Don't get me wrong, it's a good show, but I'm wondering why it was so successful? It seems to me there were quite a few shows in the 80s with gimmicks (Manimal, Automan) and a show with a sentient car doesn't seem that successful.
shareI think viewers liked K.I.T.T.'s personality and the type of maneuvers pulled by it ( turbo boost, oil slicks, micro jams, shooting Michael Knight upwards, etc.).
shareDavid's chest hair.
----
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4kKRasdKMI
I think people wanted escape. It was the early 80's and in a lot of ways Knight Rider was a combination of the old Superman with George Reeves and The Lone Ranger combining an upper hand on the bad guys with the 'cliffhanger' style of TV show. The actors were all likable and plausibly cartoonish. An' let's face it, even rappers love the bassline from the theme. Overall, the characters were people that anyone would want to be Devon-the experienced elderman, Michael, the brave and handsome hero and Bonnie and April were beautiful and capable in teh same package. Their main misstep was RCIII, but even that character brought capability to the mix. Not too much violence and action that pushed the edge, but not too much. If the new series had stuck to the formula it might still be on. Instead they went the cloak and dagger route like 24, but it doesn't work in this kind of sci-fi setting. Knight Rider is all about teasing the imagination. Too much psuedo-reality spoils the mix.
sharepretty obvious why it was successful if you ask me but ok we can analyze it if you wish
It was good because the cast were likeable, it wasn't too muchoman style where everyone few seconds someone needs to be filled full of bullets, yet modern for its time therefore unique. They didn't hire some "up themself" huge american honcho to play as the guy who ran foundation but instead chose a british bloke to give it some class.
Most of all it had K.I.T.T sure to people his just a talking car but the voice wasn't over the top, it wasn't lame like a robot voice, and was lovable at the same time.
It pUshed the boundaries of the concept of technology although some went a little too far (not that it was a downside, it was just funny) but thats only if you compare it by totdays standards, otherwise it seems believable in someways because in its time no one knew how far technology could go, it was a stuff of dreams.
It was modern, for example it used digital numbers and it was an automatic car. Which is ironic, because by todays standards its classified as stupid like clip on ties or velcro shoes.
Which never made sense to me why these things suddenly became so unpopular i.e these things were invented to make life easier i.e a digital watches werent made so its easier to tell time and thus revolutionary..however if you were caught wearing one now, to people (especially westerners) its lame and makes you look childish.
Same with velcro, its considered lame if you wore velcro shoes...which is stupid since we still use it for tons of other stuff and it was actually first invented by NASA
All and all it was an amazing show until they caved into 80's pop culture like voltron and transformers and made a 'super mode' which looked stupid and more so when it used its flaps to slow down.
Knight Rider was huge in the 80's. I remember when KITT first got destroyed.
-You see him on tv every week as invicible...then all of a sudden, you can harm KITT? When KITT's armor was pierced for the first time, that was the biggest thing on tv. Then he get super pursuit mode. I think viewers liked following KITT and his upgrades.
-Michael Knight was a good 80's hero. Just the right blend of being smart, daring, tough, helpful, etc. I think he appealed to all ages. The show could be enjoyed by kids or adults.
A lot of shows now are too narrow. I think KITT and Knight Rider represented the technology of the 80's well. The show was futuristic, but not so futuristic that you couldn't follow it. I think the belief in the 80's was, technology held a lot of promise. Reagans Star Wars defense. The shuttle launch. Space. Where computers were going.
A cool black car was right up there. Good choice choosing William Daniels as the voice of KITT. Baby boomers would remember him from the Graduate. The other cast members were great.
NASA DID NOT REPEAT NOT INVENT VELCRO!
share[deleted]
A Swiss electrical engineer named George de Mestral invented Velcro, based on the burrs of burdock. They, too, have hundreds of tiny hooks that catch on anything with a "loop" such as hair and clothing fibers.
shareYes, burdock, thank you. No one invented velcro. They just made an artifical version of a burr and called it something else.
shareOkay, what the hell, I'm just going to put my neck out there and admit I wear velcro shoes. I still think it's LESS LAME than having shoelaces come undone, which REALLY looks childish.
shareOh yes, and I wear a Casio digital watch - an ATOMIC one - and am proud of it. When every other fool has to change their clocks and watches back/forward an hour twice a year, I sit back (laughing at them) and let Colorado do it for me.
shareI chalk it up to just that perfect storm of silly elements that worked really well together at the time. AI, Science Fiction, KITT having a personality had a huge part of it. Plus, being a contemporary of The Dukes of Hazzard didn't hurt.
