The Michael Knight Question.

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The Michael Knight Question.

Post by tkr9 » Mon Aug 18, 2003 3:16 pm

What is most intriguing about all these posts is that you all seem divided into those that luv Mike and those that think he's a twit.

So, is Mike the hero of the Century or the world's hippest prat?

My contention is yes, he looked cool, and yes, he was a very good looking chappie anyway (apart from the knitwear (shudders)), and yes, could he drive, but become a crime fighting, justice-wielding, super force for truth and all that's fluffy? Would you all slaughter me if I kind of shook my head sadly here?

Come on, the coolest thing about Knightrider is KITT. You could put a squashy bear in the driving seat and the series'd look fantastic. :twisted:

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Post by knightimmortal » Mon Aug 18, 2003 3:25 pm

And why would you want to start a post that is inevitably going to turn into a fight? There are those who like Hasselhoff as Michael Knight and there are those who hate him. But why insult the rest of the series with that same opinion?

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Post by neps » Mon Aug 18, 2003 4:04 pm

I can see her reasoning; to try and start a debate. But you have to know tkr9, that we have had this discussion in the past and it never ends good. You can probably search old threads if you want to see examples of this. People love the KITT, people love the Michael and are very vocal and have strong opinions. Michael was part of the show, wether you liked him or not, you'd have to agree that the show would have taken a whole other path without him. Wether it would have been a positive or negative effect we wont know, because the series is how it is, and you have to accept it for that.

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Post by Ghost-Unmade » Mon Aug 18, 2003 10:30 pm

I suppose I would be one of the "KITT people" but I can garuntee you I don't consider it worth fighting over.

Its a tv show, not a UN hearing. ;)

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Tue Aug 19, 2003 2:51 am

KITT was the hook to get people to watch, but without Michael Knight's 80s charm, which Hasselhoff pulled off beautifully, there's very little doubt in my mind the show wouldn't have made it to a second season.
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Post by Rockatteer » Tue Aug 19, 2003 5:00 am

Nicely said Michael, Ghost, Neps and KI.

The show is about an ex cop given a second chance with a hi-tech car and a brief of “one man CAN make a difference”

The car and driver are a team.

If you don’t like the characters, stop watching.

Pretty simple really.
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Post by cloudkitt » Tue Aug 19, 2003 12:20 pm

I'm not a big Hasselhoff fan, all there is to it.

HOWEVER, I thought he played very well in Micheal Knight. From my view it's the only character he could really play. (Garth was so...over the top, shall we say?) And he was kind of a disgrace in any Stevie episode. But, again, He was a perfect Micheal Knight, and I can't picture anyone else playing him.


And as everyone said, not worth fighting over. Theres my honest opinion, i hope i didn't scar anyone for life. If anyone tries to argue, you won't get a response from me ;)
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Post by Rockatteer » Tue Aug 19, 2003 7:15 pm

I was talking to a guy at work this morning about this topic and he put it rather well I thought.

Back in the 80’s the leather jacket, the big cowboy belt buckle; the open shirt…was all very cool.

People watching it these days for the first time would have a different perspective because the whole idea of “what’s cool” has changed. They are more likely to look at him now and go…. “What the hell??!!”
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Post by knightvision » Tue Aug 19, 2003 8:46 pm

Mike does have a point. Imagine Don Johnson trying to talk to nobody as lines are being read in a black transam.

Sorry but Hasselhoff is irreplacable.

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Post by Kirin » Wed Aug 20, 2003 5:20 pm

Rockatteer wrote:I was talking to a guy at work this morning about this topic and he put it rather well I thought.

Back in the 80’s the leather jacket, the big cowboy belt buckle; the open shirt…was all very cool.

People watching it these days for the first time would have a different perspective because the whole idea of “what’s cool” has changed. They are more likely to look at him now and go…. “What the hell??!!”
Nah, Michael Knight would be right at home in San Francisco with his KR look.

I'm more in the KITT crowd. David Hasselhoff is not a very good actor, he overacts like William Shatner and camps it up, so I think just about anyone could have played the role of the driver of KITT.....aka Michael Knight.

Infact, that would have been hilarious if they adverstised the show that way. The opening credits have KITT zooming across the desert straight at us, and then it says, "Starring William Daniels as KITT, Co--Starring Edward Mulhare as Devon Miles, Patrcia McPherson as Bonnie....and David Hasselhoff as the Car Driver". That woulda been hysterical.

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Post by neps » Wed Aug 20, 2003 5:32 pm

Whoops, there we go. Easy off the Hasselhoff as stereotype, as it might turn ugly, and I'll have to shut this thread down. ;)

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Post by KITT » Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:12 pm

*grumbles*

if he wasn't a good actor he wouldn't be where he is today. you're just jealous.

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Post by aussieknight » Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:50 pm

knightvision wrote:Mike does have a point. Imagine Don Johnson trying to talk to nobody as lines are being read in a black transam.

Sorry but Hasselhoff is irreplacable.
I dunno...Burt Reynolds woulda done a good job, as he was around the time he played The Bandit. Now THAT was cool. Same type of duds, and similar outfit. Plus a hat. And some excellent chase scenes. It's just his Trans Am didn't drive itself! Did some pretty cool jumps, but. :-D
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Post by knightimmortal » Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:32 pm

The only problem with that, is, we would have thought it to be the Bandit, and they really wanted to separate the two.

