Midnight Caller is a drama television series that aired on NBC. It was created by Richard DiLello, and was one of the first television series to address the dramatic possibilities of the then-growing phenomenon of talk radio. [1] [2] The series ran 3 seasons from 1988 to 1991, airing a total of 61 episodes.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by [5] | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code [5] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Conversations with the Assassin" | Thomas Carter | Richard DiLello | October 25, 1988 | 201062 | 21.7 [6] |
| Series pilot. After accidentally shooting his partner, policeman Jack Killian retires from the force and takes up a job as a late night radio talk show host. But Jack is soon pulled back into his former crime-fighting lifestyle when a female serial killer who calls herself "Angel", and is infatuated with Jack, begins calling the station and telling him about all of her murders. Guest stars: Jenny Wright, Kay Lenz. | |||||||
| 2 | 2 | "12 Gauge" | Robert Butler | David Israel | December 6, 1988 | 177403 | 19.6 [7] |
| Jack tries to stall a spurned lover calling his radio show, from committing a murder-suicide with his girlfriend while the police try to track the man down and rescue the woman. Guest stars: Ed O'Neill, Yvette Nipar. | |||||||
| 3 | 3 | "After It Happened" | Mimi Leder | Stephen Zito | December 13, 1988 | 177404 | 18.7 [8] |
| Jack helps an old flame of his track down the man who impregnated her after a one-night stand...which also left her infected with HIV. Guest stars: Julia Montgomery, Richard Cox. | |||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Payback" | Kevin Hooks | Deborah Arakellan | December 20, 1988 | 177405 | 19.7 [9] |
| When a friend of Jack's is wounded and her partner is killed in an undercover operation, they find comfort in each other's arms. But, he is caught in the crosshairs of the mob looking to silence the only witness to the crime. | |||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Bank Job" | Michael Zinberg | Stephen Zito | January 3, 1989 | 177407 | 18.7 [10] |
| While trying to cash a cheque, Jack finds himself taken hostage in a bank robbery. Guest stars: Charles Cioffi, Matt Clark, Susan Walden. | |||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Execution of John Saringo" | Reynaldo Villalobos | Richard DiLello | January 10, 1989 | 177406 | 22.1 [11] |
| Jack interviews death row inmate John Saringo (Joe Spano) just before he is executed. Spano won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Saringo. | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | "A Kiss for the Dying" | Peter Levin | David Israel | January 17, 1989 | 445158 | 22.5 [12] |
| After his son is suspected of the death of a girl he was seen with, a newspaper publisher eyeing Jack for a job uses his influence to get his son off without charges, begins a smear campaign against the deceased girl, and even provides a witness who Jack interviews on his radio show. However, when Jack starts looking into the girl’s death, he makes a startling discovery. Guest stars: Peter Michael Goetz, Darrell Fetty, Richard Bradford, Suzanne Weber. | |||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Trash Radio" | Larry Gross | Carol Mendelsohn | January 31, 1989 | 445159 | 19.9 [13] |
| When Jack trades barbs with Kingston Rivers, another late-night radio host, Rivers goes to great lengths to prove Jack was involved in the theft of drugs from an evidence room. Guest stars: Mitchell Laurance, Alexa Hamilton, Robert Romanus. | |||||||
| 9 | 9 | "No Exit" | John Patterson | Richard DiLello | February 7, 1989 | 445152 | 18.8 [14] |
| A young runaway, forced into prostitution, turns to Jack via his radio show for help. Guest stars: Bud Cort, Heather Fairfield, Brenda Strong. | |||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Fathers and Sins" | Robert Singer | Robert Singer | February 14, 1989 | 445160 | 20.7 [15] |