It was Science Fiction show, that didn't slap you over the head with the Science fiction part of it. The magic of the show if you will, is that KITT was an actual character, not just a prop.
Really, it was a buddy cop show. Its just, one of them was a talking car. And it pushed, but didn't break, suspention of disbelief. In 1982, you could get away with a computer, being realistically human, because, unlike today, we didn't all have them in front of us, and realize they are as smart as our toasters. in 1982, the guy in the white lab coat, could make it possible for a computer to 'talk' and it was amazing!
Strange, 30 years later, I just watched a computer win on Jeopardy, using its own databases and speech recognition, and people are critical of it.
"R.I.P. Harry Kalas"
It was the car. Definitely the car. Why? Because we all wanted one just like it! Even though most of the stunts were absolutely unbelievable (my favorite was in the first season when KITT drives through a brick wall and busts Michael out of jail), we all loved to see them anyway. The 80's was all about what kind of car you drove. lol That and I think we all have a bit of vigilante in us. It was a perfect recipe for a popular TV show at the time. Unlike today, where people would rather watch reality show after reality show about who is gonna get voted off the show this week (gag -- kill me now).
I loved Knight Rider so much as a kid growing up, that I couldn't bear to watch Baywatch, cuz seeing David Hasselhoff on TV without KITT made me sad.
I loved Knight Rider so much as a kid growing up, that I couldn't bear to watch Baywatch, cuz seeing David Hasselhoff on TV without KITT made me sad.
I agree, even with the hot women in the show, I caught myself looking for KITT on the beach. Funny how we fans think a like.
share[deleted]
Same here! I would have thought that a show set on a beach featuring David and a bunch of Playboy Playmates playing lifeguards would have caught my eye, but I can barely remember a single episode from that series. For all of Baywatch's worldwide success, David without KITT just wasn't the same for Knight Rider fans, apparently.
It did make me very happy to read that David had gotten Edward Mulhare to guest on the Baywatch Nights spin-off series just before Edward's passing. I've always thought that was a classy move on David's part and a sign that both men had remained friends long after Knight Rider was cancelled.
- Humor. The taking car is actually made funny, but there is also the interaction between the heroes, Michael, KITT and Miles in particular. The dialogue is best in season 1, when all was new and fresh.
- Good actors who can support the twisted concept.
- Great stunts! Much stunt work is exceptional for a TV series. Remember, no digital effects and they could still make it this good!
Of course the "talking super-car" concept is the heart of it all, the foundation, but it takes some solid constructions on top to make it a whole, and they managed to make several different parts strong.
As someone who was a kid in the 80's and glued to Knight Rider every time it was on each week (despite not being a big car fan), I can tell you some of the things I loved about it.
1.) KITT. Who didn't love Kitt? He was funny and smart, loved his cultured voice but he wasn't too snobby sounding. And his banter with Michael was always fun to listen to. As for the car itself it just looked so cool. Like I said, I'm not the type of person who is really into cars but even I wanted a trans-am (but only if Kitt came with it! LOL).
2.) Michael Knight/Hasselhoff. Okay, true confession, I thought Hasselhoff was pretty cute back in the day. And I liked his easy-going, joking style as Michael.
3.) Edward Mulhare as Devon Miles. He added a touch of class and a wink of humor to the show. I still remember when I heard about his death a while back and the sadness I felt.
4.) The joy in the show. It was fun! It didn't take itself too seriously (without being too campy) and was just a riot to watch.
5.) The 'bromance' between Michael and Kitt. The scenes I always loved best were Michael and Kitt talking, bantering, what have you. Their friendship was the heart of the show.
6.) Two words: Turbo Boost! Every week I would sit there and wait for the jump to happen. It was cool, it was exciting, it was thrilling.
In short, I think the blending of heart, humor, excitement and just plain fun in this series all blended together to create the hit that so many of us remember so fondly. There was a little something for everyone as well, so that helped.
It's against regulations to hug a junior officer. Unless you mean it.--Starbuck
^ This!
Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!
I concur as well. As a kid born in 1981. I begged my grandmother to let me stay up and watch it on Wednesday nights I believe. I even got my dad to get me the Knight Rider toy car that you could actually ride in. The show was brilliant and quite the thrill ride!
shareYes! I couldn't have summed it up better than faeria has above. Knight Rider was a simply perfect show for its time.
The cherry on top is Stu Phillips and his classic theme music. Like fine wine, it endures as nicely as the show itself.
--- Car's technology, gadgets & appearance
--- KITT's voice & personality
--- Hasselhoff's looks & swagger
Any wild scenario could be written because having KITT's Molecular Bonded Shell & gadgets allowed for a safe entry & explosive exit.
`