Knight Rider Reviewed

Spot on. I thought it was a really solid film and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm getting really confused with ratings vs critics but then again I recall the original pilot didn't do well with the critics either.

Anyway, I'm just waiting for a "its not a Trans AM" argument to start lol!!!

Sarfraz

The final sentence nails it right on the head. The negativity so far has been over the lamest reasons. Most of the people complaining are doing it for two reasons....

1) They will complain about anything and everything

2) They werent going to accept anything unless it included their ideas. And you cannot be unbias when going into something in that way.

Was it perfect? No nothing is. Was it good? YES! I was critical of Andron thinking he was another fraud writer in Hollywood but he actually used a lot of information from the past. I still have a bunch of questions and hopefully they will be answered in the series.

Nice review. I enjoyed it too. I don't know what people were expecting. "Knight Rider" was never exactly a thinking man's show. And I guess some folks don't like change. (Like the car being a Mustang for example.)

At times, it dragged and what was up with all those commercials? But overall, I found it to be a fine launching pad for a potential new series. Honestly, this was the sequel to "Knight Rider" I would have rather seen back in 91' when "KR 2000" premiered.

J

The new Knight Rider show was a huge disappointment! It could have been cool but it's not.
I sat my 9yr old son down with me to watch it and what are we exposed to within the first 10min? A guy in bed with 2 women, then switch scene to a suggestive lesbian situation. I guess family values and morals mean nothing anymore. Then the show was more or less a 2hr commercial for Ford. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT!

For me, I watched the program and well-- the fault of this show is that it has a some serious shoes to fill. The mystique of the first program was timing; the early 80s were emblematic high tech being brand new. There was this new anticipation of 21st century technology in the 1980s. So watching KR82 in the 1980s said something the pop culture context we experienced then. Today, as adults watching an overhaul of the series, the issues comes back to relevance and context. Again going back to 82, Knight Rider was really counter programing towards the Dukes of Hazard. Today, there really is no need. This probably explains why there were no Turbo Boosts or automotive acrobatics. The characters were introduced and the concept re-introduced but to me, it was really hard to like let alone empathize some of the characters. It was almost as though they (the execs) just stuck Michael Knight in this film just to have the franchise. Will it stick around on network? I strongly doubt it. My last hope is that they will come to terms with Glen Larson and really re-launch the series the right way. I mean come on people, it's the lone ranger meets James Bond, its not that hard.

I agree with Sean. They used the first 10-15 minutes of the show for the introduction themes which are not family friendly. That probably means that if this goes to series, we'll be seeing more sexual stuff. Looks like NBC forgot that the original Knight Rider was so successful because EVERYONE could watch it. What they're trying to do this time around is make it just like any other modern day drama. Not to mention that they first hour and a half was so incredibly BORING! Mike didn't even drive the car until the very end of the show! So much for "one man can make a difference"! I sure hope this doesn't become a series, because it already did injustice to the original. Lets leave good shows where they are, and stop making sequels that are supposed to "define the times". If NBC wants to make something good, start off by making it different from whats already on!

i agree with the guy who said this was a injustice to the orginal,crappy car,boring story,i think glen larsen would have watched this and thought "thank god im making a proper knight rider movie for the year 2010"

hopefully he can put right the mistakes that this crappy writing people made of this movie and bring the fun back into knight rider

its horrible how they trying to make the series into 1 whole story,knight rider wasnt about this at all,knight rider was different story every week and made it fun

val kilmer did good job voicing kitt luckly the other guy pulled out otherwise this would have been much worse than it already was
but noone can beat will daniels the orginal and best kitt

o yea and whats more this whole thing about kitt being disactivated and suddenly windows are being smashed and everything total BS, this was a horrible car and horribly written and as for the shape and colour shifting wtf man.o n no turbo boost

never again will i watch this

THANKS A LOT GUYS U MESSED UP A CLASSIC TV SHOW

The new Knight Rider car was nice. The technical aspects of the car fit in with the times. Nano-Technology, super-computers, hacking, GPS, fuel effieciency and Artificial intelligence are great. I'm disappointed in a couple of things, the style of the car (the new mustang represents a style gone by ..mainly the 60's), the level of adult content material within the movie, and the absence of one man can make a difference. Broadcasting stations across the board need to tone down the level of adult content within their programs. I'm single, and I still found the first 1/2 hour offensive, with multiple partners and a gay / lesbian theme.......Actually, I'm going to write NBC about that right now.........The show could be a lot better........

The show would have been good but it wasent because they used a mustang, why not the new concept trans am? gay mustang!!!

(slight spoiler in this comment btw)

It makes me laugh, really it does. All these people getting upset about the sexual refrences in the first 10-15 minutes of the show yet never once does anyone complaining about this mention the killing of his mother, blood etc - I guess that is so mainstream nowadays that people consider that also to be normal family viewing?

oh noes, a lesbian relationship!? im complaining straight away!!! Hopefully you will catch up to the 21st century at some point. Btw im not gay, I just find this all compleatly blown out of proportion and a bit of a joke.

