The fact that Night Stalker pulled in 7.13 million viewers (in the overnight ratings) doesn't paint the complete picture. The really damning facts are that NS came in 3rd in its timeslot, with CSI bringing in 27.2 million and Apprentice 4 brininging in 10.34 million - and in the key 18-49 demographics it only mustered a 2.7/6 rating, whereas CSI had a 9.3/23 and Apprentice 4 had a 4.7/11. As one media analyst put it "that is nothing to certainly boast about." But as bad as all that might be, it's usually true that a new series' viewership will fall off after the premiere episode as the people who merely tuned in to sample it go back to whatever they normally watch, so it's anyone's guess what might happen next week...
As for the Creature Corner review, I think it's a bit harsh, and in opposition, Variety's review was generally favorable and they liked Stuart Townsend's performance/interpretation. At the moment I think my own opinion of the series probably falls somewhere between those two views and I'm definitely willing to give it at least a few more views before forming a final opinion. However, something that I wholeheartedly agree with as a general principle is the sentiment expressed in the first two paragraphs of the Creature Corner review:
"Sacrilege!" That's the usual cry when a genre classic ends up on the conveyor belt to remakesville, and all too often we spend way too much time bemoaning the ways in which the new version deviates from what we know and love, and too little time considering whether the new material stands up in its own right.
In other words, sometimes a remake isn't always a bad thing. They can honour the original and stand alone as solid entertainment at the same time.
