Jazz saxophonist Johnny Domino (Matt McColm) was preparing to perform at a party when he was struck by lightning and acquired the ability to sense evil thoughts – almost like listening in on a radio.
Engineering genius Raleigh Jordan (Derek Webster initially, and then Derwin Jordan) provided Johnny with an anti-gravity belt, a red eye-like device that gave him X-ray vision, a masked suit that was virtually bulletproof, a device that made him invisible, and another that allowed him to project a holographic image of himself.
And so Johnny became a crime-fighting superhero called Nightman – in a Chrysler Prowler.
In addition to fighting conventional criminals, Nightman also battled demons, ghosts and other assorted supernatural creatures and extraterrestrial visitors. Johnny’s retired cop father, Frank (Earl Holliman) ended up involved in many of his son’s cases.
When not maintaining Nightman’s equipment, Raleigh worked as an audio engineer at the House of Soul radio station run by Jessica “Night Bird” Rogers (Felecia M. Bell) who was also the owner of the club where Johnny played. Jessica also sang at the club and worked as a disc jockey on the radio station.
In its second season, the tone of the series was darker and more serious. Charlie was on vacation and Lt. Briony Branca (Jayne Heitmeyer) had taken his caseload and Frank died after becoming involved with crazed, computer genius industrialist Kieran Keyes (Kim Coates).
Keyes and his sexy henchwoman Ali (Kiara Hunter) were recurring villains throughout the season.
Two months later Jonathan Chase (played by Simon MacCorkindale, who had played the same character in Manimal) worked with Johnny to defeat Jack the Ripper, whom he had unleashed on the contemporary world when he had gone back in time and inadvertently given the demonic killer the secret of time travel.
Nightman was set in the fictional Bay City (although it looked a lot like San Francisco).
Johnny Domino/Nightman
Matt McColm Frank Dominus
Earl Holliman Raleigh Jordan
Derek Webster (1)
Derwin Jordan (2) Jessica “Night Bird” Rogers
Felecia M. Bell Lt. Charlie Dann
Michael Woods Lt. Briony Branca
Jayne Heitmeyer Kieran Keyes
Kim Coates Ali
Kiara Hunter Jasmine (singer)
Saskia Garel Nance
Shane Kelly Quilio
Joe Pascual