Anyways, enough of my rant. I thought the show was good as long as you don't compare it to the original series. I think they've done a good job in trying to replicate the whole feeling of it and managed to bring it albeit kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

And yeah, there is no 'turbo-boost' but if I remember correctly not every single bit of 'KITT's' special features were premiered in the pilot episode.

I was a devoted Knight Rider fan as a kid. The show was great, I had all the toys, a big wheel etc. I lived and breathed Knight Rider during the early 1980's.

This new pilot was done well. While it is not great, it is done to even a superior quality of the original in 1982. Look at all of the mistakes one can see in the original-Kitt's scanner, voice modulator, and various other scenes with inconsistencies. Yet, I still like the original 1982 pilot.

This new Knight Rider can be likened to Star Trek and Star Trek:The Next Generation. Everyone loved Star Trek, and I remember all of the controversy surrounding TNG. The pilot for TNG was not thrilling. But unlike the original Star Trek which went down hill as it progressed, TNG got better with time.

This pilot was not a showstopper, but with the proper development, stories, and drama-let's face it drama sells today, the new Knight Rider if developed can become a great show, far superior to the original. I enjoyed watching the movie last night, I agree there were a lot of commercials-but that is how the show is paid. How many people would pay $20 to watch it pay-per-view? The story was good, and probably would have been better had there not been a writer's stike. I hope NBC makes a seriers, at least one long enough to tie up some unanswered questions-like all those old Trans Ams in Grainman's garage, what happened to FLAG, Knight Industries, Michael, and the Knight Two Thousand.

Finally, Glen Larson was listed as an executive producer last night. Obviously, he must have had some input in this project to be listed. Can someone explain his role in this, as I remember, he was not listed except at creator in Knight Rider 2000.

i must admit its sad everyone getting upset about certain bits with the gat lesbien thing omg its like people are still in school here,theres nothing wrong with what they said or did

now i read something bout turbo boost i cant remember if that was in the poilt in the orginal

i admit the ending of knight rider where kitt and mike tracer where leaving for some reason that sounded really good how kitt and him where talking,sounded like he got a bit more personailty in it

as i said i think the new guy playing the lead is a great match for it because he seemed to have that look about him,which u could defo say "yep perfect knight rider lead role"

i dunno about the commericals though because i downloaded the torrent this morning and it was commerical free so i didnt notice anything about too many since there wasnt 1

but i still think they need to sort out the car and change it to something more flashy,i think the creators were a bit stupid saying "we were looking for a american car" ,who gives a crap if its american,english ,germany or whatever at least get a decent flashy car,i think thats where they went wrong and it seems loads of people agree

I thought the show was okay. There were so many commercials and there was a bit too much drama between Sarah and Mike. I really wish that there had been more interaction between KITT and Mike. There's a lot of unanswered questions in this pilot (for instance, the fate of the original AI in the old KITT), and several inconsistencies with the original (for example, Mike's age puts his birth around the time Michael would have been with Stevie). I thought that Kilmer's voice acting was too bland. Even in the original pilot, KITT's voice sounded like his own voice, not a voice-over. Kilmer sounded too robotic and cold, but he was still a better pick than Arnett.

Regardless, I really hope this gets made into a series. I did enjoy the show and found myself wanting to see more by the show's end. I thought the mustang (esp. the attack mode one) looked great. I would really like to see mustang KITT and Mike go around on one hour missions, you know, that whole "one man (and his car) can make a difference" thing.

I agree completely with the "what happened to the original KITT" comments.

That was one of the disappointing things to me, that "historical" issues weren't covered very much. I mean, we got to know a bit of the basics about Michael Knight and his kid - but seeing the original KITT silent and motionless in the garage, without explanation of what happened to him/it - it was just kinda sad to me.

That being said, I thought the show was pretty good. The characters are interesting enough that it makes me hope they come back for more episodes.

Oh, and Kilmer as NewKITT's voice... it just doesn't sound right. I don't think that it's his delivery, so much as the way they dub the audio into the scene. The voice is just too "in the backseat" as referred to in the show. It needed a bit of "computery-ness" to it, either by making it a little tinny or some other effect.

But all in all, I really enjoyed the show.

I enjoyed the comments, especially how they parroted each other. The responses started out very positive. As soon as someone said something negative, all followed suit. The original was a fantasy, so is sequel. Not bad, not good, just mindless. It's television. If you want content don't watch most cable TV. Stick to the science channel.

I really enjoyed this pilot. Those of you who were offended regarding the beginning with Michael and the 2 females in bed as well as the suggestive lesbian situation, get over it. It's 2008 and it's simply a sign of the times. The movie started at 9pmEST....my son was in bed before then; this was intended for the generation who grew up watching KR back in the day. I thought the Mustang was beautiful, however I think they could have used a Pontiac TransAm in conceptual stages. All in all, I enjoyed this and hope NBC does pursue this as a series. Good job NBC!

