The Knight Rider Discussion Thread... (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

While this show hasn't really aged well, with the Michael Knight Chest Hair jacket and shirt wich is more of a late 70's fashion than an 80's one, it's still a fun ride.

Some of my favorite episodes are KITT related ones, however. Any episode where he gets destroyed, like Yesterdays two part episode where RC3 is introduced to the cast, or the one where his Memory is lost.

But here's a question. What DOES everyone think of the characters addition, and the new bits added to Kit like Super Pursuit Mode, EBS, and the C Button? Good additions to the show, or just something added to try and attract newer viewers in the shows long run?

If they ever bring it back, I hope they can make it as fun as the original...

 

[Tony Whalen]

Hated it when they put in Super Pursuit Mode. And when they took away the indestructible shell.

Personally, my favorite episodes are the KARR eps. Which is why I have 'KARR' on the plate of my TransAm. (I know... I'm a geek.)

 

[Joseph Young]

The movie sounds like it's going to be in the vein of the Charlie's Angels and Scooby Doo features... that is, somewhat self depreciating and tongue in cheek. Most likely we'll get a rap-metal 'remix' of the Knight Rider theme a la mission impossible, or a new lead who exudes as much charm as Freddie Prinze Jr.

Now the tv show, that's a different story. Who can forget Michael Knight's evil twin brother Garth, blowing smoke rings with his cigar? You just can't emulate that level of kitsch in modern cinema.

~j

 

[Tony Whalen]

Oooooh yes. Garth Knight. I believe he had a goatee, did he not? Of course, EVERYONE knows that if a character has a goatee, he must be the evil twin of the good-guy.

 

[Greg*go]

I spen many a summer mornings watching this in syndication through my high school years. I actually saw the guys hands coming from the seat in one episode when KITT was "driving himself." I think that was the high point of my summer. And although I did love the show, one question always bothered me...

When KITT was driving into the back of the truck, how come he didn't go flying through it when his tires hit the ramp? And what about getting out.. How come his tires didn't screech as they were reversed suddenly when Mike hits the gas?

 

[Todd K]

I am so mad at myself for missing Monday and Tuesday's two-parter. I guess I should have left more than just a paper note for myself.

Will I have to wait for them to recycle through the entire series gain to see it? I realize I'll probably think it's ridiculous when I see it, but back in the grade school days I thought the new modifications were the bees' knees.

 

[Moe Maishlish]

Greg,

That's always been a question I've asked myself as well, unless it's camera trickery (sped-up film, etc).

Moe.

 

[Joseph Young]

I believe he had a goatee, did he not?

I think it was a 'fu manchu' style moustache. Which makes it that much cooler of course.

~j

 

[Greg*go]

They should have Garth and KARR get together for the ultimate movie experience. But they're no match for Mike and KITT. KITT can drive through multan magma while keeping Mike awake by telling jokes for crying out loud.

 

[Scott Kimball]

When KITT was driving into the back of the truck, how come he didn't go flying through it when his tires hit the ramp? And what about getting out.. How come his tires didn't screech as they were reversed suddenly when Mike hits the gas?

I'm no physicist, but I believe if you coasted to the back of the ramp at a slightly faster speed than the truck was traveling, there would be no problem COASTING onto the back of the ramp - with enough velocity to get all four wheels off the pavement. From there, you slip it into drive and continue up the ramp. It's all a matter of timing. The tires would slip and stop as they get onto the ramp, but the car's inertia would keep it from accelerating into the truck.

Same for backing down the ramp. There will be a moment of slippage when the tires meet pavement and start to rotate differently, but the inertia of the small mass of the wheels, compared to the inertia of the large mass of the car, keeps the car from going out of control. Remember, even though the wheels have to reverse direction, the car already has forward momentum when it hits the pavement... it's traveling the same speed as the truck.

I haven't watched this show since it's initial run... and only last week realised Scifi was showing it. I can imagine it's very dated, now... but I might have to give it another viewing. It's initial run was in my high school years, and made me want to get a black trans-am.

It was a number of years after the show was cancelled, but I got a new black trans-am in '94... and I'm still driving it today...

-Scott

 

[Ken Chan]

My favorite gizmo was the "Passive Laser Restraint System" (in leiu of seatbelts). They never explained exactly how that worked, but it sounds dangerous

I didn't like the little fins for the Super Pursuit Mode either. Also, one time I taped an episode, and when they showed some data on KITT's display screen, I paused it. It was actually a listing of some Applesoft BASIC program.

There's a Knight Rider game out for the PC right now. I looked at the box; besides Michael, there's the old guy (Miles?), Bonnie, and yes, even Garth!

//Ken

 

[DeathStar1]

Hmm, I take it this isn't a new PC Game? If it IS a new one, maby it's time to look on Amazon.com .

 

[James T]

The game has been out for a couple months. It's a KITT game and not a Michael Knight game, but I haven't played it so I can't comment much more on that.

I remember going to Universal Studios when I was a kid. They had KITT there and if you have the patience to wait in line, you get to sit in the driver's seat while KITT talked to you for a bit. I couldn't remember if it was William Daniels or not.

 

[Tony Whalen]

I think it was a 'fu manchu' style moustache. Which makes it that much cooler of course.

Let's not forget... he also came equipped with a walking stick of some sort, if memory serves. NOW we're talkin cool.

