To be warned, spoilers be here.
Just about one year ago, the NBC aired a TV movie meant to revive a franchise. After 25 years, Knight Rider was coming back to television.
This was not the first time a revival was attempted. What the prior attempts failed to do was really integrate with the original series. The creators of this version went out of their way to include the elements that made up that world: Knight Industries, F.L.a.G., and of course, K.I.T.T.
The series had a fatal flaw, however. Back in our Epsiode 27, I mentioned my one great fear for the show. I did not want to see an international spy action show. Knight Rider was never about fighting global terrorism, international espionage, or getting the girl (ok, it was that last one now and then). It was built on one premise, “One man can make a difference.”
For eight episodes, however, my fears were proven correct. The “Terrorist of the Week” format is exactly what they were going for. Week after week, Michael Knight and K.I.T.T. would go up against a new threat, bomb, virus, infiltration, or kidnapping to the point of almost boredom. The rest of the viewing audience seemed to agree with me.
Shortly after the eighth episode aired, an announcement was made that three main characters were being eliminated, and the show was being retooled more in line with the ideals of the original show. After coming back from hiatus, the next four episodes quickly removed the three characters from the show, including Charles Graiman, K.I.T.T.’s creator and the “Devin” of this series, in an off camera explosion.
The final episode also wrapped up, maybe too quickly, the mystery behind Mike’s past. They had been building up Mike’s memory loss and what the government had done to him throughout the season. Seemingly separate, they had also introduced K.A.R.R., the original prototype of K.I.T.T. You may remember that K.A.R.R. also played a similar role in the original series.
The big secret, that Mike was K.A.R.R.’s original driver, and when that project was scrapped, Mike’s memory was erased. So, in 42 “let’s get this out of the way as fast as we can” minutes, both storylines are resolved and we can go forward. (check out the “big” K.I.T.T. vs K.A.R.R. fight below).
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Now Mike and his three young, hot and smart cohorts can go out and save the world as they see fit. Everything about the original show has been reduced to cheesecake, beefcake , and a fast car. With only five episodes left this season (4 were cut for budget reasons) and a second season still unconfirmed can Knight Rider save itself, or is it another revival doomed to failure.
I certainly want to see it succeed, but I’m not sure if it can be. I’ll be watching the last five episodes, to be sure. I just hope that NBC can again make me believe that one man can make a difference.