Over all NBC did a great job with the pilot. I really enjoyed it. The only thing that I didnt enjoy was seeing a mustang play the role of K.I.T.T. It just wasnt right.

I saw the show last night; I was a total flop, what were they thinking of????. Everything from the start to finish was just so bad. The introduction from the old Knight Rider was far more superior and it had heart and soul. Everyone knew all the characters and what impact it made on the 1982 series , these so called actors on the new Knight Rider were so stupid and dump, for the hole show there were just running and running in no direction and no one knew what role they played. And Val Kilmor was just awful; his voice did not fit the role of KITT, and that car it sucks. Too much computer graphics it looked more like a video game, then a T.V movie show. I feel sorry for the new generation there is no realism, the old Knight Rider had so much realism that made the show a great hit. Everyone back then could reflect on the show and what impact it made on them or society. The old Knight Rider is the best and will always be the best in my books, HELL YAH!!!!!!!!!

well said Lisa

i too feel sorry for the new genteration watching if they brought the dvds of the old series and watched them they would be outraged because its 2008 shouldnt the shows get better with all the stuff they can do now compared to the 80's

i think the writers and stuff try to hard these days to make things "new age" but they dont relise old shows worked for a reason, if your going to bring something back then use the stuff that works

i dont agree with val kilmer sucking maybe its because there wasnt much talking and you dot get to hear him proper and the fact it was redone maybe thats why it sounded dubbed because it was,i think at the end he sounded quite cool

things i dont understand is

1. who was the girl michael knight had a kid with (was her character in any old knight riders??)

2. wasnt the show about "1 man can make a difference" in this one it was like 3-4 people can make a difference (before anyone says anything about devon,bonnie and so on,it was still 1 man making a difference)

3. why make it leading into loads of long contuning episodes,knight rider wasnt like that

i hope if they do make it into a series that they work on these problems and at least change the car,it looked crappy,the K.I.T.T protects the bullet proff windows and body pleassssse bonded shell seems more believeable

and hopefully with michael knight 'the hoff' saying "i hope so" in response to "will i see you again", hopefully they will bring the hoff back and we find out he has kept the orginal K.I.T.T and brings that back to help mike tracer out (then we shall all see how much the old car still looks 100times better than the new 1)

o and of course see what they come up with for the reason devon miles went,,,i thought they would have at least said something like "we bringing back the foundation i think devon would have wanted us to once we found u" or something like that at least ref the guy,they mention wilton knight..or better still when the hoff was saying bout how wilton knight told him 1 man can make a difference ,,they could have had the hoff say something like "maybe u dont believe that ,but nor did i until a great man devon miles helped me belive",i mean u think they would of since michael knight always said devon was like a father to him

anyways im out
lol

2. wasnt the show about "1 man can make a difference" in this one it was like 3-4 people can make a difference (before anyone says anything about devon,bonnie and so on,it was still 1 man making a difference)

Are you kidding? It's very similar to the old show. Michael Knight was never completely by himself solving crimes... the whole gang was always back at the foundation or in the truck.

3. why make it leading into loads of long contuning episodes,knight rider wasnt like that

Because they haven't decided yet if they are going to make this a series. Leaving it like that at the end leaves a little "oooh! Yeah! I wanna see what happens next!" factor for the people who enjoyed it. It'll give fans of the new show an extra incentive to any new episodes that might be made in the future.

One thing I do agree with you on though is the lack of a molecular bonded shell. Seems like KITT should have that as basic protection, since it worked will on the first one, and then have the nano-stuff on top of that. *shrug*

I've been trolling around different websites all evening looking for a consensus on last night's show. So far, I've read, "Val Kilmer is not as good as William Daniels"; "KITT cannot be a Mustang", and "The acting/writing/plot did not stay true the the 1980's show." No one was as big a fan of the original Knight Rider than I was. I was in Jr. High at the time it came out, and I wanted to grow up and marry Michael Knight. LOL I too miss William Dainels as KITT and want a lot of the "missing peices" filled in. Ashley, of all the websites that I have visited tonight, you are the first one to have posted and mentioned Stevie, Michael's fiance when he was Michael Long. So, who's Jenny, and where did she fit in? Who's Grainman and why did he create KITT, when I always thought it had been Bonnie. However, I understand that GM does not make Trans Ams anymore (the fools! Greatest car ever in my opinion!) and so we have a beautiful Mustang Shelby for KITT. I got to see "The Hoff" for a few seconds, long enough to remind me that I'm not a teenager anymore. LOL I can long for the glory days, but they are gone. I do not remember the original Knight Rider being so mature oriented, either in violence or sex, but then again, that was before there were shows like "The Sopranos", "Nip/Tuck" and "CSI" to compete with. I think that this show has potential. Will it recapture the magic? Probably not. But, it can be mildly entertaining. . . and make me feel like a kid again for a little while. I give it a 6 out of 10.

i think the show was ok. It could have been better (probably due to the writers strike). i found the first 20mins to be a little shocking i remember wholesome david hasselhoff only kissing a woman time to time, the lesbian seen was kind of surprising, but oh well its 2008. im ok with the car, i dont like mustangs, but they did a decent job.

