Knight Rider Season Reduced - from 22 to 17

[ShadowKnight006]

Well maybe I am just being overly optimistic because it has been a bad day and I would hate to think someone flattened KI3T's tires before he even got out of the proverbial gate, but here is what I was thinking:

Ok so they cut back by what, 5 episodes? That leaves 5 episodes worth of money that had been budgeted already, to be spent making the remaining episodes better to boost ratings, even if they don't spend it all that is a lot of revamp cash.

Now assuming that the refunneling of funds is effective and ratings increase. They will have a working formula for a second season. Also, yes Ford is the big backer but even if they go away and NBC has to tighten the purse strings that doesn't mean the mustang will go away. Lest we forget, TOS has to stop calling KI2T a Trans Am after a while(though it was for slightly different reasons).

If all else fails, we could do a campaign like Stargate SG1 fans did for Dr. Jackson and Atlantis fans did for Dr. Beckett.

[WIBoomer1]

::big sigh...

I am optimistic that this new turn of events isn't the worst thing that could happen to KR 08. Cancellation would be.

Also, let's not kid ourselves into thinking that just because NBC has said as of today, that ep 17 is the Season Finale, that it might not be the end. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, anyone remember that one? That one was supposed to get more episodes, and then it was eventually cancelled. BTW, I liked that show, but it too was weighted down by too much to overcome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_60_ ... nset_Strip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The main problem that I see right now is that we haven't heard anything from GST about what direction he wants to take KR 08 down. The snippets about the eps after 13 sound promising, but a interview NOW letting us know, the fans who inhabit this forum, of what he's intending to do, this is something that would point us in a direction...either to get more people interested in KR 08, or walk away from it, and hope KR gets resurrected down the line.

The original concept from 82 is still a valid one, it just needed to be that way from day 1 of this version. To retool halfway through, it's a very tough rock to crawl out from. Hopefully the writing staff now understand that they didn't understand the original concept, that they didn't ask the right questions of why it worked in the first place, and that the throbbing brain which this forum can be a resource for them understand what they need to do in order to right the ship.

The Ford issue is also a valid one. We're shouldn't / not going to see KI3T turn into a 2010 Fusion Hybrid. I don't pretend to understand how you could do a show about a vehicle that looks like a current car, but really isn't one, not have any direct involvement from the makers of said original car. If the shortening of eps is a result of Ford pulling back funding, then what could be done?

GST, now that it's all in the can, I hope that the eps after the shakeup ROCK. We really want more KR. We just want it closer to the original than the last 12 eps. If there's more green screen, no REAL driving, more crappy Edge-can-keep-ahead-of-KI3T chases, and a lack of TURBO BOOSTS (which need to happen from Regular KI3T, not Attack KI3T), then I'll be moving along. Turbo Boosts are like Hulk-outs. People want to see at least 1 TB per episode. It's like going to a Van Halen concert and not hearing Eddie Van Halen soloing Eruption, or AC/DC without having Angus show us his underwear. It's expected, part of the package, and a let-down without it. I'd hate to see TKR get more eps that KR 08. Sorry Rob

One Man Can Make a Difference....BE THE DIFFERENCE!!!

[WIBoomer1]

one last thing...you know the 5 missing eps MIGHT be able to come back during summer...i really don't think there's no reason why it couldn't happen...?

[Vegasmike]

As devoted fans as we are, we should email (and post to the NBC boards too) the "powers that be" at NBC and Ford. Express our feelings pro and con, and support the sponsors of the show (as best we can afford). Thus increasing money to them, etc, etc.

One man can make a difference, but no man is an island.

Need some insperational help here....
?? episode where Michael gathers all the independant truckers together to fight for a cause??

[HisNameisGarth]

Even TKR got 22.... damn...

The difference being, TKR was actually good.

The reality is -- TKR is probably hated by about 99% of Knight Rider fans. Only Knight Rider 2010 probably
beats it out for utter lousy-ness.

[Sue]

Ok so they cut back by what, 5 episodes? That leaves 5 episodes worth of money that had been budgeted already, to be spent making the remaining episodes better to boost ratings, even if they don't spend it all that is a lot of revamp cash.

