Knight Writers Updated

Knight Rider writer and co-executive producer Matt Pyken is this week's contributor to NBC's Knight Writers Blog. The focus is last night's Las Vegas-set Knight of the Zodiac, and there's plenty of behind-the-scenes trivia!

The first problem the production team encountered with this episode was the location. "It’s 300 miles from us here in LA, and not a great town for shooting a TV series," he says. "If that seems counter-intuitive, think about it. Shooting inside a casino is a big deal. Security is all over the crew, and if you want to simulate a casino heist, forget it. When there’s real money around, the real guys with the real guns tend to get nervous. Then there’s the disruption factor; Las Vegas casinos make more in a day than we could ever pay for a location fee, so they’re not particularly keen on 200 members of a TV crew settling in for a few days.

"Enter the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. These nice folks just happened to build a huge Vegas-style hotel and casino 90 miles east of Los Angeles on the edge of the desert near Palm Springs. We took our entire crew of 200, put them up for three days in the hotel, ate at the buffet for breakfast and lunch and shot this episode of Knight Rider everywhere from the casino to the pool to one of the cabana-style suites. It was awesome and it looks exactly like Las Vegas."

So, all of the driving scenes of Mike and K.I.T.T. in Vegas were special effects, a technique the show has utilised from the get-go. "Without getting too technical, our visual effects wizards composite Kitt in with real footage of Las Vegas -– footage we were able to get from the series Las Vegas, a show Gary Scott Thompson created and I wrote on for five years," Pyken reveals. Surprisingly, the special effects team that works on the driving scenes is actually located in South Africa!

This episode seems to have been a lot of fun for all involved. Courtney Flynn, Billy's love interest in this episode, was named after Courtney Flynn, who works on the show. Another lucky member of the crew hit a $4000 dollar slot jackpot!

Knight Writers Blog: Knight of the Zodiac

Tonight... Knight Rider: Knight of the Zodiac

Don't miss tonight's new Knight Rider episode, Knight of the Zodiac at 8/7c on NBC!

"Mike, K.I.T.T. and Billy head to Vegas to take on a money laundering ring -- Mike (Justin Bruening) goes undercover in Vegas to bust a money laundering operation. Billy (Paul Campbell) joins Mike and K.I.T.T. (voiced by Val Kilmer) on the mission, only to spark a romantic adventure of his own. Meanwhile, Dr. Graiman (Bruce Davison) locks horns with an old rival and former flame, who comes to assess how "green" the K.I.T.T. Cave is. Deanna Russo, Sydney Tamiia Poitier and Bruce Davison star. Smith Cho recurs."

Be there!

On This Day: 19th November, 1982

26 years ago today, K.A.R.R. burst onto the scene! Created by writer and producer Steven E. de Souza, K.I.T.T.'s not-so-friendly prototype was the focus of the ninth episode of the series, and the segment that cemented the series' popularity and saved it from cancellation. In his autobiography, David Hasselhoff says:

"We were in danger of cancellation when Jan McCormack [David's manager] contacted her connections at Universal and pleaded, 'Give us another four weeks.' She got us a reprieve and in those four weeks we pulled things around, thanks largely to an episode called Trust Doesn't Rust in which writer Steven de Souza introduced K.I.T.T.'s evil twin K.A.R.R.

"Trust Doesn't Rust was probably the best episode of the first season and one of the best in the series' entire run. It certainly was the Jekyll and Hyde of talking cars. In December, Knight Rider got better numbers for NBC on Friday nights at 9 pm than its twenty-six previous shows in that slot."

K.A.R.R. would return in 1984's classic K.I.T.T. Vs. K.A.R.R., and is due to return in the new series' episode Knight to King's Pawn!

I Wanna Rock & Roll All Knight Highlights

The Official Website has updated with video highlights from last night's episode, I Wanna Rock and Roll All Knight, and demonstrates that male/female dynamics don't compute for K.I.T.T.! It's only available Stateside, but if you can, check it out!



NBC.com: I Wanna Rock & Roll All Knight

Knight Rider Revamped - Three Cast Members Dropped

The Hollywood Reporter has broken the story that Knight Rider will be undergoing big changes leading into the 'back-nine' episodes that were recently ordered by NBC.

"It's a reboot," says Gary Scott Thompson. "We're moving away from the terrorist-of-the-week formula and closer to the original, making it a show about a man and his car going out and helping more regular people, everymen." This will, of course, make the show feel much more like the Original Series, but also a better fit into the network's newly rebranded crime drama Wednesday lineup alongside Life and Law & Order.