Special effects were alright, a bit overdone at times, but what isnt these days? ended perfectly for a series, it dragged out at times, and then too many damn commercials!!

other than that id love to see a series of knight rider in HD.....

I thought it was great, except for the sexual stuff at the beginning. It may be 2008, but that does not mean we need to celebrate sexual deviancy. My kids saw the commercials and were excited to watch this. I told them I had to watch it first and then if it was okay, I'd let them watch the tape I was making of it. Well, rest assured, my kids will NOT be watching this new series, and that's a shame.

There's a ton of kids out there who would love this show were it not for the sexual crap they decided to put in here.

I am one of those old timers who own the original series on DVD. We watch an episode almost every single day. And I can tell you: I loved the new cast, car and voice of KITT. I thought it all worked well. It was a pilot.

I thought of Star Trek too. I noticed someone above said something about this. When the Next Generation show premiered, it was awful. But it got its footing and went on to far surpass the original. I see that kind of potential here if people can stop comparing stupid crap like what model car it is, etc.

I hope they bring it back, and I hope they bring it back with a TV-PG rating.

Folks we need to gather ourselves here. I was a huge KR fan growing up and continue to be. Although last night was not great and not bad either, this is a beginning, a starting point for more. Every show takes time to develop, even the original didnt really pick up until the second season. A lot of things were left unanswered but its only 2hrs and thats including all those commercials. The movie was slow enough without having every single base covered. Give it some time and be happy we even got anything linking the past considering they could have gone the route of starting from scratch. And listen, I love KR for many reasons, including because it's a link to my childhood but this is A NEW SHOW. Does everyone get that ITS A NEW SHOW!!! You can't keep comparing everything to the original. This isnt an episode by episode remake with younger actors. Give it time. Let's be honest, as much as I love the original and how much fun it was it was very poorly produced with shots that were reused, shot thats didnt fit or make sense and stories that we a bit outlandish (i.e. garthe, the second Karr and a host of others). If this version came first and the original was new now, eveyone would be complaining about that. Nothing is never as good as the original.They made some connections to the old school and will continue to do so. They'll also listen to some criticisms and im sure make a few adjustments...I wasnt crazy about kilmer. i liked his voice but he needs more personality. the key to the original was kitt didnt sound at all like a computer. One big story flaw as well, why did charles graiman run for miles to that chicks house when he could have just gone into the garage and gotten in the new kitt where he would have been perfectly safe and then gone about finding sarah and mike and on down the story. Anyway, everyone calm down, it will all work out and if not, its just a tv show and we'll always have the original...

I still hate the car. I this Is not a ford or GM or pontiac thing either I could care less who made the car.

I hate the car because it's ugly and looks nothing like a high tech crime fighting car should. and now that val kilmer is voicing the car in a soft tone the Voice does not fit the car at all.

The car should be sleek in 1983 to 1986 trans AM kit was sleek he still is sleek.

When you saw kiTt on TV you never saw anything like him and you could not buy one and even then they modded the car a ton.

Get a sleek car that looks like nothing we have ever seen before NBC, not some lame common punk kid street racer car.

I am only 20 I like to think I am part of the young male audiance (unless they wanted 16 year olds.) They are trying to get and I think that car IS UGLY! period I would not buy that car.

As for the rest of it I liked it.. There can be somethings as good as the old show with work.

The sex stuff at the start was not needed and I do not care if I suggestive sex I will get somewhere else and get it like the internet. The homosexual stuff does not bother me but it's a show about a car and guy saving people don't need.

The new driver Is doing a good job reminding me of david hasslehoff when he was fighting in the casino I got a real 1980's knight rider fight jolt.

I like the new female FBI agent a lot (i forgot her name) She is really fun to watch (and not because of her looks) She reminds me of the women in the old series.

I got every season of knight rider on DVD and watched them all already so I noticed tons of things that are not right.

The charles guy who made kitt.... In the old show he always had alarge team working on kitt, not one person it was a group effort at the knight foundation. They better say he did some major thing back then and what he did.

3rd the car is not bullet proof when the CPU is off? What?!!? Why not use the old shell and the new nano tech togeather?! this make no sense. Does this guy not have the recipe to make a bonded shell? He was not one of the guys who got part of how to make it?

So what ever all the stuff like that are not right.

LAst they have to have hassleoff on the show full time doing something if it's not action even light acting.

for the big season show of the first season the finalle they have to HAVE hasslehoff Old trans am kitt and new KITT doing a large mision togeather at least once end of story.

The people from the old show are aging it has to be done before it's to late.

By the way...Tom: what is ashame is your kids will obviously grow up sheltered. If you think that was so inappropriate that you wont let them watch the series then you're whacked...must be from a red state somewhere in the "fartland of america". get a clue and grow up...

