As a viewer of the original series, I was initially glad when NBC announced that Knight Rider was coming back to the small screen. But the 2-hour pilot movie was poorly paced - like a stretched-out 1-hour episode. It tried to connect with the original series by including David Hasselhoff in a very brief cameo at the very end. (SPOILER - Mike Traceur/Knight is the son of the original Michael Knight.) The new series tried to reinvent the original series while making references to the original. But in trying to please everyone, they pleased very few.
Many fans wanted another Trans-Am KITT, but since that model has been out-of-production for years, that just was not possible. I suppose using the new Chevy Camaro would have been one possibility, but since that model was heavily linked to the Transformers movie, it would have been a poor choice as well. I didn't mind using a Mustang as the new KITT and have grown to accept it. In retrospect, maybe using the Chevy Volt concept car as the new KITT could have been a possibility.
Since the producers have a deal with Ford, the new KITT now morphs into various other Ford vehicles, transformer-style. Not only is this distracting, it is such an obvious product placement as to make the show less entertaining. Some fans like this, but many have voiced their dislike of this new feature for KITT.
Acting and special effects in the first half of the season were simply awful. Student films exhibited more skill. Both acting and effects have improved somewhat but there is still room for improvement. The show's executive producer is more versed in car action movies (see "The Fast & the Furious") than he is in one-hour scripted drama.
The new show expanded the original concept into a covert government agency. Many viewers objected to this, so that storyline was changed and 3 principal cast members were written out (including, arguably, the best and most experienced actor on the show). But the show still failed to bridge the connection with the old series. There were numerous references to KARR, but when the big showdown came, it was over in 1 to 2 minutes. The "mysterious past" of the new Michael Knight - which could have been an interesting subplot - was referenced numerous times early on, then quickly explained away with little resolution.
There are fans of the new show, but far too few to justify the expense of this one-hour show's continued production. NBC ranks fourth overall of the Big 4 broadcast networks. Times are so tough for NBC Universal that they announced a $750 million budget cut in December 2008, laid off nearly 1,000 people, and have since announced a reduction in primetime scripted dramas by 5 hours each week (to be replaced with a new Jay Leno talk show at 10 PM Eastern).
In the end, the success or failure of the new Knight Rider must be based on its own merits and shortcomings, not in comparison to the original series. The new Knight Rider appeals to some, but seems to be a poorly conceived action/drama that fails to create characters we can care about. (Make no mistake, the original series was pretty cheesy, but somehow we accepted it and the characters.)
Hopefully, another more skilled production team will take Knight Rider and give it the care and attention it deserves. Maybe this would fare better on a cable channel such as SciFi (also owned by NBC Universal) if the appropriate budget and care could be devoted to it.
Many fans wanted another Trans-Am KITT, but since that model has been out-of-production for years, that just was not possible. I suppose using the new Chevy Camaro would have been one possibility, but since that model was heavily linked to the Transformers movie, it would have been a poor choice as well. I didn't mind using a Mustang as the new KITT and have grown to accept it. In retrospect, maybe using the Chevy Volt concept car as the new KITT could have been a possibility.
Since the producers have a deal with Ford, the new KITT now morphs into various other Ford vehicles, transformer-style. Not only is this distracting, it is such an obvious product placement as to make the show less entertaining. Some fans like this, but many have voiced their dislike of this new feature for KITT.
Acting and special effects in the first half of the season were simply awful. Student films exhibited more skill. Both acting and effects have improved somewhat but there is still room for improvement. The show's executive producer is more versed in car action movies (see "The Fast & the Furious") than he is in one-hour scripted drama.
The new show expanded the original concept into a covert government agency. Many viewers objected to this, so that storyline was changed and 3 principal cast members were written out (including, arguably, the best and most experienced actor on the show). But the show still failed to bridge the connection with the old series. There were numerous references to KARR, but when the big showdown came, it was over in 1 to 2 minutes. The "mysterious past" of the new Michael Knight - which could have been an interesting subplot - was referenced numerous times early on, then quickly explained away with little resolution.
There are fans of the new show, but far too few to justify the expense of this one-hour show's continued production. NBC ranks fourth overall of the Big 4 broadcast networks. Times are so tough for NBC Universal that they announced a $750 million budget cut in December 2008, laid off nearly 1,000 people, and have since announced a reduction in primetime scripted dramas by 5 hours each week (to be replaced with a new Jay Leno talk show at 10 PM Eastern).
In the end, the success or failure of the new Knight Rider must be based on its own merits and shortcomings, not in comparison to the original series. The new Knight Rider appeals to some, but seems to be a poorly conceived action/drama that fails to create characters we can care about. (Make no mistake, the original series was pretty cheesy, but somehow we accepted it and the characters.)
Hopefully, another more skilled production team will take Knight Rider and give it the care and attention it deserves. Maybe this would fare better on a cable channel such as SciFi (also owned by NBC Universal) if the appropriate budget and care could be devoted to it.