Knight Rider is a classic show and one that made my youth enjoyable and worthy. However with hindsight it is a TV classic but not a great classic which it could of been. I will summarise why it is a notable show and how it was badly executed. First the strengths. The Pontiac Firebird is appealing and catchy, (though I think a 1983 black Ford Mustang would of been better for looks and refinement) the music is notably memorable, the idea is fresh, new and exclusively modern instead of a traditional crime unit investigating we have gadgetry and technology and how this in a specialist manner is effective to fight crime in the mobility of a car and the view of the leading character consolidated in to the required fast action scenario, lastly it was done at the right time in the right decade.
Now the gripping negative aspects
The leading characters are wooden, adolescent and corny which goes hand in hand with the story lines making it more like a cheesy soap based and the exhausting quantity of episodes that dragged the series rather then the quality. For the scenario formula to work efficiently the leads should be limited and the quality of character has to be advanced, formal and deep, the origin of the story is also not convincing
The criteria must be genuinely crime based and sophisticated such as trafficking, smuggling, vice, corruption and espionage with hardcore action but not violent for it to be viewable to a wider family audience within 3 seasons and a sensible amount of episodes whilst reaching its maximum potential. Knight Rider 2000 rectifies some of these mistakes and acts as good insurance for the original series as do the 1997 and 2008 spin-offs but over do and spoil the original idea were all these improvements could off been one.
The gadgetry and opening / closing credits is overdone and is over the top. Like the exterior of the car was customised and adapted in to the whole body of the car with insignificant change so the interior should of had the same treatment and should of remained the same through out the series of unrecognisable evolvement.
For the credits conventional film openings without the use graphics to make it feel more like a proper crime drama and down to earth.
Glen Larson initially said he wanted to do the Lone Ranger with a car I think it should have been Hardcastle and McCormick in all but name.
In short a notable TV classic but a tragic one. Most TV programmes of this era apart from poor execution were based on stupid ideas by they're nature but Knight Rider is not and though an exception to this it is a lost opportunity.
Now the gripping negative aspects
The leading characters are wooden, adolescent and corny which goes hand in hand with the story lines making it more like a cheesy soap based and the exhausting quantity of episodes that dragged the series rather then the quality. For the scenario formula to work efficiently the leads should be limited and the quality of character has to be advanced, formal and deep, the origin of the story is also not convincing
The criteria must be genuinely crime based and sophisticated such as trafficking, smuggling, vice, corruption and espionage with hardcore action but not violent for it to be viewable to a wider family audience within 3 seasons and a sensible amount of episodes whilst reaching its maximum potential. Knight Rider 2000 rectifies some of these mistakes and acts as good insurance for the original series as do the 1997 and 2008 spin-offs but over do and spoil the original idea were all these improvements could off been one.
The gadgetry and opening / closing credits is overdone and is over the top. Like the exterior of the car was customised and adapted in to the whole body of the car with insignificant change so the interior should of had the same treatment and should of remained the same through out the series of unrecognisable evolvement.
For the credits conventional film openings without the use graphics to make it feel more like a proper crime drama and down to earth.
Glen Larson initially said he wanted to do the Lone Ranger with a car I think it should have been Hardcastle and McCormick in all but name.
In short a notable TV classic but a tragic one. Most TV programmes of this era apart from poor execution were based on stupid ideas by they're nature but Knight Rider is not and though an exception to this it is a lost opportunity.