I watched all 4 seasons before the movie started and I can say with absolute certiny the 82 pilot did have Turbo Boost. Now last night's movie was really good and reguardless of what it had in it, it will be an awsome show. I noticed a little bit of Viper and Team Knight Rider but who cares. You might be asking Viper, the morphing of the car and Team Knight Rider the plane at the end that K.I.T.T. and Mike came out of.

NBC please bring it back as a series in the fall. We need good TV this reality crap just needs to go.

i thought the movie was pretty cool, i hope it gets picked up for a series this fall. i hope they do turbo boost and a lot of other stunts in the series because the movie was lacking on stunts. also i hope they make the dash a little nicer with hollogram or digital display guages.

All in all the movie was excellent! I only have a couple of grips:

1) the molecular bonded shell… so now what? KITT must be powered on before or we can be damaged?

2) No seperation between KITT and the car: in the show they were completely seperate. KITT's "soft" humor was missing: mainly from the tone of voice.

3) A new KITT that can be hacked in 30 seconds …. ridiculous.

On the positive I commend Justin Bruening: amazing job as Michael Knight's son. It was interesting to see how he had many of Michael Knight's quirks and characteristics.

So, a few things I wanted to add...

Yes, this show is a new show, but as a sequel, there are certain aspects of its ties to the original that need clarification, and there are a few elements of the original that made Knight Rider, well, Knight Rider, and made us fall in love with the show. Some of those elements shouldn't just be tossed to the wind. I realize that they had less than two hours to deliver a pilot that covered as much old ground and new ground as possible, so not every question could be answered. That's a job for a series, not necessarily a pilot. (Some of these questions I think should have been covered in the pilot, but, I digress.) I agree with the reference to ST:TNG. Some shows take a few episodes or even a full season to find their ground, and I think this is one of them. I really hope that NBC gives this show a chance. (I, too, am sick of reality tv shows.) This pilot made me feel like a seven year old kid again, which is no easy feat.

Also, if you read the review of KR in the LA Times, the reviewer is adamant about Kilmer's voice acting being less than Daniel's. It's true. Daniels made KITT very endearing while at the same time giving the car a fierce sense of pride and a bit of an attitude. I don't believe it's entirely the writing for KITT that gives him his personality; the voice actor plays a huge role in selling KITT to the audience. Finding someone as great as Daniels would be extremely difficult to do. KITT's voice is one aspect of the show that I may never be able to refrain from comparing to the original. (Apoligies to anyone that my comment offends, as I realize some people are sick of hearing the 'Daniels cannot be outdone' talk. I've said my peace and I'll leave it at that.)

I haven't seen this show since I was 10 years old, but I remember exactly why I watched. I could have cared less about the humans and their problems. All I cared about was the car. Grown ups talking was boring; and kissing girls made me wanna throw up. But, I wanted KITT to be my car really, really bad. If they're actually serious about bringing this back on TV, then make the car a whole lot cooler. And, make it do things like impress girls, and beat up bullies, and print money. But, seriously, this new one will never appeal to anyone over about ten years old, unless they're already super-fans anyway. And there just aren't enough of you to make a go of it. Do it for the kids, NBC!

The show was prety cool. I was thinking at the begining , that KITT was kinda cold and impersonal, but then went back and watched the fist episode of the orginal, it took kitt and michael time to warm up to each other. I wonder if we do see a series, how long it will be until we see KARR redone as oh i dunno a hummer... lol

If you were to take the people who seem to hate on the new knight rider and pull them back in time to the original series, I bet you they would be unhappy.

How did the original pilot convey soul!? It was CHEESY THROW AWAY TV! you want realism? go and watch the news!

in this day and age, we need throw away tv, we need something to recapture the imagination of people for an hour or so. Not scaring people half to death with more news of how the world is tearing itself apart.

I look forward to watching the pilot.

I really don't understand the negative comments here, so what if the new series isn't just like the old one, who cares if the car is a Mustang or something else. Take a look at all the story lines of the Knight Rider shows from the past, htere are obvious mistakes within the transitions of all the shows, Who remembers how the original show ended?? Who remembers that the Trans Am kitt was sold and scrapped to make aluminum cans, you also have no story of how the second Kitt dissapeared. What about Team Knight Rider? We all know how cheesy it was bout that wasn't the point of the show. Back in the day every tv show brought out pointsadn situations people could identify with, or relate to in some sort of way. How has this changed today? In my humble opinion it hasn't changed at all. Most of my favorite tv shows of the past hold a special place in my memory. But that is just my point, we are the only ones who can make or break a tv show, we express our opinions on how it should have been written or produced. We make a show good or bad by our comments and opinions. In my oppinion whether you have something good to say or negative to say about something why not try to cover the good points and the bad points. If everyone here could do that we wouldnt have had the negative posters run away with the board. We can all express our likes and dislikes here but unfortunately there are going to be arguments and ill words exchanged. Why fight and bicker with each other over our opinions. In conclusion, I watched the show and yes I saw things I didn't care to much about, but I also saw some of the same things I loved about the original shows. I think that if it is tweaked and reworked it has the potential to make a lot of people happy, butthen again also make people upset. Maybe next time it will be better or maybe not, I personally don't care if its a flop or a success! I am going to get out of it what I want and forget the other B.S. everyone is so uptight about. Why don't you try and look at both sides of the coin before you make your judgements. Ok thats my opinion, now bring on the series.!

