Knight Rider (TV Series) White Bird (1983) User Reviews

The Hoff gets serious

[Fluke_Skywalker · 7/10 · 14 February 2017]

Plot; Michael discovers that his former fiancé is in trouble a risks helping her while trying to keep his true identity a secret.

Despite the fact that the basic premise of the show is about a talking car that fights crime, you're still obligated to adhere to certain dramatic principles. In this instance, you have the character of Michael Knight (formerly Michael Long) who was near fatally wounded and then given reconstructive facial surgery and a new identity when he was recruited to drive said sentient car and fight crime. The problem is that there was never really lip service, let alone serious focus, on Michael dealing with having to leave his past behind. What about his friends? His family? His dog? No, he just dons his leather Member's Only jacket and sets off to battle old white guys in suits.

In "White Bird" we get a peek into Michael's past as his former fiancé comes back into the picture. No effort is spent on how or why Michael was able to completely walk away from her for a prissy Pontiac Trans-AM, but at least we get some semblance of drama as Michael tries to reconcile his feelings for her with his duty as the Knight Rider.

Hasselhoff really is the engine that drives the show. His likable do-goodery and utter lack of irony are sorta retro refreshing. But really, he's not a great actor. Here though the stunts take a bit of a back seat he gets a few moments of dramatic grist. As usual he wears his heart on his pushed up sleeve and it pays off in a nice change of pace episode.

A poignant episode

[coltras35 · 8/10 · 4 September 2021]

White bird is more of a serious and emotional episode where Michael Knight Michael and KITT come to the rescue of a paralegal secretary who is embroiled in criminality, thanks to her crooked boss and his gangland activities. Complicating matters is that the secretary, Stephanie "Stevie" Mason, was actually the fiancée of Michael Long, Michael Knight's presumed-dead former identity.

A different episode than the others that touches upon Michael's secret identity and his emotions are really torn here. Hasselhoff acts really well, so does Catherine Hickland who plays Stevie. The song White Bird is quite haunting, and is well suited to the emotion thriving throughout the episode. Don't get me wrong there's the usual Knight Rider-style action, but it's scaled back slightly to let the emotions reek. A poignant entry.

Michael Long

[Calicodreamin · 6/10 · 7 December 2021]

And just when you were about to forget about the strange origins of our tightly shirted protagonist, they throw this episode at you. Decent storyline but highly over acted.

A meeting of the dead and the new.

[dinith_rx · 12 June 2006]

It certainly is a good script.In the story Micheal accidentally comes across his love interest,Stephanie Mason, in his previous existence as Micheal Long.As usual Micheal intervenes and helps Stephanie,but the usual damsel in distress norm is surpassed into a more heart-felt and subtle storyline.

Micheal is more sensually involved,and Stephanie senses a far greater closeness towards this stranger,a likeness to one she lost and still yearns for.

Ultimately, they confront the inevitable as they pass away from each other.But their confrontation lingers as Stephanie leaves the necklace Long presented her with Knight, in the end.

I especially enjoyed this story because it gave the character, Micheal Knight, a much needed boost by bringing him closer to reality. He lost that sense of far-awayness through this story.

Great Character Development for Michael!

[ShelbyTMItchell · 9/10 · 7 November 2013]

This really opened the door for great character development for Michael. As his former fiancée (played by David Hasselhoff's first ex-wife, Catherine Hickland) is accused of conspiracy for a crime lord that she did not know that he was to begin with.

Without explaining who he really is and not the long dead Michael Long, Michael Knight goes and has the Foundation protect her. Along with clearing her name. But some men are dead set wanting her and Michael dead.

One of them happens to be a former cop who helped to frame her. As Michael gets to the bottom truth. He also finds himself falling in love with Steve as he called her, all over again. Despite disguising himself not to do that.

Really great character development for Michael to begin with.

best of series... so says the President of the Catherine Hickland Fan Club

[RavenGlamDVDCollector · 10/10 · 18 May 2020]

I bought the Season One of KNIGHT RIDER simply because I remembered the very, very pretty blonde girl I had seen in the episode "White Bird" which had that little eponymous song in it. Catherine Hickland, what an innocently pretty, absolutely darling sweet little beauty... only, permit me to say Fairy Princess... and I worship you, baby!

I agree with the other reviewer who called this a "strong episode", disagree with the one that called it "simple"... it is one of the very few that delves deeper into what actually happened in the pilot episode, the Michael Long back story.

But I am not here to talk about the storyline. Catherine Hickland, wow. Wow. Me? Teary-eyed sigh. I think that sums it up.

Ever since having been recruited by screen goddess Susan George in DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY, I am The Number One Fan of the chase movie. The car chase with the smart sports car, the dashing hero, and the vivacious ultra-pretty smart-mouthed girl. Don't forget Sondra Locke in THE GAUNTLET and Barbara Bach in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME.

So far KNIGHT RIDER had fallen short. Yeah, there were that episode with the journalist, the actress that had been in line for the Bonnie part, she had at least been in the car with Michael, but it just didn't have the feel to it. Make no mistake that this is nothing like the drive-in classic DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY but Catherine certainly was the right kind of lady. Too few scenes of her in the car.

And unforgivable that she was shot. Like Susan George in THE PERSUADERS! "The Gold Napoleon" also wounded. Scriptwriters don't really care about their heroines, huh? If I had this set-up as writer/director/creator, Mr. Larson, no, sorry, I don't have the nerve to be director... but if I could have done creative input for "White Bird"... shame, poor old unpublished author me... but promise ya, people, I'd have made optimum use of that beautiful, beautiful kid... but no bullet hitting, no hospital.

Delightful, ultimately wistful episode with great photography. Kudos to David and Catherine for their uncredited input in pitching the storyline.

Puffed with pride to have seen this again.

White Bird

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 22 March 2018]

The plot is not much. Stephanie Mason is arrested by law enforcement officers for conspiracy. It looks like her boss set her up, even planting a false arrest record to diminish her credibility in front of the grand jury. Stephanie remains loyal to her employer, convinced he is not committing fraud.

What brings this episode some emotional heft is that Stephanie was engaged to Michael Long the man who Michael Knight once was.

Knight having seen an article of her arrest comes to her aid which rekindles all kinds of emotions in him. However he needs to protect her from the bad guys on their tail.