Sadly it doesn't work that way, NBC is only going to give the same set rate for each episode. It is likely NBC wanted to hold off on the last five to be certain that it would be a good investment for them. It sounds like at this point they are mostly done filming the first 17. I don't imagine KR got much of a warning about this decision, and I'd image that they've already done some preproduction work on the next 5. With any luck NBC will give them the go ahead after the holidays and they can pick up where they left off.
I think the show still has a lot of potential. Besides having the fan base as support I would think that KR is very marketable in other countries, even if it is not doing as well as hoped in the US it could possibly be doing well overseas.

[knightprobe89]

Yeah, except for the fact that Hasselhoff has NOTHING to do with Glen Larson's film. If you actually think this is going to prompt the suits at TWC or anyone to risk putting money into a movie that's going to probably cost upwards of 100M+ if this show officially is canceled, you're either smoking some powerful stuff or an idiot to think that they're still going to take the risk, no matter how good Larson's script might be. A canceled show that doesn't make it out of the first season hurts the future of Knight Rider as a whole, but seems like a lot of you don't get that.

actually kr 08 is a failure because it wasn't done properly and didn't stay true to the original theme of the show, its shows that aren't made right that give knight rider negativity, everytime nbc universal revives knight rider they try to do it the way they want and it always fails because they dont stay true to the original theme of the show. if knight rider was done right in the first place there wouldn't be any problems to begin with. and as far as the larson film i have to disagree with you, the tv series has nothing to do with the movie, just because a tv series fails in the ratings because it is done the wrong way does not mean that a movie is going to fail, thats like saying if they had a superman tv series or a star trek tv series and it had bad ratings and reviews that it is going to do bad in the movies, this is simply not true, i think most fans will see that the larson movie is the real thing just like the original series and people will defanitely want to see it, all i have to say is the larson movie will be made, and it will be a big hit, and knight rider will once again reign supreme and there will be lots of positive comments.

[Sue]

Here's another article that might shed some more light on it.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 4157afc10d
I'm glad that NBC is still putting emphasis on the overhaul and not yet using words like canceled.

The decision was part of a flurry of NBC scheduling announcements made Wednesday, including an early season-finale date for "Knight Rider." The action-drama will conclude Feb. 25, with the show halting production after 17 episodes. The network has said it plans to overhaul the show, with format changes still to air in the coming weeks, but the episode cutback suggests there is little expectation that a revamp will reverse the Wednesday night drama's ratings decline.

Here's another from Variety
http://www.variety.com/article/VR111799 ... ight+rider

Net also quietly cut its episodic order on "Knight Rider," which will end the season early -- on Feb. 25. NBC had picked up a full season of "Knight Rider," but the show's ratings haven't improved.

As a result, the Peacock's "Knight Rider" season order has been trimmed from 22 to 17 episodes. Net stresses that "Knight Rider" isn't canceled -- but the downsized order isn't a good sign for the remake.

[Skav]

This series of KR started off really well in the ratings and only JUST recently slipped. This leads me to believe that NBC knows the series has potential and they just need to bring back the quality of the first few episodes that made the show number 2 and 3 in the ratings, respectively.

What they should be doing now is promoting it again to remind people that it will be coming back. No point trying to improve the show if you are not going to make audiences aware of it. Promotion should be starting NOW.

[Garthe Knight]

Man, this sucks. I so hope this is not cancellation.
With the ratings dropping lately I feared that they used all the credit Knight Rider had and that this retooling is the last chance the show has. No, the last chance Knight Rider has. Because I doubt we will ever get a new incarnation after so many fails.

So what are the options?
Worst case: This is the beginning of the end and the series will be cancelled after the "reboot".

Best case: The next 7 episodes will be used to steer the series into a new direction preparing for a second series with a smaller cast and more true to the original. Maybe David Hasselhoff will be back, so they are putting the latter scripts back to get him and the crew enough time to make a good start for season 2.

And then there are a lot of possibilities in between. But being an optimist I really hope for a best case scenario.

Knight Rider is not dead, it still works. You just have to do it right, and that's what fans are waiting for.

[pheonix_knight]

The point about Ford being in trouble affecting KR08 is shooting in the wrong direction.