I thought the show beat the critics ratings by an insane margin. As for those who complain about not enough history, not enough about old KITT, "it's a mustang", blah blah blah... come on. It is a new series trying to gain its own footing. It is a new car because it is a new KITT. They can only cover so much in one show, and all that history stuff would have really bogged it down. This was a pilot, hence they needed to intro everything new, not everything old. I though it was done well, Val Kilmer was a surprise to me and I LOVED it (yeah, I am a huge Val fan). So rip all ya want, I thought it was done well and at least the sound track was the same (the intro/exit music sent chills down my back like I was 6 years old again). As for negs, I will admit there were too many Ford commercials (but 24 did that too at the beginning of last season), and family friendly was what helped original KR (no, the gay thing is not what I am complaining about, the sex and blood is).

I thought the show was great! It is not perfect, but what is? I was able to sit down and enjoy a show with my sons, 6 and 8, that I watched as a kid. They both love Mustangs and fast cars. There is nothing on regular TV like it. You watch something like this and you know/expect your gonna see a fast car and stunts. Yea, it will never be the same as it was, they did a pretty good job of tying things in so sit back, make some popcorn, tell the kids they better not be tired in the morning and enjoy the show. If they make a series I can stop watching desperate housewives. Better yet, I hope everyone remembers how this show was on a Friday night as kids. That was cool to stay up with Dukes of Hazzard and then Knight Rider. The only bad part was the sexual situations at the beggining that had absolutely nothing to do with the story line. PLEASE PLEASE cut that crap out so my kids can watch!

In all, I thought the movie was pretty good, and was happy to see them revive such a great franchise. See my comments below:

PROS:

- It seems as if they re-wrote KR history and eliminated any reference to KR 2000. Great move in my opinion!

- The car was much better than I expected it to be, and liked how they brought it into the next century. (I love the part where KITT blows past that semi). :)

- The story was decent, and kept my interest.

- I'm glad they brought the Hoff back for this.

CONS:

- No matter what anyone says on this thread, KR was always a family show. Dump the obvious sexual references. I don't care what year it is, or what some in our culture say, Networks need to realize who their audience is and create entertainment responsibly.

- What happened to FLAG, KITT, and Michael? I believe explaining this would have turned this movie from good to fantastic, and would have properly passed the torch so to speak.

- KR was always about one man and his car making a difference. Mike should have had more time to "bond" with KITT so to speak.

Outside of that, I'm looking forward to see where they go with this.

I am another of those who watched this series as a kid, around 7-10 years old. If I correctly, there was plenty of violence in the first series, so that didn't bother me in this one. What did bother me was the 2 hour long Ford commercial. I mean, come on, the bad guys are chasing down KITT in a Ford Edge??? And keeping up at that! That thing couldn't keep up with a bicycle! I liked the actors and the story. As long as they leave the corporate influence for the commercial breaks, I'll watch it. If the bad guys start driving Tauruses, I may have to turn it off though!

I thought the pilot for the new show was very good. Not absolutley perfect, but good. I don't know if it was an intentional homage, but the had the new KITT driving down what appeared to be the same road the old KITT is seen driving down and the end of some of the first season episodes.
Also, at the end I assumed they were back in the semi. It surprised me (not in a bad way) that it was actually a plane.

As to the new KITT, sure I like the Trans-Am better, but he Mustang looked ok, and Kilmer's voice was good too. I think they had to rush through putting his voice on, since they were forced to replace the first guy who did the voice at the last second. I'm sure Kilmer will do better next time, since he won't be rushed. (Although if they were going to use a former Batman, I think they should have gone with Adam West instead. How campy would that be? :) )

If the show goes to series, some things I would like them to tweak:

-THE OPENING: Sure KITT is one of the stars of the show, but the human actors are important, too. The orginal opening showed David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, etc. The new opening should show the current human stars as well.

-THE OPENING MUSIC: I understand using a new arrangement, but make it sound a little more like the original.

Also, we should eventually find outwhat happened to everyone else. We know Devon is dead, but what happened to Bonnie, April, and RC3? As well as the original KITT.

And one thing that would be nice but not neccessary-I kind of missed the zoom-out transintion to the commercial breaks. (I know it's cheesy but I like it.