The biggest change involves the fact that three regulars on the show will not be returning: Sydney Tamiia Poitier (Carrie Rivai), Yancey Arias (Alex Torres) and Bruce Davison (Dr. Charles Graiman). There are no immediate plans to add new regulars to the show, which will now focus on the five remaining characters: Mike (Justin Bruening), Sarah (Deanna Russo), Billy (Paul Campbell), Zoe (Smith Cho) and K.I.T.T. (voiced by Val Kilmer). The producers also are looking to do stunt guest castings.

Thompson stressed that the decision to let the co-stars go was a difficult one tied to the show's change in direction and had nothing to do with the actors.

The revamps will kick off with the two-part episode Don't Stop the Knight, which filmed last month. According to Reporter, "NBC is planning a major push, including possibly airing on Sunday after an NFL football game in January, with the conclusion airing the following Wednesday. Such a move would bring Knight back to Sunday night, where the two-hour movie/backdoor pilot drew big ratings in February."

The Hollywood Reporter: Knight Rider Goes Back to its Roots

Knight of the Living Dead Highlights

The Official Website has updated with video highlights from last night's episode, Knight of the Living Dead and shows the team racing to identify the infiltrator who activated K.I.T.T.'s self-destruct program. It's only available Stateside, but if you can, check it out!



NBC.com: Knight of the Living Dead Highlights

Tonight... Knight Rider: Knight of the Living Dead

Don't miss tonight's Halloween-themed episode, Knight of the Living Dead at 8/7c on NBC!

"Trick or Treat -– Halloween turns deadly when a tech is murdered inside Knight Industries headquarters -- An infiltrator murders a tech inside Knight Industries headquarters and the team must find them before they kill again. Meanwhile, Mike (Justin Bruening) and Sarah (Deanna Russo) are stuck on a flight during a storm and must try to stop K.I.T.T. (voiced by Val Kilmer) before he self-destructs. Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Paul Campbell, Yancey Arias and Bruce Davison star. Smith Cho recurs."

Don't miss it!

It's Halloween Knight!

It's Halloween, and what better way to celebrate than to revisit the Original Series' episode Halloween Knight! In this classic from 1984, Michael and K.I.T.T. investigate after Bonnie believes she witnessed a murder from her new apartment. The trouble is, Michael and Devon assume she's hallucinating due to a fever...



There will be more spooky goings-on in next week's new Knight Rider episode, Knight of the Living Dead, when an infiltrator commits a murder inside Knight Industries HQ and the team must find them before they kill again. Meanwhile, Mike and Sarah are stuck on a flight during a storm and must try to stop K.I.T.T. before he self-destructs...

Happy Halloween!

Knight Writers Updated

There was no new episode last night, but that didn't stop the Knight Writers Blog from updating! They have posted three new photos that hint at what's in store: Explosions, fights, and K.I.T.T. in a showdown with a giant, robotic junk yard claw...



Knight Writers: No New Episode Tonight, But...

Knight Rider On Location In Hawaii!

This past weekend the Knight Rider production team relocated to Oahu, Hawaii to film scenes for the twelfth episode, Knight to King's Pawn! According to Tim Ryan's Reel Hawaii Blog, Justin and Deanna were the only two leads due to make the trip, and K.I.T.T. wasn't scheduled to be with them. Meanwhile, Midweek.com reveal that actor Richard Burgi of Desperate Housewives has been cast as a guest star in the episode, and was also filming on Oahu.

Look out for spoilers if you follow the links:

Tim Ryan's Reel Hawaii: Knight Rider to Film 2 Days on Oahu

Midweek.com: Uncle Tom's Gabbin' - Richard Burgi in Knight Rider

[Thanks to Neil at Knight Rider Online for the pointer!]

On This Day: 27th October, 1997

Eleven years ago today saw the first airing of the fan-favourite Team Knight Rider episode K.R.O.. TKR are called in to locate a downed aircraft, and learn that it was carrying the "Knight Reformulation One," a Series-1 Knight Foundation vehicle that was planned to replace Michael Knight and K.I.T.T. The virtually indestructible Ferrari escapes and sets about freeing its unstable driver, Martin Jantzen (played by Bill Bumiller) from custody so that they can extract revenge on the Foundation.

Car Magazine Poll: The Greatest Cars in Film History

The original K.I.T.T. is currently one of the entries up for public voting in Car Magazine's Greatest Car in Film History poll. He's got a fight on his hands as he's up against the likes of James Bond's DB5 from Goldfinger, the Minis from The Italian Job, Batman's Batmobile, and the Back to the Future DeLorean!