| Jack's father comes back after abandoning his mom when he was a kid. But, Jack remains wary of his intentions. Meanwhile, Devon and her father get into a heated argument over the life of her deceased brother, culminating in a fatal outcome. | |||||||
| 11 | 11 | "The Fall" | Peter Levin | David Israel & Robert Singer | February 21, 1989 | 445161 | 20.0 [16] |
| Jack goes back to a neighborhood he worked when he was a patrolman to help a woman's drug-addicted son kick his habit. But, given how long her son has been using drugs, it's uncertain if it'll work. | |||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Promise to a Dead Man" | Eric Laneuville | Thania St. John | March 7, 1989 | 445162 | 21.6 [17] |
| Jack is tasked with helping a retired cop solve a 40-year-old homicide, but it's a race against time as a journalist will do whatever it takes to crack the case. | |||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Blame It on Midnight" | Bradford May | Larry Gross & Richard DiLello | March 28, 1989 | 445164 | 19.0 [18] |
| Jack meets a night club singer and ends up falling hard for her. Her abusive ex-husband is not willing to let her go, eventually attacking Jack with a knife in a bar. Later, the man is killed, and Jack is the prime suspect. | |||||||
| 14 | 14 | "Ethan's Call" | Matt Clark | Randall Zisk | April 4, 1989 | 445166 | 18.7 [19] |
| The son of the officer Jack shot and killed asks Jack for help dealing with his home. But, the boy's mother is still furious about Jack's role in her husband's death. | |||||||
| 15 | 15 | "Baby Chase" | Larry Gross | Story by : Paul Robert Coyle Teleplay by : Paul Robert Coyle & Stephen Zito | April 11, 1989 | 445163 | 19.2 [20] |
| Jack turns to his audience for help when a doctor's baby is kidnapped by a young woman, but it's a race against time since the baby has juvenile diabetes. | |||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Wait Until Midnight" | Eric Laneuville | Story by : Gary Michael White Teleplay by : Gary Michael White, David Israel & Stephen Zito | May 2, 1989 | 445167 | 21.5 [21] |
| Proceeds from an armored truck robbery arrive at the address of a blind woman by mistake. Starring David Morse and Meg Foster | |||||||
| 17 | 17 | "Blues for Mr. Charlie" | Robert Singer | Thania St. John | May 9, 1989 | 445165 | 21.7 [22] |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by [5] | Original air date | Prod. code [5] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 1 | "The Tarnished Shield" | Kevin Hooks | September 19, 1989 | 445903 | 18.7 [23] |
| A friend of Jack's commits suicide after calling into the show, and this sets off a chain of events that causes Jack to mistrust his previous training officer. | ||||||
| 19 | 2 | "Evil Is Live Spelled Backward (Part 1)" | Bradford May | September 26, 1989 | TBA | 17.5 [24] |
| A caller to the show appears to begin a killing spree to get Jack's attention, but Lt. Zymak is unconvinced the killings are all connected. | ||||||
| 20 | 3 | "Evil Is Live Spelled Backward (Part 2)" | Bradford May | September 26, 1989 [25] | TBA | 17.5 [24] |
| As the killings continue, no-one is safe. Jack decides to confront the killer, especially after he takes Devon hostage. | ||||||
| 21 | 4 | "Mercy Me" | Michael Zinberg | October 24, 1989 | 445904 | 20.0 [26] |
| An old friend of Jack is conflicted about keeping his comatose son alive. While the boy is only alive because of the machine's he's hooked up to, he can't be euthanized under the law. When Jack's friend goes on the show, he creates a swath of controversy across San Francisco. | ||||||
| 22 | 5 | "Watching Me, Watching You" | Colin Bucksey | October 31, 1989 | 445905 | 21.6 [27] |
| A man who spots Devon on the freeway begins stalking her. As his obsession gets more intense, she and Jack get concerned. Soon, the obsession turns into a dangerous encounter. | ||||||
| 23 | 6 | "Take Back the Streets" | Colin Bucksey | November 7, 1989 | 445907 | 20.0 [28] |
| Jack and KJCM get caught in a confrontation between drug dealers and residents of the neighborhood. As it continues to escalate, tragedy ensues. | ||||||
