Knight Rider Review

Is it fair to review a show after one episode (well, that and a TV movie)? I mean, Heroes had a whole first season that was awesome, and sucked last season. Lost was another show people tell me was really great at first, but got stupid. Well, fair or not, I'm going to do it anyway.

I'm going to start by saying that I liked the TV movie. Yeah, I thought the Mustang was a poor choice for the new KITT, especially a ricey custom, but it sorta grew on me. And the Mike Traceur character sort of fit the role.

But what the hell are they doing with the show? Are they still working for FLAG or not? Where's the truck, and when did they get some sort of super-spy headquarters and a huge staff? The FBI girl who had nothing to do with them before is Mike's boss now? And a ridiculously convoluted plot, just to change Michael Traceur's name to Michael Knight?

Come on.

Here's the thing, though. I'm willing to overlook all of that. The star, after all, isn't Michael Knight. The star, is KITT. And that's where Knight Rider is going terribly wrong.

Like I said earlier, I was getting used to the Mustang. I forgave the producers for making KITT a rice burner. Well, the producers took that good will and gave KITT an "Attack Mode". When KITT is in Attack Mode, he's even more tarted up, to the point that even Dub Magazine would be embarrassed to show it. KITT's gone from the car everybody wanted to drive in the 80's to the car I'd be ashamed to be seen driving.

Val Kilmer isn't helping any. William Daniels gave the original KITT a ton of personality. Has Kilmer even seen the original Knight Rider? My refrigerator has more personality than Kilmer's giving the new KITT.

The preview for the next episode looks promising, though. Racing in the desert, Knight's in trouble? That's just like the old show. If they could just find a way to bring back William Daniels. And the Trans Am.

Final Score: C