The voting is being carried out here:

Car Magazine: Which is the Greatest Car in Film History?

Head on over there and get voting!

Justin Bruening Talks Knight Rider

Philly.com have been talking Mustangs and Knight Rider with our star, Justin Bruening. Part of their Celebrity Rides strand, Justin tells them about his real-life ride: "I wanted a Shelby Cobra when I moved back to L.A. and I thought that Lexi [Alexa Havens, Justin's wife] would buy me one for Christmas," he says. "It worked out conveniently that I got a job where I get to drive one every day, so now she doesn't have to buy me one."

Instead, Bruening stayed within his new vehicular family, obtaining a 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt after filming on the Knight Rider pilot movie wrapped shooting. He admits that appearances did play a role in his choice. "Driving a Camaro around probably wouldn't be that good," he says, even though he has an uncle who exclusively drives the Chevy-made muscle car. Bruening considered buying a standard Mustang GT and fixing it up to his specifications, "but I looked at what I wanted to do with the car, I basically had just designed the Bullitt. It was already made, and it was perfect." He did some of his own modifications on the car, but tried hard not to to mess with the Bullitt's "unassuming" quality. "I didn't get fuzzy dice or a TV that comes out of the rear-view mirror," he says. Instead, he installing a large subwoofer in the trunk; and he had a Hurst shifter installed for aesthetics as much as anything else, though he does note that it's "sacrilege" to drive a Bullitt with an automatic transmission.

When asked to compare his Knight Rider with the original, Justin says, "When I watched the show in '83, it was great. But when I went back and watched Knight Rider reruns, that show would never hold up today. It was such an amazing show with such a great premise of a talking car. Nobody's car talked. So that was the coolest thing on TV. And now we're drenched in reality, so we need realistic storylines.

"We have a talking car, so obviously we have something that's a little absurd," he says. "But our episodes are based on realistic stories and K.I.T.T. has just become another actor on our show. It's like a buddy-cop film."

And how does he feel about K.I.T.T.'s ability to transform? "That's pretty neat," he beams. "He transforms not into tall robots, but into other cars. It's a form of camouflage, a tactical advantage. He can transform into any other car, which is a neat aspect of the mission. Sometimes my character doesn't even know it's him."

Philly.com: Celebrity Ride - Justin Bruening and KITT 3000

Tonight... Knight Rider: Knight of the Hunter

Don't miss the latest adventure of Mike and K.I.T.T. on NBC... Knight of the Hunter, tonight at 8/7c!

"Mike and K.I.T.T. must stop a rogue military officer before he blows up a dam -– Mike (Justin Bruening) goes undercover as a Marine gone AWOL to track down a rogue military officer. A beautiful undercover agent from across the pond joins Mike to help him solve the crime. Back at the SSC, Billy (Paul Campbell) undergoes some combat training of his own with the help of Zoe (Smith Cho). Deanna Russo and Yancey Arias also star. K.I.T.T. is voiced by Val Kilmer."

Don't miss it!

K.I.T.T.'s Facial Recognition Mode: Science Fact?

Discover Magazine has an interesting article on one of K.I.T.T.'s new features in their Science Not Fiction blogs: Facial Recognition.

"In Knight Rider, our resident crime fighters rely pretty heavily on K.I.T.T.’s ability to find people. He accesses a government database — usually the DMV — and then connects to various surveillance cameras in the area... what’s really amazing here is K.I.T.T.’s ability to digitally match photos to a moving image. For modern law enforcement and software search companies, that’s something of a holy grail."

It goes on to talk about the applications of the technology in the real world, and the problems that have been encountered with it so far: Tampa police tried to use it in 2001 to monitor areas with a buzzing night life, and in 2002, security in Boston’s Logan airport tried to use it. In both cases, the recognition rate was so poor, they decided to scrap the systems. Manchester Airport in England is testing the system and it not only fails to make the best matches, but if two people walk through the scanner together, it will only notice the first one. Not quite at Knight Industries' standards just yet.

They claim that breakthroughs are just around the corner. "In 2006, computer scientists competing in the Face Recognition Grand Challenge discovered that their algorithms were so good that, under ideal conditions, they could pick out faces better than even people do. The software works so well that it can ID faces turned as much as 90 degrees. What K.I.T.T. has mastered, and what we’re still working on, is applying that technology here in the real world with imperfect light, moving targets, and the evasions of people who maybe don’t want to be recognized. Seems like we’ll get there sooner or later."

