Kolchak: The Night Stalker: Fire Fall (1974)

Synopsis
In "Fire Fall," reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) investigates three cases of spontaneous human combustion. In typical Kolchak fashion, he suspects someone or something that is responsible for the deaths, in this case a kind of fire doppelgänger, the double of a famous symphony orchestra conductor. Although departing from the monster-of-the-week format established in the five previous episodes and drawing from two divergent folkloric traditions, "Fire Fall" borrows a bit too much from Don Siegel's Invasion of the Body Snatchers, with sleep providing the means for the doppelgänger to take possession of the actual conductor's body. Dated special effects -- extensive use of obvious superimposition -- and plot holes -- the doppelgänger can only kill while the victim is asleep but one individual dies while driving his car in daylight -- may make viewing the episode difficult. David Doyle (Bosley from Charlie's Angels) guest stars as an overzealous product inspector. The sixth episode in the series, "Fire Fall" originally aired November 8, 1974. ~ Paul Durica, All Movie Guide