I know its hard for original KR fans to adjust, but this new KR is a continuation of the the old one AND KR2000. I want to address the issue of the MBS (Molecular Bonded Shell). If I remember correctly, no 1 man could make the Shell. 3 differnt people had 3 different ingrediants to make the shell. Devon being 1 of them, since he is dead, maybe good ol chuck can no longer make the shell and thats why he used nano-tech? As far as the car not being a Trans Am, GM no longer makes the car. Even though I personally would have used the NEW Camero SS, I think the new KITT looks fine. Not great, but fine. And lastly, KITTs voice. Sure, Kilmer was a little laid back, and he could have been a little more animated with a bit of emotion. But lets understand that William Daniels was PERFECT for the voice, and no matter who they used to do the voice of the new KITT, no one would compare to Daniels. And to be honest, its a very unfair comparison. Too many people are being too critical to campare the new KR to the old KR. It's not suppose to be the old KR. Its suppose to be KR of today, 25 years later. NBC has a lot of work to do if they want this show to succeed. But I think they can do it, with help from Larson. See, one man CAN make a differece, lol.

I loved the Knight Rider movie. As you say, it wasn't about KITT being a pontiac. It was about the relationship between driver and car/computer. Knight Rider is a buddy concept with one of the two not quite your traditional straight man. If a few things are tweaked especially the FBI agent give her more of a reason for being (they've obviously ruled her out as a romantic option for Mike)

And I hope if it does go to series (which it looks like will happen) that 'The Hoff' continues to be enthusiastic about it enough to pop in from time to time - not every ep but maybe for a story arch or something.

They have the potential for a show that's as entertaining as the original (which really is still entertaining even now if you aren't uptight about your TV). I'd like to see Val Kilmer get a little more comfy with the role which I think will help to iron out any kinks in his portrayal.

I thought Mike was good, though I thought Deanna Russo as Sarah was the star and really had great chemestry with KITT! "Don't antagonize the car" was possibly the best line!

-cat

I thought the show was done well for what it was. I agree that people need to stop comparing it to the old one. It isn't a remake, its a new show.

I think they should have Hasslehoff in a recurring role as well as something about the original KITT, would have been fun to see Michael Knight drive off from the funeral in black 80's Trans-Am that looked very familiar...

I liked the characters, though as most series and it looks like this will be one, take time to develop.

The concept of the old show, one person can make a difference; to fight the good fight when no one else will or can, does need to be the concept of the new one. (Yes it is a buddy show, just a car instead of human and there is a team for support)

As to the violence and "sex", all shows like this have some. This isn't the 80's where a spot of red on the shirt for a gun shot and a light closed mouth kiss will work anymore.

Society has evolved so has tv (though which affects which is anyones guess). If you don't think you kids are old enough to handle it then don't let them watch it, thats why you're the parents.

(My parents wouldn't let me watch Charlie's Angels, I was 10 or 11, which by todays standards would be rated G compared to CSI, Nip/Tuck, Law and Order, ect).

Well thats my two cents.

i liked the show. i thought is was great entertainment. that's what it's all about. entertainment. i just have two gripes. the "super pursuit mode" with the double wing did look just a touch gay. with the aftermarket size for the mustang, something better looking could have been done. and the very end. why use an airplane? just a bit much? probably. not something most pilots would be wont to do. not saying it had to be a black tractor trailor, but maybe a c-130 transport is probably too much. other than that, i think it came off pretty good.

After reading your criticism and hopes for the series...HERE are some ideas to explain the "weaker" new KITT, flaws in the pilot, as well as suggestions for creating a series that will really appeal to fans of the original.

1. The reason why KITT is only invulnerable while "booted up" is because Graiman only represents part of the original engineering team from Knight Industries. In his house/lab we see that he specializes in computerized robots and stuff, not the primary technology behind the Two-Thousand. Apparently, he doesn't have access to the chemical process that created the original invulnerability, so he simulated it using an ultra-modern, software-based solution. Perhaps, one of the themes in the series could be the restoration of the chemical-based armor--maybe the new KITT is forced to confront an enemy that has the original armor and we ultimately see the new stuff win out, as long as it's turned on and not being hacked. Personally, I like KITT's new vulnerability--it gives him character (or, at least the possibility of developing character).

2. The reason why KI3K's voice is more subdued is because his AI is completely re-engineered and is brand-new. Remember Commander Data's voice from the first season of TNG? I can see a Data-esque possibility here for some good character development throughout the series, both with KITT and with Mike.

3. While the main theme of the series is, and should always be, "one man can make a difference," I see great potential for secondary themes involving the time period between the original series and the new one.

4. What happened to Micheal Knight? How is it that he can just show up at his wife's (ex-wife's, girlfriend's) funeral, and then simply disappear into nowhere? What of the relationship between the father and the son? These questions are the groundwork for some really good drama (if they can urge Hoff into a contract).

5. And just what of the original KI2K? Why did we see parts of him in Graiman's basement? Did he get "upgraded" into the new car, or does the original AI still exist in the memory of some computer hidden away somewhere? Maybe Michael Sr. still has access to the original KITT?