Discover Magazine: Knight Rider - Face Recognition

Tonight... Knight Rider

Don't miss tonight's new Knight Rider episode, A Hard Day's Knight, on NBC!

"Pieces of Mike's past are revealed as a lethal poison threatens his life -- When Mike (Justin Bruening) is lethally poisoned, he must fake the assassination of a billionaire tech mogul in order to secure the antidote. Bizarre hallucinations mark the return of the mysterious woman (guest star Paula Garces, The Shield) from Mike's past with clues that may help him remember. K.I.T.T. is voiced by Val Kilmer. Deanna Russo, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Paul Campbell and Yancey Arias star. Smith Cho recurs."

Be there!

Doug Liman Talks Knight Rider

Doug Liman, who has produced and directed some of the most successful action movies of the last few years, was part of the team assembled by NBC to bring Knight Rider back late last year. He's been talking to CanMag about his role as executive producer and his thoughts on K.I.T.T.'s development as a character.

"I try to just give the people who are working on the show the confidence to take chances," he says, "because I've always been rewarded personally in my own career by taking chances. So I try to just create an environment where the directors we've hired and the editors we've hired feel some sense of the freedom that I've personally given myself to just go for it."

Liman thinks that this K.I.T.T., voiced by Val Kilmer, is becoming a full, three-dimensional character, and compares what Gary Scott Thompson is doing with the high-level characterisations found in many of today's animated movies. "When you watch what Gary's doing, he's made K.I.T.T. into such a complete character," Liman says, "as complete as a character would be in an animated movie that you actually forget that he's a car. I'm telling you, you forget it. I honestly think that of all the characters, K.I.T.T. actually has probably the biggest arc, is in a way the most complete character. I guess it makes sense because the car is at the center of the show. Unlike the TV movie, he's built an arc that will run over the course of the series because he's really embraced the fact that okay, if this is artificial intelligence, K.I.T.T. is going to be learning."

CanMag suggest that it is that learning curve that forms K.I.T.T.'s story arc for the series. Liman elaborates, "K.I.T.T. is actually going through all the stages of youth and adolescence so it's actually incredibly entertaining and it's incredibly interesting because this character is going through all the stages that a human being might go through. I don't know when you stop growing. I certainly feel like I'm still growing but this character is going through all those stages of a lifetime in the course of a year or two years."

CanMag: Doug Liman on Knight Rider

Newsarama Interview Paul Campbell

Newsarama have an in-depth interview with Knight Rider's Paul Campbell, who plays Knight Industries tech Billy Morgan. Whether it's his character's natural comic relief or Campbell's own off-screen persona, Billy has already become a favourite with fans and the network alike -- the Official Website has unveiled a blog by the character, in which he reveals his life "behind the episodes" and interacts with the audience.

"The most challenging part of playing Billy is often understanding what he’s talking about," chuckles Campbell. "He deals with many of the show’s technological aspects, and I’m not a computer guy by any means. However, I end up spouting off this sort of techno-talk, and when I initially read a script I have no idea what I’m even talking about. So I spend a great deal of time asking loads of questions and trying to figure out what all this stuff means. That’s the only way I can memorize my lines and speak them in a convincing manner. After all, if you don’t know what you’re saying, then it might as well be in another language.

"So that’s definitely the most challenging part of my job. The rest of it is just playtime. That’s one of the beautiful things about coming onto a show with a team of people that are willing to let [the creative process] be collaborative and give the actors their space to do what they want, within reason, of course," he jokes. "That’s an ideal situation and what we have here on Knight Rider. When you spend 15 hours a day with people, eventually you’re going to get pretty close to them. They say there’s always one rotten apple, but, truthfully, we don’t have one of those. Everyone is really enthusiastic and working their butts off."

He remains in awe of Knight Rider's centrepiece set. "Once you walk inside the studio, the K.I.T.T.Cave, specifically, is just monstrous," he says. "It takes up the entire floor and has a rotating gimbal in the center. They had to bring excavators in to dig out the pit in order to install the gimbal. I mean, you drive K.I.T.T. onto this thing and it rolls the vehicle around spherically. You can’t help but be impressed by the time, money and effort that went into building a set as detailed as this one. It’s great to start a new job and immediately feel like you’re in good hands and have the support of whoever is putting the money into [the show] because that doesn’t always happen."