| 24 | 7 | "Someone to Love" | Robert Singer | November 14, 1989 | 445906 | 16.6 [29] |
| When Jack's ex Tina Cassidy returns, now dying of AIDS, she asks Jack to help settle her affairs in her final days. But, she's uncertain if he's taking her diagnosis seriously. | ||||||
| 25 | 8 | "End of Innocence" | Colin Bucksey | November 21, 1989 [30] | 445908 | 20.2 [31] |
| Jack helps a woman who's being jailed for refusing to reveal the location of her daughter, who she believes is being abused by her ex-husband. But, Jack could face a similar fate by a judge looking to railroad him. | ||||||
| 26 | 9 | "Blood Red" | James Quinn | December 5, 1989 | 445909 | 18.3 [32] |
| Deacon's girlfriend (guest star Pam Grier) has a gambling addiction that's gotten her in a tough spot with some shady characters. Meanwhile, Lt. Zymak investigates the murder of a wealthy communications magnate. | ||||||
| 27 | 10 | "Do You Believe in Miracles?" | Robert Singer | December 19, 1989 | 445910 | 20.0 [33] |
| Jack gets involved in a situation involving a missing Church statue, a turf war, and a girl with cancer, all before Christmas. | ||||||
| 28 | 11 | "Based on a True Story" | Michael Zinberg | January 16, 1990 | 445911 | 19.1 [34] |
| Jack, Devon, Billy, Deacon, Lt. Zymak and his wife Connie recount their experiences during the Loma Prieta Earthquake. They all found themselves in unusually helping situations, to get through the damage and destruction of the earthquake and its aftershocks. | ||||||
| 29 | 12 | "Planes" | Randall Zisk | January 30, 1990 | 445912 | 19.3 [35] |
| Jack tries to help a young boy left at a gas station by his mother and her boyfriend. | ||||||
| 30 | 13 | "Kid Salinas" | James Quinn | February 6, 1990 | 445913 | 17.0 [36] |
| Jack helps an illegal alien boxer being taken advantage of by his promoter. | ||||||
| 31 | 14 | "A Snitch In Time (Part 1)" | Eric Laneuville | February 20, 1990 | 445914 | 19.0 [37] |
| After a hit and run, Jack is accused of the death of a young lady, with a witness claiming he told her all about what happened. | ||||||
| 32 | 15 | "A Snitch In Time (Part 2)" | Eric Laneuville | February 27, 1990 | 445915 | 23.0 [38] |
| The case against Jack mounts up, but Jack starts to see the issues with the statements. | ||||||
| 33 | 16 | "The Reverend Sound Bite" | Peter Levin | March 6, 1990 | 445916 | 20.1 [39] |
| A young black man is seemingly attacked and blames the SFPD, namely Carl. Jack tries to prove his friend innocent, while also showing the Reverend has an agenda for getting involved. Carl also deals with issues relating to his marriage. | ||||||
| 34 | 17 | "Wrong Side of the Wall" | Matt Clark | March 27, 1990 | 445918 | 16.5 [40] |
| An ex convict is trying to go straight but his old partner wants him for one last job. Though he tries to get arrested for a crime he didn't commit, Jack finds out a better way for him to live outside of prison. | ||||||
| 35 | 18 | "Three for the Money" | Robert Singer | April 3, 1990 | 445917 | 18.1 [41] |
| Jack's father and brother, Frankie, get mixed up with a girl and a missing Buddha. | ||||||
| 36 | 19 | "Protection" | James A. Contner | April 17, 1990 [42] | 445919 | 16.4 [43] |
| Jack has to help a couple being targeted by a drug cartel. | ||||||
| 37 | 20 | "The Hostage Game" | Charles Robert Carner | May 1, 1990 [44] | 445921 | 17.5 [45] |
| When a childhood friend's brother is taken hostage on a plane, Jack tries to calm the man down, but fearing he has no option but to try and get his brother released, he takes drastic action, leading to a tragic showdown. | ||||||
| 38 | 21 | "Nighthawk's Got the Blues" | Robert Singer | May 15, 1990 [3] | 445922 | 16.0 [46] |
| Jack is not himself, he is upsetting everyone, including his listeners and not even his friends can talk to him. Devon has to make a choice that will be difficult for her, she also tells Jack a personal secret. | ||||||
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by [5] | Original air date | Prod. code [5] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 1 | "Burned Beyond Recognition" | Eric Laneuville | September 28, 1990 | 446251 | 14.1 [47] |
