Knight Rider (1982 TV series)

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KITT on display at Universal Studios

Knight Rider was a popular US 1980s television show. It starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a kind of modern-day 'knight' who drove an advanced smart car with artificial intelligence. The show was the brainchild of, and produced by, Glen A. Larson, who also co-wrote the popular title theme music.

In the pilot episode, undercover police officer Michael Long was seriously injured by a gunshot wound to the head. His medical care was taken over by the Knight Foundation, a private crime-fighting organization founded by dying millionaire philanthropist Wilton Knight. Given a new face via plastic surgery, Michael Long was resurrected as Michael Knight. Together with a high-tech automobile called KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), Michael set out to carry on Wilton Knight's crime-fighting work. Michael was usually given mission objectives by the new director for the Knight Foundation, Wilton's best friend, Devon Miles (Edward Mulhare).

KITT was, for many, the star of the show. Voiced by William Daniels, the car boasted artificial intelligence of a high enough level to reason and talk to Michael Knight as an equal. KITT could drive itself when Michael was otherwise engaged, keeping in contact via a wrist communicator (disguised as a watch). KITT's chassis was resistant to most known weapons below heavy artillery, was capable of quickly accelerating to over 200 mph (322 km/h); furthermore, the car featured numerous other special abilities, the most notable being a frequently-used 'turbo boost' for jumping over obstacles. Several episodes saw new technical gadgets added to KITT's repertoire, which was subsequently used to rescue Michael and KITT from some perilous situation. Bonnie Barstow (Patricia McPherson) was KITT's mechanic during the first season; when McPherson left the show, April Curtis (Rebecca Holden) became the mechanic for the second season. McPherson returned for the third and fourth seasons.

In the final season, KITT was revamped slightly. After KITT's body was severely damaged by an enemy battering ram, it was rebuilt with the help of RC3 (Peter Parros) and his friends. While they were not able to restore the car's depleted armour, they added a 'super pursuit mode', whose faster speeds were made possible by retractable airfoils, an 'emergency braking system' to either slow the car down or stop it from these high speeds, and a 'convertible mode' to turn the car into a convertible. However, many fans viewed these changes as unnecessary, and interest in the show dropped considerably.

Knight Rider was David Hasselhoff's first major television role and, although many people watched the show purely for KITT, it established him as a popular star. His character, Michael Knight, was an old-fashioned hero, a modern knight, fearless and temperate, who avoided unnecessary violence and refrained from using firearms. Most episodes featured a conventionally attractive young woman (on one occasion, Geena Davis in an early role), usually in need of Knight's help; the women often fell in love with him. As with The A-Team, Knight found that the demands of justice prevented him from staying in one town from episode to episode.

Debuting in 1982, the show was an instant hit, and inspired several other 'crimefighter plus high-tech vehicle' series, such as Airwolf and Streethawk. Its ratings began to decline in 1985, and the 1986 series was the last. Several attempts at reviving the series have been made. In 1991, a TV-movie entitled Knight Rider 2000 reunited the original cast for the last time (Edward Mulhare, who played Michael Knight's boss, Devon Miles, died soon after it was made). Then, in 1994, another movie, Knight Rider 2010 was only loosely based upon the series (this time with the spirit of a young woman becoming the basis for the car's intelligence). Team Knight Rider, an adventure series taking place years after the events of the original series, lasted for one season in 1997-98. Finally, in 2004, David Hasselhoff announced plans for a big-screen version of Knight Rider in which he will appear - but not necessarily as Michael Knight.

The show's first season was released on DVD in North America during the summer of 2004. The second season is scheduled for release on April 12, 2005.

Knight Rider was turned into a computer game in 1986 for several popular 8-bit formats, although it only received a partial release. In the modern era, it is also a computer game called Knight Rider the Game. It is a product of Davilex International under license. Players drive KITT through 15 missions. With the popularity of Knight Rider the Game, Davilex also released a sequel in late 2004.

Facts

The cars K.A.R.R. and K.I.T.T. were based on modified Pontiac Trans Ams.

K.I.T.T.'s red scanner was a carryover from Glen A. Larson's previous television series, Battlestar Galactica.

The fondly-remembered theme music, written by series producer Glen A. Larson and Stu Phillips (who also scored several episodes), was used as the basis for Busta Rhymes' 1998 hit single Fire it Up and was the background for Timbaland's single Clock Strikes. Several other artists, including the alternative metal band System of a Down's 'I-E-A-I-A-I-O' from 'Steal this Album', have sampled the tune as well.

The opening title narration (used from "Good Day At White Rock" - season 1 onwards) was spoken by Richard Baseheart (who played Wilton Knight):

Knight Rider. A shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the powerless, the helpless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.

Total Episodes - 84

First Air Date - September 26, 1982

Final Air Date - August 8, 1986

K.A.R.R. - Knight Automated Roving Robot

K.I.T.T. - Knight Industries Two Thousand

The Cast

William Daniels was one of the stars of St. Elsewhere - Dr. Mark Craig - and worked on both series simultaneously.

See also

Literature

  • Joe F. Huth & Richie F. Levine (2002). Knight Rider Legacy: The Unofficial Guide to the Knight Rider Universe. Writers Club Press. ISBN 0-595-23910-2.
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