Knight Rider

I wanted to like this more than I did. Unfortunately, after viewing this "re-boot", it looked more like a 1-hour movie that was really, really stretched to fill a 2-hour slot. It really seemed like this was produced, then shelved until NBC started to run out of content. Was the now-settled writer's strike the only reason this got on the air?? Re-boots of old series have mixed results, but there have been some encouraging examples on both TV (the new Battlestar Galactica) and film (the new Bond). Story lines are more complex and characters are more developed. The new attempt at Knight Rider did not achieve this status.

One thing that I found distracting – and maybe it's just me – was that with one exception, all the vehicles in the show were from the Ford family. This included Mustang, Focus, Edge, Taurus, even Volvo. I find that not only distracting (no road is full of one corporation's products), but also a not-so-thinly veiled attempt at a 2-hour Ford commercial. Only in the final chase sequence did the bad guys switch to a GM-type SUV (with the front grill badge removed).

The "supercar" technology just didn't translate to 2008. And with all the advances, it still had the "cylon" front end with the sequential lights. I had hoped the writers would have taken the 1983 ideas and evolved them further than they did. In many ways, the new car was simply a supercomputer on a very fast platform.

As far as the "bad guys" were concerned, their motivation just never seemed to be plausible. The "Blackriver" tie-in to Blackwater may have been an unnecessary jab by some Hollywood politico, but even if it was unintentional it detracted from the story. A good story line should not be topical, but deal with more timeless conflicts. The bad guys in this movie just didn't display the necessary motivation.

On the positive side, the choice of outfit for Mike Traceur was a subtle nod to the old Michael Knight ensemble. Instead of the red shirt and a black leather jacket, it was a very dark red t-shirt with a dark jacket (maybe leather). Close, but not obvious.

It was also nice to see David Hasselhoff, if only at the end. What spoiled it for me was the fact that he had a starring credit in the beginning of the program. That removed any sense of surprise. In fact, I watched the show waiting to see in what role he would show up in.

***SPOILER***

The Hoff shows up as, of course, Michael Knight, father of Mike Traceur. Possibly the least emotional meeting in history, at least in the way it was depicted. If the producers are determined to make this a series, it would make internal sense for the Hoff to have a recurring role, but now serving in the same function as the previous Devon Miles character. Heck, he might even see some action again.

All in all, the new Knight Rider was like a visit from an old college friend. Nice to catch up again, but not something you want to make a regular part of your life. Unfortunately, this re-boot needs a re-boot.

I really don't get all the people complaining about this show. It isn't meant to be perfect and 100% realistic (you need to feel like you're 10 years old while watching it, like you were, when the original series aired). Well, I like it (I can't say I totally love it, but I like it). So what, if KITT can't take infinite rounds from a 50 cal (or a tank or a helicopter gun ship) or break uncomputerized locks etc. The show has grown up a bit as have the fans of the original. It's become A BIT more realistic. And that's good. I love the characters, I love KI headquarters, the fact that the plane has taken the place of the truck and most of all I LOVE THE CAR.... when it's not in attack mode.

Which brings us to the faults in this show and the biggest one of them all - KITT in attack mode! Who the hell designed that!? A 9-year-old? It just looks cheesy! Why the plastic tubes on the hood or the tin wheels? You can do better than that (although it is quite difficult to make the Shelby GT500KR any cooler). If you can't, just make it lower, add a bigger rear wing and that is it! It doesn't need an attack mode, that car looks like it could bite your head off even when it's standing still. The show could reduce the product placement (well, the obvious promotion of Ford). The Cobra does the job just fine. And the transformation from a mustang to a truck or a van? Not a big fan of that really. At least they could make KITT transform into something really cool (the Ford F150 is as cool as a pick-up truck can be, but pick-ups in general are as cool as lawnmowers or tractors).

OK, enough. I just wanted to say, that the show is not as bad as you could imagine from all the comments, but ended up writing a book about it. OK, enjoy the show, I definitely will.

What Can I say thats not already been said, bad acting, horrible plot, seems more like a Ford Commercial than a tribute to the original. Lets start with the basics..KITT from the 80's seems more advanced that this new reincarnation..KITT was indestructible whether he was activated or not..for this version the car is completely vulnerable and seems more like a step back than forward..they should have combined the technologies to make it more believable..and making Michael Knight seem like a deadbeat dad most have upset all the true fans of the original. I recommend a complete revamp of this show before they make it a series full time..thats my humble opinion.

I can understand why they would update the technology of K.I.T.T, I really didn't enjoy this remake. I'm a huge fan of the original series and I guess for me this remake was always destined to fail before it even started.

I hated the new opening theme too, they should have kept the original.

The only reason I didn't give this less marks was because Val Kilmer did a good job as the voice of K.I.T.T.

I will be continuing to watch future episodes as I'm hoping to see David Hasselhoff make more appearances. I just wish it was 'The Hoff' doing all the action and driving scenes, even if he is 25 years old than he was in his prime.

Full disclosure: I was a teenager when the original "Knight Rider" aired back in the early 1980s. The whole "Solitary Samaritan" thing, a device for which this show was known, is something I like (See "The Incredible Hulk" or -- to a certain extent -- "The A-Team"), and as cheesy as the original looks today, it still holds on to much of its charm.

That said, I awaited the new "Knight Rider" with baited breath. With all that is possible with 21st-Century visual effects and technology, I wanted to see what they can do with one my favorite adolescent chestnuts. I watched the pilot. I saw viable technology with some "Gee-whiz" factor thrown in. I saw Michael and his comely comrade get into a scrape and, with KITT's help, they escaped unharmed. And KITT's transformation sequences were a real attention-getter, until I noticed a severe continuity problem. In one episode, Michael tells KITT to switch back to normal mode in a secluded area to avoid it ending up as video footage on YouTube, yet KITT frequently transforms in public areas (Vegas in broad daylight, for example). Still, I think they did well with KITT, and the fact that they landed Val Kilmer as its voice was a real "get".

Now to what is wrong with the show. Michael (Justin Bruening) is a lunkhead. Oh, he looks hunky to pass off as a young Hasselhoff, but at least Hasselhoff can act. Michael's on-again-off-again relationship with Sarah (Deanna Russo) is actually well done, but there's no chemistry! Russo does a fine job, but Bruening doesn't click for me.

You know who does click, though? Billy (Paul Campbell) and Zoe (Smith Cho). These two are actually good enough to keep this show afloat, especially since NBC's announcement that the cast is getting trimmed and the show's focus will be more like the original's "Solidary Samaritan" formula.

If you ask me, saying that the second bananas far exceed the leads speaks volumes. If this "new direction" doesn't work, then maybe NBC should resuscitate last year's cancelled "Bionic Woman". At least that show was interesting; it was just an unfortunate casualty of the Writer's Strike of 2007-08.