As for the whole KITT-into-semi thing... it's possible. But I'd imagine you'd only want a professional stunt driver to do it. I *DO* seem to recall KITT occassionally displaying a sudden burst of speed once the rear wheels hit the ramp, which was probably unavoidable. Just remember that the exterior shots of KITT going in and out of the trailer had nothing to do with the SET that KITT was in. The set of the Knight Industries semi was so tight, I couldn't imagine driving into the thing...

 

[DeathStar1]

Aww, I only went to Universal ONCE, and I don't remember seeing KITT there at all. All I managed to get my picture next to was the BTTF train, and even that they wouldn't let you in. You had to stand next to a toon cutout of the characters from the animated series..

 

[Patrick Sun]

All I remember about watching this show in my youth was being a little miffed when Bonnie was replaced by the bubbleheaded redhead.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

And let's all not forget Garth's ride Goliath, now that was one bad assed rig! Just so long as you don't shoot a laser at the small quarter sized weak spot.

My post is sorta lengthy, so please bear with me as I delve deep into my Knight Industries Two Thousand data banks and share them with you.

I was obsesed with this show in it's prime! It came out in a time when they made crime shows aimed at kids, something they don't do anymore. I was so into it that I used to paint all of my Hot Wheels cars black with a little strip of red paint in the front for the scanner! :b I got a plastic model kit of KITT for one of my birthdays, can't remember which, and had my brother put it together for me. I used to play with it all the time until it broke, and even then I would pretend that KITT got destroyed by something. I remember my brother saying to me "Your not supposed to play with it, it's a model to look at only." I thought he was insane, I mean to not play with a big replica of KITT was madness!

After it broke, I soon replaced it with the big talking KITT and Micheal Knight playset! I remember it so vividly, the car said different phrases when you pushed the license plate, I had a ball with it. I still can't remember what ever happened to it, I do know that I didn't break it, but it sure got pretty scuffed up from me pushing it really fast on the concrete.

You name it, and I had it. In addition to what i've mentioned already, I had the t-shirt, lunchbox, small Matchbox versions of KITT, coloring books and finally the big TYCO electric Knight Rider racing set! I loved that the most I think, I mean KITT could move without me having to push him!? Get outta town! Too bad he would constantly fly off the track though. :frowning:

To give you an idea of just how much I loved this one particular item, if they had made a remake of A Christmas Story with me in the role of Ralphie, this would have been the object of my desire instead of the Red Ryder BB rifle.

Yep, I was a regular walking commercial for the show folks.

I'm embarrassed to admit this to you guy's for fear of you thinking i'm insane, but in a funny way, KITT represented my little "inner voice" for whenever I had a problem. If I was having homework problems for example, I would actually ask KITT what I should do and he/me would answer back the answer! :b I remember taking great pride in the fact that I sounded EXACTLY like William Danials!

I'm fine now though, trust me!

As for the show, it could do no wrong for me, whatever changes they made to KITT I merely factored them in and it made KITT even cooler to me! Looking at it now though, the Super Pursute Mode looks a little hammy, KITT was fast enough already without him sprouting fins and shit. And yes, as mentioned my favorite eps are the ones where KITT and Micheal have to face either Goliath/Garth, or KARR. I guess you could say I liked KARR too, he looked just like KITT except his scanner was yellow and his fenders were silver.

I guess I knew I was getting too old for the show when I started noticing Rebecca Holden instead of KITT, and realized that a talking super car is nothing compared to the female form. And finally, I hated how KITT looked in that aweful tv movie Knight Rider 2000! Kitt is and always will be a black T-top Trans Am to me, period!

 

[Tony Whalen]

I guess you could say I liked KARR too, he looked just like KITT except his scanner was yellow and his fenders were silver.

Nitpick time John! KARR had the yellow scanner and silver fenders on his second appearance. The first time we saw KARR, he was all-black and had a red scanner, just like KITT. If memory serves, only the voice-display doo-hicky was different from KITT's.

Well, I wasn't as dedicated as John was... BUT... the fact that I currently drive an 80's TransAm with KARR on the plate... I'm pretty much a big geek.

And I agree John.. KR 2000 was TERRIBLE. But I still think Bonnie was hotter.

 

[Jacinto]

Another nit-pick:

Was Michael's twin brother really named Garth Knight? As any true fan (dork) of the show knows, Michael's real name was Michael Young (before the shooting), so I would think any twin brother of his would be named Garth Young, not Knight. Not only that, but undercover cop Michael Young was shot in the face and then received serious plastic surgery that changed his looks even before his change in name. Point being, Michael's twin brother wouldn't even look like him.

Some of my favorite memories of this show are from watching reruns of it in Peru, dubbed into Spanish. There it was called "El Auto Fantastico" (you guessed it, "The Fantastic Car"), and for some reason, Michael had a very soft voice, while KITT had a very deep, gruff , macho voice. Of course the pronunciation of the "i" vowel in Spanish is restricted to the long "e" sound in English, so whenever Michael talked to KITT, it came out sounding like "KEET".

 

[Christopher P]

I loved this show when I was growing up too, but I can't get into its reruns much now, in the way I still can with, say, The A-Team, for example. At least Hannibal and Crew didn't try to take themselves too seriously.

And wasn't it Michael Long, instead of Michael Young? (Loads gun to shoot himself in the head if he's correct)

Chris