolchak trying to butter him up to gain entry but it served to drop his service record in early and organically.
I've never noticed before, but when Kolchak takes photos of the bird picture in the hotel "dead storage" the picture blinks like the camera shutter, has this always happened because I thought it was a nice touch.

The mummy effects were pretty good and the headpiece was impressively designed and weighty. So far the pieces of the puzzle are interesting how does this fit in with the murders.

Kolchak then gets an unexpected ally in Ms Jones. Kolchak's face as he realises he might get away with this is like a little boy caught and now getting a way out.
I got the impression she took to Carl as she doesn't really have much reason to help him. She was an interesting character and gives some further information on Pepe.

We then get more Kolchak Kwerky Kharacter (hmm somethings wrong with that term, but I can't think what).
The Taxidermist wasn't as interesting as many of the previous bit characters but he served his purpose to localise the bird and find out more about Aztec body preservation.
The Mexican attache was fairly realistic, trying to push on Kolchak positive stories of Mexican commerce and not being able to answer his questions, but again he gives just enough information to move Kolchak along. This leads us to the Professor Rodriguez who gives a great deal of info. This clears up the intervals of the murders, the reason the victims were chosen, Pepe's role and a possible means to stop the Aztec god. This could have come across as an information dump but was structured very well to tie together the threads through the episode.

The interval of the murders reminded me a lot of Eugene Toombs from the X-Files episodes Squeeze and Toombs. He would also emerge to claim an organ, in that case a liver.

The steps thing was interesting. The problem is there must be multiple possibilities, is it one continuous staircase or would one that goes round corners like in a building count.
Fortunately Kolchak's hunch is correct and we get our showdown.

Pepe is another good character, instantly unlikable being so privileged and very dismissive of others.
He does get a nice moment with Kolchak where he explains why he agreed to this, feeling he was going nowhere and also hints at it meaning his mother will be looked after. Kolchak uses this and convinces him to pull out by simply asking him "who says you have to be a bus boy", or perhaps it was the knife about to hit him in the heart.

@brimfin wrote:
And then we get that mummy at the end. Not very scary at all, and boy is his aim lousy. Kolchak doesn’t even see him coming the first time and the monster comes up behind him and swings his big sword and misses. Maybe they should have sacrificed a baseball player instead of the football hero. Then he somehow vanishes from sight even though he moves as slow as molasses. He comes up on Carl unexpectedly once more and misses by a mile again! And this Joker is going to bring on the end of days or something? I won’t be losing any sleep over him tonight.

@mad-pac wrote: The whole Aztec angle was nice, but the monster and his minions were laughable. Those bird people never seemed really threatening and I was never sure they were ghosts or living cult members. And their god must've been the slowest god in the world, seeing how he attacked Kolchak and kept missing him all the time. And, oh my god, at the end the god corpse BLINKED!

Yep nothing to add, except yes a lame ending.

Phew I wrote a lot for this one, sadly I can't say that reflects my enjoyment. I am hoping one of the 4 remaining episode will be a real cracker to see Kolchak out. I think I will miss Kolchak, Vincenzo, Ms Emily and Updyke when we move on.

6 magical flutes that don't get you confess your hidden secrets, unlike the Green Clarinet out of 10

Just watched last weeks episode and this one back to back. Didn't find time last week.

Quick word about last week, I thought I was very good. The succubus idea really clicked with me. I'm sort of out of sync with you guys because I loved this weeks one too. Love all creepy occult mysteries involving Aztecs Incas, Toltecs etc. The ending made good sense to me, another 52 years until the mummy awakes. All the Mayan calendar stuff is accurate.

So all in all two good episodes

Demon in Lace 8/10 Legacy of Terror 9/10

@HawkMan47 said:

Love all creepy occult mysteries involving Aztecs Incas, Toltecs etc. The ending made good sense to me, another 52 years until the mummy awakes. All the Mayan calendar stuff is accurate.

So all in all two good episodes

Good point. I love those cultures as well. They seemed to be fascinating ad it's a great loss they were destroyed. These civilizations you mentioned were much more technologically advanced than the American Natives, and were comparatively thousands of years ahead of the South American Indians from the lower plain areas -- Tupis, Guaranis, Tupinabás. Tamios, Tupiniquins - I bet you've never heard of those! I don't know if it was here that I mentioned this, but our Indians (in Brazil) were in the equivalent of the Neolithic (upper stone age) when Portuguese explorers came.

When I lived in Mexico in the 1970s I had many chances to learn about the Aztecs and visit museums with artifacts and models of their cities and structures. That's all so fascinating. Yet, what entered pop culture is the fact that Aztecs made human sacrifices to their gods... Oh, well...

@BobPeters61 said:

I watched this one without even reading the intro to the thread on it, and the instant I saw Erik Estrada I knew he would be a gag credit in it. Just too popular as Ponch. But upon learning his role in this thing, all I could think of was a line from Scooby Doo, "Rime a racrifice."

Yeah, you were right about that one. Can you guess the other gag credits? Remember one of them is a tribute to one of our past shows.

@mad-pac said:

Armando Cosio ... El Comelón

Took me a while to spot it, but this character was from THE MIDDLEMAN, episode 3. Blended in nicely with the other names, I must say.

@brimfin said:

@mad-pac said:

Armando Cosio ... El Comelón

Took me a while to spot it, but this character was from THE MIDDLEMAN, episode 3. Blended in nicely with the other names, I must say.

Good one. I was looking for a character with "luchador" in the name, but unfortunately there was none. But as far as I can remember, El Comelón was a Luchador.