Hello all and welcome to Larson 80’s TV Week and I thought I
would start us off with a series many of us know of and enjoyed. Some of us scoffed at its creation while many
hold it up to the echelons of Television.
What do you get when you cross a Charlie’s Angels philanthropist with a
Lone Ranger theme? Why, you get a
former cop operating as a field agent and a car with a few optional extras such
as: being bulletproof and fireproof, a turbo boost, oil slick and an artificial
intelligence. So buckle up, sport a leather
jacket and get ready to jet across the road.
This is Knight Rider.
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| What do you mean turtlenecks don't go with a leather jacket, Tim Gunn? |
Michael: I need ya
spoiler!
KITT: Right away
Michael.
Brought to us by creator/producer Glen A. Larson (B.J.
and the Bear, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rodgers in the 25th
Century, Terror at Alcatraz, Trauma Center and Automan) tells the story
of a cop wounded to near death in the line of duty. Having no personal attachments like friends
and family, Michael Long is nursed back to health by an anonymous millionaire
benefactor of Knight Industries. With
plastic surgery he has a new face and name: Michael Knight.
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| By your command... |
Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff of Shaka Zulu, Fire and
Rain, The Final Alliance, The Bulkin Trail, Avalanche, Nick Fury: Agent of
Shield, Baywatch and Layover) was recruited by Knight Industries and
his only connection has been through an associate Miles Devon (Edward
Mulhare of Signpost to Murder, Our Man Flint, Eye of the Devil, The Ghost &
Mrs. Muir and Murder, She Wrote).
Devon explains his part in this organization is to equip and support
Michael in his new ventures and assignments.
The identity Michael Knight is allowing him to operate as a
federal agent linked to the justice organization, the Foundation for Law and
Government (FLAG) and Michael needs reliable wheels and behold the Knight
Industries Two Thousand or KITT if you will.
A armored 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am with an artificial intelligence,
with smoke screen, oil slick and even a NOS injected turbo boost to be used
sparingly (once per episode). Coupled
with the lovely engineer and personal
assistant Bonnie Barstow (Patricia McPherson of Prime Risk, Knight
Rider, Starman, MacGyver, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Warehouse 13)
an a decent right cross, Michael and KITT go head to head against organized
crime, drug dealers and even terrorist cells.
I had just a few observations of the show at this time. While this is considered somewhat hokey
today the advancements of technology is not that farfetched but the expenses of
KITT would be obscene. KITT loved by
many was deemed worthy an adversary named KARR (Knight Automated Roving Robot)
KITT predecessor that had only been programmed for self-preservation and had no
qualms about human safety. The auto
cruise option actually moved Hasselhoff in the passenger seat while a stunt
driver sat in a black outfit. Several of
the kit KITT cars were done with scale models at 1/8th scale
Monogram kits model trains for jumps and KITT Pontiac cars. The life sized scale vehicles were fiberglass
units for crashing in the water, and the jumping car was completely hollow to
launch off a ramp hidden well away from the cameras but occasionally got caught
in frame not unlike the boom mike.
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| Punch it, KITT! We gotta get out of Burbank! |
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