Ford, at this time, would want to promote the heck out of their products surely???

[trissybabes]

What worries me about this episode reduction and early hiatus, is that there are still, what, 4 more episodes of "old style" new Knight Rider to air before we get the rebooted extra 3-4.

If people weren't tuning into the show because of the "old style" episodes, there are stil a month's worth to go through before the new ones air.

Plus the already held over "Knight Fever" is still to air as well.

It would have been better to get to the end of the already shot episodes THEN have the hiatus, THEN come back all guns blazing with the re-tooling.

The thing that DOES stand in it's favour though - barring Hoff's possible return - is that pretty much everything else they premiered this season has been cancelled already, hasn't it?

Surely just ONE show could limp through to a second season - and with the retooling to be more like the original, hopefully take off?

I have a feeling that NBC want it to succeed but haven't quite got the idea right about what would make it successful.

[Garthe Knight]

I just read another news article (http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/12/04/kn ... edule/9163" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) that said

NBC will air a new, yet unannounced show in Knight Rider’s 8pm slot beginning March 4

And suddenly this thought came into my mind. Since there are other shows that stick around but have lower ratings than Knight Rider and the March sweeps usually attract alot of people, what if the yet unannounced show to follow Knight Rider 08 is Knight Rider 09?
THAT would really be a reboot. And it would be a good way to promote the "new" show and attract more people.

[goldbug]

The new show is taking iteself too seriously, and it is trying to be fun and ending up just being excrutiatingly tedious.

How can a show take itself "too seriously" AND "trying to be fun"?

[goldbug]

Do the dignified thing, admit the show is flawed, admit that it is doomed, and let it die a relatively dignified death. No letter-writing campaigns or anything like that, Just let it go and move on (and dust off your TOS box-sets)

Most of us have admitted the show is flawed from the TV movie back in February til now. I wrote a long criticism thread about a month or so ago addressing some of the issues I felt the show needed to tweak, and over the course of the following weeks, some of those issues were reflected in the episodes that followed and news we received.

You may not want the show to survive, and indeed have actively campaigned against it. That does not mean that others did not enjoy it and that we do not want to save the show somehow. neps, I'm behind any initiatives you put forward.

[Knight4life]

Actually most of us saw this coming,i mean i along with the other forum guys weren't sure if the show was getting picked up for the second season.But this is definately sign of a BAD STORM is coming(5 episodes being cut).First impression is the last impression.They have created a bad impression and i think the next few episodes won't make much difference coz ppl generally have gained the idea what the show is about and they won't bother to tune in and that is scary.Either knight rider has become a dated concept which may never work as a remake or they'll have to work very hard in order to create something they did with the BSG remake.I blame Mr. Thompson and his team for the mess they made.The TV movie was so much better.Mr. Thompson just pushed everything to make it look stupidly cheesy,he often makes references from Batman movies re boot franchise and Iron man but is not even close to that work.The Ford issue i think it's a mere lame excuse.

[Mr.Marcus]

Not good news at all. This is a constructive cancellation not an express one. What that means is Knight Rider will not be officially cancelled until the Fall 2009 schedule materializes. Until then KR will be kept in limbo with the intention that its not coming back. The only way I see its return is if NBC just doesn't have a show for its Death Slots, Friday night 9pm or 10pm. So at best we might get KR in the fall in one of those time periods but I doubt it.

Let's be honest though. This wasn't Knight Rider. It was a partnership b/w NBC and Ford under the guise of Knight Rider. GST throwing in the scanner sound and a few passing references to the original series wasn't going to change that and its an insult to the fans. And streamlining the show to make it more in line with the original series doesn't make any sense when they've kept the horny asian girl and the emasculated computer geek. If anything the cast should be reduced to Graiman, Sarah, Michael and KITT.

The show lacked the heart of the original. You saw Michael and KITT's relationship grow as well as those b/w Devon, Bonnie, KITT, and Michael. In KR 2008 a few passing lines of Michael showing concern for KITT and KITT trusting Michael couldn't replace the heart the original series had.

[DevonStyles]

United we stand - divided we fall....

