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.
shareHere's what got me, as a wee nerdling, into the show (and yes, this is all what got me into it as a child):
The car was awesome, fantastic, truly (in-show) inspiring in the level of technological achievement (to the point the writers truly said that anything they could think up, KITT did)--but he didn't matter. KITT was, truly, all but irrelevant. He was a tool, no more important than a hammer. Sure, he was a fancy-as-heck hammer, but still just a hammer.
Remember the reoccurring theme: "One man can make a difference". One person. Not one toy, not one car, not one super-nifty-keen techno-wonder. One person can make a difference in someone's life. How many times was KITT as a complete loss without Michael? He had to constantly ask for guidance in understanding people, and when Michael wasn't available, he typically had to ring up Devon and/or Bonnie to ask, essentially, "Now what do I do?"
Further, how many times was he wrecked? Or just couldn't get to where the episode's objective was? Consider how many times Michael had to be Ejecto-O-Seated over a wall, how many times he had to sneak into a building, so on and so forth.
The message that I got out of it was that the running tagline was true--one person can be the difference in someone's life. That one person can risk everything he cares about, everything he loves, just to help (how many times was Michael close to being killed by the baddie of the week, again?). He knew the risks, knew he may die without anyone really knowing he existed in the first place save for a smattering of Foundation members--but he never stopped.
That was powerful, to me, as a child. Yeah, the show was filled with cheese, like Super Pursuit Mode as a concept (from when they were losing the rating battle with The Dukes of Hazzard, if memory serves). Yeah, sometimes the acting was a bit--meh (though I still say Hasslehoff was a better actor than he received credit for), and some of the special effects--weren't exactly special. Like most kids, I noticed most of that, too.
But what made it so beloved, to the point where to this very day, fans literally around the world build their own kit-cars of KITT and KARR? I think that other posters have it right for a few--flashy effects, neat cars, action sequences, so on and so on--but I like to think I'm not the only one in the world who saw an example, even if fictional, of someone truly putting everything on the line for no other reason than to just--help--and walked away feeling a little better about a less-than-ideal life.
I like to think it's popular because it showed that people can actually, and genuinely, care. I don't remember many other television shows of the era truly showing it. Most promoted it, but few showed it.
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Sometimes You Plant Seeds For Trees You Will Never Sit Under
Well said, Phantom! Well said.
Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!
Beautifully stated, Phantom. Wilton Knight's simple and eloquent philosophy of life was slowly phased out after the first season, but it had helped make the show a worldwide cultural icon by then.
As Wilton, Richard Basehart sold the concept of one person making a difference in the pilot episode. I thought it was fitting how he mentioned that his "adventures were over" while lying on his deathbed as Michael and Devon watched Wilton Knight pass the torch to Michael. As a Basehart fan, it was very moving to watch him move full circle from co-starring in one hit science fiction series (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) to briefly help launch another (Knight Rider) over a twenty year life span with each series lasting exactly four seasons. It adds a lot to the show's sense of legacy.
The continued use of Richard Basehart's voice narration elegantly complimented the opening theme long after the actor's passing in 1984. He rightfully deserves his credited part over the entire run of the series.
Personality of KITT and the way he worked as a parner to Michael not as a tool.What was it michael said Meat KITT my friend, my partner and my computer. (in that order)
real stunts not CGI. the investigations never was it world threatening it was defending ordinary people from crime. Even when Goliath came into it it wasn't so much a global disaster as a personal grudge.
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You did miss Automan obviously, although I think that one only managed to air like 4 or 6 episodes before it tanked.
It Takes A Thief was also pretty cool when I was a kid. And Fantasy Island. But these aren't quite the same genre.
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People liked KITT. I think one of the ironies of the show, all these years later, is that William Daniels didn't want to be credited, because he thought it would take away from his credibility on his other show, St. Elsewere, and that Pontiac wanted all references to the fact that KITT was a Pontiac Trans Am dropped because they were annoyed with people coming into dealerships asking for the Knight Rider car.
Pontiac is gone, no one talks about St Elsewere, but knight Rider lives on.
"R.I.P. Harry Kalas"
It is its fanbase that makes it live on, the show and the concept are dead and gone. Which is plainly shown by the constant failure of the reboots and the film.
What needs to have happened is that the original fans of the show needed to have grown up to be writers, producers, directors and actors. Made names for themselves and the relaunced it with a modern spin. Unfortunately along with the majority of Genre shows in the US the fans have not done that.
Some shows just aren't meant to be remade. KITT as a character was awesome. KITT as a supercar, in 2013, a cell phone can do half the things KITT can do. in 1982, what KITT could do, was awesome. Now, much of it has become common place.
"R.I.P. Harry Kalas"
"...In 1982, what KITT could do, was awesome. Now, much of it has become common place."
And yet today (early 2017) there are still things KITT could do that present-day cars cannot do. One of them should be a simple thing - where's the fingerprint sensor on the car door handle?? And of course, we still don't have a molecular bonded shell on our cars, so when idiots slam into us, our cars dent or worst case, can be totaled.
I came by this by chance, I see that the last reply was almost a month ago, but there is something that I didn't see anyone else mention.
The Dukes Of Hazard. I had been watching that show since it started and loved it ( I was 10 when Knight Rider started ), but right before Knight Rider started was when Tom Wopat and John Schnieder left the show and they brought in two new characters. After a season of that, it just wasn't the same. Knight Rider was a little more "grown up", and of course since Knight Rider was on Friday night in direct competition it easily won out. Does anyone else remember the commercials that NBC ran with KITT and a look alike General Lee? It was basically a shot of the two cars side by side with someone saying check out our show about a car...