| Jack takes part in a bachelor auction for charity and discovers the woman who buys a date from him is a murder suspect. | ||||||
| 40 | 2 | "The Language Barrier" | James A. Contner | October 5, 1990 | 446252 | 11.2 [48] |
| Problems between Italian and Chinese people living in North Beach come to a head, and Billie Po gets caught up in the troubles. | ||||||
| 41 | 3 | "Old Friends" | Robert Singer | October 12, 1990 | 446253 | 13.5 [49] |
| Jack investigates the nursing home where his father figure recently died. | ||||||
| 42 | 4 | "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" | James Quinn | October 19, 1990 | 446254 | 12.9 [50] |
| Devon has a surprise when Richard Clark returns and asks her to marry him. Jack is incensed that he has come back and just wants to take Devon away. | ||||||
| 43 | 5 | "Sale Away" | Rob Bowman | October 26, 1990 | 446255 | 12.0 [51] |
Jack, Richard and Devon argue about almost everything, Devon gives birth to a baby boy and makes a decision that will change all their lives. Note: Last regular appearance of Wendy Kilbourne First appearance of Lisa Eilbacher | ||||||
| 44 | 6 | "Life Without Possibility (Part 1)" | Eric Laneuville | November 2, 1990 | 446256 | 11.2 [52] |
| After convicts from a local prison revolt and take some guards hostage, they call the station and ask Jack to air their grievances on the air. | ||||||
| 45 | 7 | "Life Without Possibility (Part 2)" | Eric Laneuville | November 9, 1990 | 446257 | 11.3 [53] |
| As tensions rise, Killian becomes the target of a man he put away. | ||||||
| 46 | 8 | "Ryder on the Storm" | Fred Gerber | November 16, 1990 | 446258 | 10.3 [54] |
| A DJ from Killian's past comes back to San Francisco looking for forgiveness for an accident that happened 20 years before. | ||||||
| 47 | 9 | "Home to Roost" | Robert Singer | December 5, 1990 [55] | 446259 | 12.9 [56] |
| Killian's friend, a cop about to retire, is accused by an immigrant of atrocities during the Vietnam War. | ||||||
| 48 | 10 | "With Malice Towards One" | James Quinn | December 14, 1990 | 446274 | 10.6 [57] |
Jack recounts a story from soon after he started at KJCM, which involves a released convict seeking revenge, not just on Jack but a former girlfriend of both men. Note: Features a Special Guest Star appearance by Wendy Kilbourne As Devon King | ||||||
| 49 | 11 | "That's Amore" | James A. Contner | January 4, 1991 | 446260 | 13.1 [58] |
| After a chef is kidnapped from a restaurant that Nick owns, Jack gets involved in the lives of the chef, his wife and the man she left him for. | ||||||
| 50 | 12 | "Her Dirty Little Secret" | Betty Thomas | January 25, 1991 | 446261 | 10.5 [59] |
| 51 | 13 | "Uninvited Guests" | James Quinn | February 1, 1991 | 446262 | 10.8 [60] |
| 52 | 14 | "Play Blotto... and Die" | Eric Laneuville | February 8, 1991 | 446263 | 10.6 [61] |
| A man who was taken into witness protection asks Jack to help him collect lottery winnings of $46 million, while avoiding the man that wants him dead. | ||||||
| 53 | 15 | "Can't Say N-N-No" | Randall Zisk | February 15, 1991 | 446264 | 11.6 [62] |
| 54 | 16 | "Blood Ties" | Win Phelps | March 1, 1991 | 446265 | 11.3 [63] |
| 55 | 17 | "The Added Starter" | Eric Laneuville | April 5, 1991 | 446266 | 10.7 [64] |
| 56 | 18 | "The Loneliest Number" | Peter Levin | April 12, 1991 | 446268 | 10.8 [65] |
| 57 | 19 | "A Cry in the Night" | Philip J. Sgriccia | April 19, 1991 | 446267 | 11.7 [66] |
| 58 | 20 | "The Leopard" | James Quinn | April 26, 1991 | 446269 | 9.8 [67] |
| 59 | 21 | "The City of Lost Souls (Part 1)" | Eric Laneuville | May 7, 1991 [68] | 446270 | 15.2 [69] |
| 60 | 22 | "The City of Lost Souls (Part 2)" | James Quinn | May 10, 1991 | 446271 | 10.9 [69] |
| 61 | 23 | "The City of Lost Souls (Part 3)" | James Quinn | May 10, 1991 [4] | 446272 | 10.9 [69] |
...NBC's 1988-91 series "Midnight Caller," which was light years ahead of its time when it came to dealing with talk radio.