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Post by aussieknight » Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:36 pm

Hmmm...there was a semi trailer too...the car was black....
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Post by Rockatteer » Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:39 pm

Knight Bandit.

.... Bandit Rider

.... Smokey and the knight

hmmmm
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Post by cloudkitt » Wed Aug 20, 2003 11:12 pm

Kirin wrote:I'm more in the KITT crowd. David Hasselhoff is not a very good actor, he overacts like William Shatner and camps it up, so I think just about anyone could have played the role of the driver of KITT.....aka Michael Knight.
hahahaha! I compared him to William Shatner but then deleted it for fear of gettign two crowds of people on me...but you're right, he does.

However, I do agree with everyone that said nobody else could have played Michael
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Post by KITT » Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:12 am

you can't love the series unless you like david hasselhoff. he's a very big part of the show, and i dont consider anyone a true fan unless they can embrace all parts of the show for what it is.

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:31 am

KITT wrote:you can't love the series unless you like david hasselhoff. he's a very big part of the show, and i dont consider anyone a true fan unless they can embrace all parts of the show for what it is.
Hmmm... that's an interesting concept. I think I understand what you're saying and completely agree with it, but I might alter the words a bit. I don't think I ever really "embraced" RC3 as a character, and I know many people never embraced SPM. Could we say that true fans should "ACCEPT all parts of the show for what it is."?

But as you say, I definitely don't see how someone could dislike Hasselhoff and still really love the show since he was such an integral part of it.

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Post by KITT » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:21 am

ah, yes, exactly mike.

thanks for the clarification. :P

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Post by EdwardKnoxII » Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:51 am

Infact, that would have been hilarious if they adverstised the show that way. The opening credits have KITT zooming across the desert straight at us, and then it says, "Starring William Daniels as KITT, Co--Starring Edward Mulhare as Devon Miles, Patrcia McPherson as Bonnie....and David Hasselhoff as the Car Driver". That woulda been hysterical.
Well we all know how Brandon Tartikoff joked the show was going to be called "The Man Of Six Words." With the lead saying all of six words with the car doing the rest of the talking. I think it would be kind of funny to see how Knight Rider would have turned out if Kitt did most of the talking while Michael said six words. :lol:

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Post by tkr9 » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:52 pm

You don't have to love every part of a show to love the show. I don't like KARR, I'm a peace-loving gal and I found KARR dull, I don't like 80s music and I don't like hot weather, but the show has plenty of all of it.

AND I LOVE IT! :lol:

I love KITT, I love the kool fighting for justice thing, the writing, the photography, some of the plots, the gadgets and Devon Miles' accent.

I suppose it depends upon how you define a fan. I suppose you could distinguish between the fans who utterly adore everything and everyone about the show and the fans who love the show, know their lives are the better off for it, but don't necessarily think everything in the show was the best thing since Lord Sandwich put a piece of cheese between two cuts of bread, (though most of it was pretty bally brilliant - the show, not the sandwich).

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Post by tkr9 » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:55 pm

And I do think David was good looking, had some attributes, a very good, cool dress sense, even in comparison with today's heroes, and KR wouldn't be KR without him.

But I do find him just a little, teeny weeny, insy winsy bit annoying. Just a bit. Call it a natural bias against prepackaged heroes, I like my heroes to be quirky, like Sherlock. It's just a personal thing. He's a good actor, and once again, a good looking chap (who looked fantastic in tight jeans!)

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Post by Ghost-Unmade » Sun Aug 24, 2003 9:47 pm

My problem with the Michael Knight charecter wasn't so much the 80's-ness of him, or even the....errr...controverisal acting of David Hassellhoff. My problem is, like tkr9 said, he's a bit prepackaged. I know that behind that party boy facade lay an intellegent and seasoned crimefighter, but the one liners, the half hearted portrayal as a ladies man, the "I work alone" attitude, etc; are things that you see in alot of lead roles, especially from that era.

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Post by Kirin » Tue Aug 26, 2003 2:37 am

Michael Pajaro wrote:
KITT wrote:you can't love the series unless you like david hasselhoff. he's a very big part of the show, and i dont consider anyone a true fan unless they can embrace all parts of the show for what it is.
Hmmm... that's an interesting concept. I think I understand what you're saying and completely agree with it, but I might alter the words a bit. I don't think I ever really "embraced" RC3 as a character, and I know many people never embraced SPM. Could we say that true fans should "ACCEPT all parts of the show for what it is."?

But as you say, I definitely don't see how someone could dislike Hasselhoff and still really love the show since he was such an integral part of it.

Mike
I disagree. I don't think "true fans" should have to be required to accept anything. If you happen to dig Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, but not Jar Jar Binks or Ewoks does not that make you less of a Star Wars fan? Or not a "true fan"? I don't think there is such thing as a true fan and a fake fan or anything of the sort.

I don't dislike David Hasselhoff, his overacting William Shatneresque quality is actually endearing at times. I just don't think he's a very good actor. What hooked me on Knight Rider was KITT, always was KITT, and I have no shame or problem admitting that.
Last edited by Kirin on Tue Aug 26, 2003 2:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

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