This show is actually very good if you pay full attention...

djzee

First point - Everyone winging about KITT.

As a few have pointed out the original KITT was a Black Trans Am, now yes in the 80's they were cool cars and in fact they still are. I watched the original series when I was a little boy and loved it. I'm 34 now!. Remember folks the Black Trans Am was actually Micheal Longs own car as far as I remember, not FLAG's car. When Michel Long was rescued after being shot the chip/computer/gadget that was actually KITT was placed in the said car. This time round Bruce Davidsons character built the chip from scratch and needed a random car. He updated it to a more modern worthy one. Val Kilmer makes an excellent voice for KITT,perhaps the original voice-over couldn't do it this time, who knows? Also there has only been one season, so KITT is still developing much like the old KITT that developed over a couple of seasons personality wise and gadget wise. (Remember Super Pursuit Mode) KITT's transformations gave the whole series other options for different plots, and in one episode I forget which one, Mike says to KITT "Make it quick as we don't want cellphone footage of you transforming on YouTube" It was said quickly but very cleverly as that is just the kind of thing that would be up on YouTube if it were possible and could be a big worry for an organisation such as FLAG. Yes there is product placement there, deal with it! Ford are if not the biggest certainly one of the biggest vehicle makers in the world, there reputation proceeds them, it makes perfect sense for KITT to be a Ford, also as the operation is covert surly it's better to use a Ford than a Ferrarri. I think the whole transformation program is cool. It's SUPPOSED to be cool, and it is. Nanotechnology is not new, Star Trek were using nanotechnology with the BORG in TNG (1988 onwards), DS9 and Voyager. Whilst it may not be possible as far as we know, who says there isn't some sort of technology like that out there. Nanotechnology makes the Transformation program possible in KR08 and why not use it? KITT couldn't transform without it. It's far fetched but its SUPPOSED to be.

Remember the original series Knightrider episode where Micheal worked closely with Devon and "Stole" KITT? He ended up crashing through a wall of four-six feet of reinforced concrete. Thats impossible but things such as that are what made Knightrider Knightrider. Turbo boosting against a full flood drain in another episode was another example of this, that much water must have weighed Tons but KITT did it and blasted through the tunnel roof as an afterthought! Impossible but possible COOL! If it wasn't absurdly far fetched it wouldn't be Knightrider.

Second Point - Characters.

The characters in the series work well together as in humour, body language and emotional response. The Knight of the Living Dead episode showed this in the fact that people were unsure about what was a Halloween prank and what wasn't, until the body turned up, as they were all getting to know each other and work with each other. The much needed humour was there throughout the entire series as well and captured the spirit of the original interaction between characters. The geek felt uncomfortable outside the SSC, but the Asian girl couldn't WAIT to get into the field. Sarah and Mike have something for each other but certain situations throughout the season (Sarahs fathers death)caused a couldn't care less attitude, (the episode where Mike and the female MI6 agent worked together and had to disrobe to keep warm) caused jealousy, (the truth serum episode where Mike was injected to get the job done) caused potential love between Mike and Sarah, and so on. Brilliant characters reacting to situations that normal folk like you and me could never experience.

Point three - Plot lines

OK admit idly some of the plot lines in the early episodes were repetitive (the usual go out and retrieve this new technology for the US government). Think about it however if ANY government had access to this technology of COURSE they would use it to further there own ends. Especially the US government, there renowned for it, and by the way I don't mean to insult any Americans by saying that so please don't take offence. Weapons etc are always going missing, and they need retrieving. Over here in the UK the MOD has lost laptops with classified information on and all sorts. There's so much conspiracy in the world money exchanging hands etc, it's bound to happen and it DOES happen. So whilst being a bit repetitive it still made for some interesting plot lines.

The only plot line that I found a bit TOO unbelievable was how easily Mike got into Area51 to rescue KITT and escaped to take on KARR. Not the taking on KARR bit but the escape from Area51. Anyone trying to get into ANY military installation in the US to get there hands on classified technology no matter what were reasons were or are would be killed immediately in the "Intrests Of National Security". The X-files made that clear. It did however make for an interesting episode with a nice surprise as KARR turned out to be a robot, which in the fact that he wasn't a Trans Am anymore actually fitted him better, as KARR if i remember rightly stands for Knight Automated Rolling Robot.

Point four - Overview

As a few have pointed out the later episodes after the demise of KARR and the "official shutdown" of the SSC by the NSA got a lot more to the original plot of Knightrider. The new team worked closely together, more bonds were formed and even the Geek got his confidence back. This series was truly unique.

Thanks for reading.

score 10/10

djzee 12 January 2010

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2190446/