Boo! Supernatural Scares and the Night Stalker Stalks Again!

Before we get started, lemme just say that I got a new tattoo last night and it's quite fetching. Red circle with a star in the center on the inside left forearm. Even the artist dug it. My buddy Jake got an anchor on his biceplittle jealous, not gonna lie.
Hurt like a mofo, though. Kids, don't try this at home.
OK, now that we got that out of the way, it's time for a little more sharing: I love the scary. Horror movies. Haunted houses. Hell, I yelped like a girl at those Burger King commercials with the wooden-faced whatever-that-is. And to anyone who was sitting near me during Rob Zombie's Halloween remake, I apologize. Welbutrin make me all better now.
Honestly, I have willingly chosen to have the bejebus freaked out of me for like, the last 7 years, spending almost every night in October watching some scream gem or another (ask me about The Boogens, please!). So, in honor of my inner scaredy-cat and the glorious approach of my personal High Holy Day of Halloween, I will be dedicating each column this month to the spookiest TV on DVD.
Like Supernatural. Hello, holy crap and help me, Hey-Zeus! This shiz is not right. I gorged on the Season 1 set over the winter and wound up shakier than Tom Sizemore driving through a drug-free school zone. And don't be rolling your eyes because it's on The CW, either. Some of the bigger networks would be lucky to have Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki as demon-hunting brothers. It's like Beefy the Vampire Slayers! And as much of a hoot the first year is, with the urban legends and impressive effects, Season 2 is even cooler! A mythology develops- as do the characters- and the cases pack more of a punch. Souls are stolen, dead dads rise again (sort of, I don't wanna be spoiler-boy here) and the finale is huge with a capital OH MY GOD! And there's an evil clown episode. I told you this wasn't right!
Just be warned that the dialogue can get a bit hokey whenever the guys do their manly-man brotherly bonding stuff and Ackles is a little too "check me out" at times, but these are forgivable. Even The X-Files had its flaws. (Not a lot, but you get my point.)
Speaking of flaws, can someone please tell me what ABC's problem is? Their Night Stalker remake deserved better than the early death they dealt it! Ratings may have been less than killer, but they had a good thing going with this one.
Having grown up with the sort of dad who told his kids to stay up late on Friday nights so we could watch the 1974 Darren McGavin version- which is also on DVD and kick-ass creepy- I was more than a bit leery of the plans to jazz up what I will always consider a classic. Did the new one really need to be so atmospheric? Would Stuart Townsend ever be able to fill McGavin's seersucker shoes? And why was Gabrielle Union the best-dressed print journalist ever?
In short, yes, mostly, and because that girl is fierce.
The great thing is, without commercial interruption and weeks between episodes, watching Stalker on DVD probably does it a favor. It's easier to follow the sometimes-murky mythology (yeah, they all have one these days) of Kolchak's secret scar and really enjoy the chemistry that builds between Townsend and Union as they chase down all kinds of crazy.
Plus, there are at least five good chills-down-your-spine moments in each of the set's 10 episodes. How shows like this get the axe yet According to Jim lives on is what scares me the most, though.
IN MEMORIAM
As many of you may know, reality TV lost one of its greats this week. Meerkat Manor's Flower passed away shortly after being struck by a cobra, bringing an end to one of the cutest love stories ever and breaking millions of hearts across the planet, animal and otherwise. I don't want to go on too long, 'cause then I get all wet-eyed and the day is lost. So be strong, Zaphod and friends. Take heart in the fact that our plucked Flower will live on forever in the just released Meerkat Manor season 1 DVD set, which Pepito the Wonder Chihuahua has already deemed must-see among his furrier friends.
Next week: Children shouldn't play with black & white things. Bwaahaahaaaaa!
Until then, don't hog the remote!