First of all, sorry! My englisch ist Not Perfect.
Here in Germany is Knight Rider definitely iconic. K.I.T.T. is probably the most casual car in the world. And in the 80's and 90's, david hasselhoff was cool. Okay, he is only a shadow of himself today.
Every episode tells just about the same story like A-Team. One person is in danger...hero is coming...beats the bad guys...everyone is happy. Although the most love it. Today you can watch Knight Rider constantly repetitions in free and pay tv. So, if you find anything prudent show in tv you can watch something like knight rider. :-)
I think the reason why this show is so successful is, that everybody wants a car like K.I.T.T.
Moreover, in the 80's and 90's this norm of shows was generelly popular.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083437/board/flat/201424330
For some dang reason, when you click on the link, it doesn't go to IMDb thread that it's supposed to go to, but when you copy and paste it into the URL, it does. (Update: Now it's working. Stupid IMDb.)
So here's a copy and paste of my thread from a while ago:
It aired in spring or summer 1982 and featured a slightly angled overhead shot of several classic TV cars (including Starsky's Gran Torino and the Dukes' General Lee) lined up in two columns facing each other in the Californian desert, a guy in a suit walking in front of the cars and talking to the camera about how the car star of NBC's upcoming new show would blow all of those other cars away, and then a closing shot of KITT speeding off into the distance at an angle (similar to the penultimate shot of the show's actual opening credits).
I only saw this promo once, when I was a little kid visiting relatives in Iowa.
Needless to say, I was hooked.
I've never been able to find this promo.
"Okay, first of all, it wasn't 'Eek, a mouse,' it was 'EEK, AN OIL TRUCK!!!'"
did Michael Knight ever use a gun on a mission, or to solve a problem?
I can't recall if that ever happened, and you know what that's pretty damn cool and another reason to like the show.
I believe the reason for its success and contining popularity is the same as MacGyver or Magnum P.I's popularity, likeable lead characters, overall fun atmosphere, and just a cool, fun show. That is also why it can't and won't succeed today, we took the fun out of our shows, everything on TV these days are either stupid reality shows, or shows just too dark and depressing, I miss those days of fun and feel good times. I mean I know perhaps the world is a little more depressive to live in these days, but we really do need more fun in our lives.
"I'll be back"
I know...........
But having said that I can't for whatever reason watch a whole run of episodes. I bought season 1 and 2 thinking it would be a fun trip into nostalgia but I couldn't bring myself to finish the season 1 set.......
I tried "turning off my brain" and all that jazz..... for some of those episodes it just didn't work.
As Bonnie said to Michael, "K.I.T.T. has become more than the sum of his parts." David was hot back then, the fact KITT was constantly learning and becoming more than just a car, the story between Bonnie and Michael, and of course the relationship between Devon and Michael. KR launched a number of careers and they liked to used the same guests if they could. KR is also the first show to have a theme that was more than 30 seconds long. KITT became more personable as the show progressed and the insults used for Goliath were funny and cute. Magnum P.I.s car never did that, and the ATeam definitely did not have a talking car. I think for a lot of us it is the altruistic idea that one guy can make a difference in the world.
shareI'm watching reruns of this show and couldn't agree more. I always imagine the irascible Dr. Craig sitting in the passenger seat next to Michael every time KITT spoke. Love this show more than I did in the 80's.
"To wives and sweethearts - may they never meet."
I think for a lot of us it is the altruistic idea that one guy can make a difference in the world.
I don't subscribe to this show being all 'one guy making a difference'. There was always atleast KITT present, though the "surveillance mode" wasn't on by default so KITT wasn't always actively communicating about threats etc. And there was often a guest actor on Michaels side, not solely waiting for rescue all the time.
I don't really like shows that are truly "one man team" kinda shows - there were plenty of those too (sorry, forgot the names). One exception. Stingray, that was quite good one man saves/helps/rescues etc show, with a nice car, obviously.
My favorite shows are those which are in the opposite end of the spectrum: Star Trek, Burn Notice, Mission Impossible (I prefer the modern 1988 version filmed in Australia over the original, mainly due to more modern gadgets and 80s pacing - the original MI series had tendency to drag along just like the original Thunderbirds show - editing/pacing/rhythm can either be dragging or so fast you don't really get to take in all the detail in each scene - you can spot a cheap production by fast pace and lots close up mug shots - it's all to cover up the cost cutting - the shows can still be expensive but this just means the production company is making high margin. Lack of outdoor or custom stage scenes is another sign.)
This is also why some can't stand those Tom Cruise Mission Impossible movies. The series never were about some single handsome dude doing everything, nor about being a car advertisement. If we imagine the movies weren't in the MI-franchise, I'd say they are ok to good but compared to MI1988 they simply suck. (BTW. MI1988 1st season does have plenty of quite weak eps and couple totally horrible ones, so if you haven't seen it, don't judge it by first season only)
I think it was because the show was just fun to watch. It was okay for people of all ages to watch, so the kids could watch it with their parents or grandparents. And these days, it's fun to watch those old episodes and see Hasselhoff's overacting (which I'm honestly a big fan of), the far-fetched scenarios, KITT's interactions with the world around him. The remake they did a few years back just didn't have the same magic as the original series.
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