6. I sense a "Racer-X" type of dynamic possibility here. I think Michael Sr. is really a secret agent who operates "way, way above the law" these days. That would explain why he had to leave his son and his mother alone for so many years. I think he even has the original KITT AI somewhere, installed in some kind of hardware or vehicle. Oh, the possibilities are endless.

I mean, take some contemporary themes such as conflicts between the different national/homeland security agencies, international terrorism, globalization of information technology, personal and identity security, and apply these themes to the idea of a fantastic car, or other types of vehicles. Then, mix in some interpersonal drama factors a la 'Heroes', the reluctant protagonist, the burgeoning super-technology, characters with real-life issues. If they get the right creative minds writing scripts, this could be a real winner of a series, especially at a time when TV desperately needs some good, fresh fiction.

Finally, I have to comment on the kids vs. sex factor. I agree that the limits of sexual expression have taken on new definitions in the new millennium, but I don't see how that has anything to do with Knight Rider. The point of Knight Rider is to get kids excited about the magical car so that they drag their parents out to see it when it comes to town, or gets installed as the latest attraction at Universal Studios. Think Happy Meals and Toys'R'Us, not Paris Hilton and Ellen DeGeneres. I'm gonna watch the new pilot with my kids when it airs again on Saturday, but I'm gonna change the channel during a couple of the first few (entirely unnecessary) scenes.

Fast cars? Violence? Lesbians? HD? I didn't watch the first series when it was on, but I think I'll tune in to the repeat of this movie (I missed the first airing). With this many complaints it has to be good. :)

Okay, seriously, this whole attacking on the sex thing is bullshit. THEY DIDN'T EVEN SHOW THEM HAVING SEX PEOPLE. It's not like the show got much into that whole gig anyway. Just a quick scene showing him with his arms around two girls,"OOh WOW, big WHoop."How many times have we all seen that. I completely forgot about those quick scenes when I was watching the rest of the show. THAT CAR KICKED ASS. "DUH" That's what it was all about.

And I also agree with Andre saying that it is a part of everyday life that we're all use to seeing anyway. "big freakin' Whoop"

Oh and by the way, the old Michael Knight was with a different chick every week on the old series so what freakin' difference does it make anyway. You're really not onto the topic of the show if all you're thinking about jerkin off to the whole entire time you're watching it are just two 1 minute sexy looking scenes. Give me a FREAKIN' break.

Oh and you trans am people, that Shelby-Cobra KR Mustang has 240 plus more horsepower than a Trans Am."HELLO", THAT MUSTANG IS A COBRA. Besides, General Motors (GM for short) stopped making the Trans Am because they already got more muscle cars lined up for the next four years.

Oh and this whole expecting it to be like it was back in the 1980's; That series took place at a different place, different time, different society, different people of that society, different way of life 25 years ago. If you REALLY think about it, that's a long time ago. TIMES HAVE CHANGED PEOPLE and it's sad that you guys are not understanding that. The lifestyle and the poeple of that society were different back then. It only makes sence that they relate this show to being update with todays reality. I'm sorry some of you people can't handle the truth, but TODAY is NOT like back then and it never will be. So deal with it.

I love all these folks here trying to belittle and downplay the comments about the first 10 mins of the pilot not being family friendly. I am aware we are in the 21st century, I am aware it is not the 80's anymore. I understand that family values and wholesome entertainment are deteriorating in America. Does that make it Ok? Does it mean we should accept that? Absolutely not!
I am a huge KR fan. With the exception of the Mike shacking up in bed with two chicks, and the gestured lesbian interaction. I thought the rest of the show was decent and has huge potential. I hope NBC understands that family entertainment is profitable and statically speaking means more viewers and higher ratings.

I don’t care if KITT is a Recaro Trans-Am or Mustang GTR500 KR. They are both awesome cars and look sweet. The new cast will be fine. I just hope they tie in a little better to the original Knight Rider and tie up some loose ends so those of us who are die-hards have continuation and closure. I hope for chronology sake that KR2000 and TKR are bad dreams that never happened. I hope they answer what happened to the original KITT, where is the original KITT’s AI, what is Michael Knight up to, what happened to Devon, Bonnie and even April? Why did the foundation dissolve. Here’s to a hopeful future!

Several "mistakes" to mention..... 1, Kitts top speed is only 190 mph? in super pursuit mode i remember the KI2K going in excess of 300 mph. 2 no molecular bonding 3, the car seemed colder than Kitt. 4, no passive restraint etc. (shall I go on?)

SO in essence they upgraded the car but made it inferior to the original. Lets hope KARR doesnt come back because the new Kitt would get his tail pipe handed to him.

If the producers are smart, they will bring Bonnie out of retirement and have her say "oh no Kitt what have they done to you?" and have her redesign him as the new concept Trans AM only with a sleeker front end, incorporate KI2k's database so at least he has his memories, give it a hybrid bonded shell and nano combination, enable a super pursuit where he can move faster than the original (or atleast be able to out run an Aero. Now I love the morph technology but how about a cloaking device. The concept of bringing it back is past due, but come correct guys! When will they learn.....