I found out the last episode that will air will be called "Knight and the fat singing lady"

(You're going to get sick of all the turbo boosts<")

I did get sick every time I seen one of the turbo boosts.

Face it guys, just because the show was called Knight rider it should not get a golden pass. I did somewhat enjoy the show, but it always left me more dissapointed then entertained. I enjoyed the T and A. They was using the knight rider label and a car to sell a show that was nothing more then a love/drama. Kitt was reduced to a #3 cast member. The show was no where as good as it needed to be to compete. The stories were garbage for the most part. The special defects were just that. I think that was the point. Make the car do all this unbelieveable stuff to sell this show because their is nothing else to sell in it. Even the casual viewer who remember the original show like people I work with was like "it's a mustang?" The general lee will always be the general lee. You get my point?

The series was no where near what even the pilot was. The pilot left a ton of potiential on the table, and it was thrown away.

Look at the bright side.... Maybe it could pull a baywatch.

R I P..... Knight Rider 2008 - 2008

[Amir]

Not good news at all. This is a constructive cancellation not an express one. What that means is Knight Rider will not be officially cancelled until the Fall 2009 schedule materializes. Until then KR will be kept in limbo with the intention that its not coming back.

Something like that. Or unless the retooling does its job and gets the ratings up. Basically they are saying they are not spending any more money on it, and if what they spent on the first 17 episodes won't be enough to get it right, than this is it. Easy choice for NBC, really. If the retooling doesn't improve the show with the few episodes remaining, than they've saved money on episodes. If it does, they can just bring it back for a second season as they never said it was cancelled.

That's the way it goes, I'm afraid. If shows don't get it right early on, they are unlikely to get another chance. I thought Knight Rider did get that chance with the retooling, but I guess NBC didn't really agree.

[JJSoCrazy]

They should stick to the pilot and talk more about the original instead of trying to see who is getting laid each week
So now is the Season Finale 2/25 and the new Season begins 3/4 depending on how the last few episodes do I assume? I hope this works and they get their act together because I am really hoping to see KI2T & MK Snr back again!

Joe

[Judd]

Obviously the ratings haven't been very good. I believe NBC will see if the ratings improve with the reboot and also look to see how the viewers react to the reboot or rewokred version. They could move the series to Sci-Fi if they want it to continue.

The series hasn't been cancelled yet. We'll have to wait and see how the new episodes do. NBC doesn't announce shows being cancelled they just take them off of the schedule.

I'm sad the episode count is being reduced but there's still hope. I like the new show and hopefully the new version will be better.

[Matthew]

RobWolf,

As I’m sure you know by now, I was forced to remove your death threat towards Gary Scott Thompson this morning.

Whilst I can only hope that it was a joke of the absolute poorest taste, the tone that you used was serious enough to require a lengthy discussion before an appropriate form of punishment could be decided. Having had that discussion this afternoon, it has been decided that you can no longer remain an active member of this community, which has resulted in your posting privileges being revoked until further notice.

Matt

[KnightRiderKR]

I hope it isn't cancelled but Autoblog does loathe the hell out of knight rider. Alex from that site is like a ricer pissed that a mustang beat him. I bet he does drive a jetta or some other similar piece of crap, people who drive cars like that are always ragging on people with better cars. I'm the only example that I know of at the moment, jetta fans like ragging on people like me with se-r spec v's. I've gotten flak online and one time in person when I came out of a toys r us some yuppies scum decided to park a jetta next to my nissan and have some impromptu car show i heard them talking about the car's stereo and what not. I know it was on purpose. That is how it works unfortunately when you have something better some jealous jerk is going to try to bring you down. Hopefully NBC won't cancel it but then we can watch Alex Nunez squirm big time.

[Knight316]

This seems a lot like what happen to Las Vegas. GST's other show. It ended in Febuary last year and NBC never said it was cancelled even when the sets were being deconstructed. NBC sucks. The only show they have worth while anymore is Chuck.

[KnightRiderKR]

This seems a lot like what happen to Las Vegas. GST's other show. It ended in Febuary last year and NBC never said it was cancelled even when the sets were being deconstructed. NBC sucks. The only show they have worth while anymore is Chuck.

Knight Rider is worth while.