So, the San Diego ComicCon brought a tonne of news over the weekend. The big news from the Knight Rider TV show, aside from the sneak peak posted earlier, was the official reveal of the new attack KITT.
Replacing the attack mode from the 2-hour TV movie, Gary Scott Thompson’s quoted as saying he felt the original looked too similar to the regular-mode KITT (something I can kind of agree with. I know that during the pilot, I had to keep checking for the spoiler to tell the difference in some scenes). He also felt that the attack mode needed to look more aggressive and threatening. Which there’s no doubt this certainly does.
I’m still undecided though. I really don’t like the big vents on the bonnet (although I appreciate that they’re there for a practical purpose). Its a bit too fast-and-the-furious for me, whereas the fanboy in me cries out for a KITT that looks sleek. Certainly, anyone that was still struggling to accept the Mustang is really going to be bothered by this I suspect.
I do get a really good vibe from the 1 minute preview though. For me, the tone came off well, and it felt suitably action-packed. Mike adopting the Michael Knight name is a good move as well. While I liked the iPhone inspired main screen for KITT in the pilot, the new windshield display does look cool. Unsure about KITTs new vocaliser, but I do like how its more of a tribute to the classic three bars the original KITT had.
Slightly baffled by the repeat of the “are you a homosexual” joke however. It wasn’t particularly funny the first time, and it seems odd to directly lift some dialogue from the pilot like that. I wonder if it’ll make the final cut of the episode…
Only last thing I will comment on is the blue neon lighting under the attack mode KITT. In the States it may be cool, but over here, its generally associated with muppets who’ve got a stereo more expensive than the rest of the car, and drive like complete idiots.
Not to mention, excessive neon lighting on cars gives me Joel Shumaker Batmobile flashbacks.
Tags: Knight Rider, Television
Entries (RSS)
Powered by FireStats
I’d prefer not to have the neon undercarriage and the big vents on teh bonnet, other than that I don’t mind it. Paint the add ons black and do the same with the hubcaps.
See, I quite liked how the more aggressive modes appeared in the pilot, with subtle tweaks, and unless you’re going down the old Super Pursuit mode I’d keep it that way. What would be interesting is if tehre were a few easily attachable “Half way” body kits between standard mustang and the final one there. So you could have the full attack mode and normal and several stages in between, so escaping from baddies we get the bigger spoiler and flared door vents then for an extra push the vent on the bonnet appears.
Completely agree that most of the changes look fine. The big vents and the neon definitely detract from it though. I’m hoping it’ll look better onscreen than in the stills. I can’t help but think that the neon will detract from the simple effectiveness of KITT’s front scanner light though.
It was always effective in the original series to see KITT driving at night, with just the scanner visible, and only the faint outline of the car around it.
Plus the bonnet vents look sellotaped on. But I agree, it shoudl be used sparingly if at all and work more on it sin normal mode with teh light on.
If the vents were black, then it might work better.
I’m also getting increasingly concerned about Turbo Boost in this version. While nothing specific has been said, so I could (hopefully) be wrong, I’m very much getting the vibe that its going to be more of a nitrous boost, rather than jumping over stuff.
Reading online forums, apparently Gary Scott Thompson was asked about jumping during ComicCon and he confirmed that we’ll be sick of seeing it jump by the end of the season, so it looks like I was wrong
Also, watching video interviews with him talking about the new attack mode, he name drops the Veyron a lot as inspiration, which I think is a good sign.
He’s also apparently talked to the Hoff, and while he’s too swamped at the moment to appear, it still looks like they’re up for having him appear if there’s a good enough story and his scheduling allows.
The Hoff is swamped? No really, is he or is he just making excuses.
Well, between America’s Got Talent, the rumoured Hoff the Musical and doing things like the Sunday Night Project over here, he does seem to keep himself active.
Plus, its maybe not a bad idea to let the show establish its own identity in season 1. Let it sink or swim under its own merits, and then bring in David Hasselhoff and William Daniels for a big season 2 finale crossover spectacular (in a perfect world).
Although from the sounds of the season 1 arc, there was definitely scope to have them be part of that. Although then you risk “New boy needs The Hoff to bail him out. He suxxxo0rrrrzzz” type discussions.
Oh I agree that the Hoff shouldn’t be in it every week, definitely saved for a season finale. In fact if i was writing I’d have a shadowy force manipulating things from the sidelines, which pans out to be KARR slowly building himself a new shell.