Knight Rider

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.

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.

Just finished watching the new pilot for Knight Rider 2008. I thought it was great! Good action and plenty of the car (and looks like Val Kilmer has finally found a suited role as a robot).

The moans in previous posts are petty IMO. As for the Mustang not having good suspension for corners??? What are you on about? Does this look like it's a stockroom Ford to you? Grow some imagination people! Guess what? - stock Fords can't morph while you are driving either!

It is what it says on the tin - an updated version of KR and I like it. I grew up on Airwolf and KR and it's great to see one of em making a comeback.

Yes it may be far-fetched but so was the first version. How else can Michael get into so much trouble on a weekly basis? You gonna slag off the A-team next for being unrealistic? I hate to break it to ya but 4 bog roll tubes and a some gaffa tape does NOT translate into an armoured tank!

Watch it for what it is - and leave your pre-judgement at the door.

I watched the "Pilot" movie last night. It was okay, not terrible by any means. BUT---I still feel that the original (Hoff's version) "Knight Rider" series still rules, and is the best! This new show will have new advanced special effects, obviously, but it's still a remake---NOT A NEW ORIGINAL IDEA! Remakes of older popular shows are always VERY hard to make and have them "take-off" like the originals did! This "Knight Rider" will need a lot of luck to get going like the first show did.

The 80's series was an all new idea, with awesome/mesmerizing special effects for the time! This new updated show is okay, but it's just that...an updated idea of an already awesome show. Also, I'm sorry but KITT WAS A GM AUTOMOBILE...NOT A FORD! The Mustang is a cool car, don't get me wrong, but KITT needs to be the new Camaro/Trans-Am that's supposed to be released towards the end of this year. Also, William Daniels will always be the voice of KITT...even though Val did an okay job for what he was given.

The acting was pretty "newbie" too. I know the original show was pretty corny as well, but David Hasselhoff was already a fairly accomplished TV actor by the time he did "K.R." This new dude (aka "Mike Tracer"--LOL!!!) seems pretty "green" and no where near the league of the Hoff! Last, but not least---WHEN IS THIS NEW SO-CALLED KITT GONNA' JUMP?? The whole "Pilot" did not have one jump (aka turbo boost) included. If this new show does not have KITT jump...sorry folks but it's gonna' suck! I hope the show gets better as it goes along--nice touch with the Hoff at the end, encouraging this new guy along. The original show's "Pilot" movie had style, class, and captivated you. This new one...well, sort of. But not like the original classic.

OK, the scripting really was pretty awful and some of the acting was, as previously mentioned, more wooden than a redwood, but my main gripe which, to be fair, is probably not going to be something many people have even thought about, is that the voice of KITT never actually sounds like it's coming from the car. It just sounds as though its been added on as a voice over in post production (which is obviously the case i realise). What i'm getting at is that the original actually had a 'boxey' sound as though it were coming out of the speakers in the car, or even a small speaker under the center console. This is still where the voice would come from even in todays car so i do hope they do some sound processing to make it at least SOUND as though the voice is coming from the car and not some magical disembodied voice....

It's also a shame that they are alienating a huge group of potential viewers by having the adult themes which really add nothing to the story or the characters. If they cut out the actual killings and the sexual references, the show would not be anything less than it already is, and there would be no problem with all ages watching it as was the case in the original. The only reason this would be successful is BECAUSE kids watched the original and have now grown up but still have fond memories of KR. If they now disregard that generation this time round, whilst they may get ratings from the older generation, the show will NOT have the longevity the original still has..... Though what do i know eh?..........