From Wiki:

Kolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974–1975 season. It featured a fictional Chicago newspaper reporter—Carl Kolchak, played by Darren McGavin—who investigated mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly those that law enforcement authorities would not follow up. These often involved the supernatural or science fiction, including fantastic creatures.

The series lasted only a single season, but it remained hugely popular in syndication throughout the 70s and early 80s. Most strangely, whenever my family took a road trip to visit another family, that family would have Kolchak: The Night Stalker playing in the background.

Result

Fucked me up and ruined my life.