Most of his scenes are confined to the SSC, but as Newsarama conducted their interview he had been filming on location for the upcoming episode Knight of the Zodiac, in which he gets to go on the road with Mike. Campbell enjoys playing up the differences between the two characters. "I liken the relationship between Michael and Billy to that of Fight Club, a la Ed Norton’s and Brad Pitt’s characters," he says. "To me, Michael Traceur is everything that Billy wishes he was. He’s the charming, good-looking action man to my character’s somewhat nebbish, awkward geekiness. They’re really good friends, but polar opposites as well, which results in some amusing interplay between the two. I actually read for the role of [Mike] in the TV movie. It was one of those auditions that I really dragged my feet on because I knew just from reading the casting breakdown that there was no way I’d get the part. I went in, though, reluctantly, and needless to say it didn’t go well. However, I later got a call to come back in and read for the young boy genius, Billy Morgan. They were looking for someone with comedic timing and I thought, 'Hey, I can do that.' I was the first person to go in and read for the part, and they phoned a couple of days later and said, 'We’d like you for the job,' and that was that."

Newsarama: Billy Again - Actor Goes From Galactica to Knight Rider

Meanwhile, Knight Rider Online are linking to an article by the Calgary Herald where he talks some more about the show!

Knight Rider Online: Paul Campbell Enjoying His Knight Job

Tonight... Knight Rider

Don't miss tonight's new Knight Rider episode, Knight of the Iguana, on NBC!

"Mike's new mission sends him and K.I.T.T. south of the border with an unlikely new partner -– Mike (Justin Bruening) and Zoe (Smith Cho) go undercover in Baja as a honeymooning surfer couple in order to stop terrorist weapons from getting into the States. Sarah (Deanna Russo) and Billy (Paul Campbell) are brought into the mix and they quickly find the mission taking an unusual turn. K.I.T.T. is voiced by Val Kilmer. Bruce Davison and Yancey Arias also star."

Be there!

New NBC TV Spot: The Story of a Car

NBC have aired another commercial that showcases K.I.T.T. As the announcer tells us, "This is the story of a car so special, it feels alive. More than a machine... a partner... a nice wild ride. A car that literally speaks to you. Follow the stories of Mike and K.I.T.T. in Knight Rider."



Well done to the Knight Rider Online team for the capture!

Tonight... Knight Rider

Don't miss tonight's new Knight Rider episode, Journey to the End of the Knight, on NBC!

"Mike must infiltrate a racing gang with the help of an old Army buddy -- Mike (Justin Bruening) reunites with a former Army buddy (guest star Johnny Messner, The O.C.) to bring down a drag racing gang that is smuggling weapons overseas. Sarah (Deanna Russo) joins Mike and K.I.T.T. (voiced by Val Kilmer) on this dangerous undercover mission, much to her father's (Bruce Davison) dismay. Paul Campbell and Yancey Arias star. Smith Cho recurs."

Be there!

On This Day: 30th September, 1984

24 years ago today saw the premiere of the third season, the return of Patricia McPherson as Bonnie Barstow, and a new dashboard for K.I.T.T. The episode was Knight of the Drones, and it saw Michael and K.I.T.T. hunt down a killer who escaped from jail in a car that seemed to drive itself. It was filmed on location in San Francisco, and features an extended chase sequence inspired by the movie Bullitt. The guest cast featured Jared Martin, Barbara Stock, Jim Brown, Evan Kim and The Barbarian Brothers.

Coming Soon Interview KR Stuntman Dan Wynands

ComingSoon.net have been talking to the man behind Knight Rider's action sequences, stunt-coordinator Dan Wynands. A veteran of such hit movies as The Fast and the Furious, xXx, Gone In 60 Seconds and The Dark Knight, he gives some insight into the behind-the-scenes processes that bring an action-heavy show like Knight Rider to life.

"We have a certain number of cars we've gotten from Ford, and yes we are under pressure not to damage them," he says. "We like to do things with a little speed and close proximity to other vehicles, so it's a bit of a challenge. On the current series, we have six [K.I.T.T. cars] now. We also have the K.I.T.T. car that transforms. You go into attack mode, which is another variety, [and] it transforms into an F-150 four-wheel-drive truck. It has a bit of a Transformers taste to it."

Transformers was cited as an inspiration for NBC to ressurrect the Knight Rider franchise, and critics have often stated that a TV show can't compete with the kind of action and effects of the summer blockbusters. "Financially, we are a little restricted at times but not as much as you would think," Wynand says. "They're not too tight on the purse strings when it comes to doing the action, which an action series obviously needs. Basically, it's a matter of time. We don't have the opportunity to work in and set up bigger chase sequences that involve more wrecks and stronger and bigger stunts."

Wynand hopes to get the actors performing some of their own stunts as the season progresses, and reveals what Justin Bruening has in store: "The one thing we do in Knight Rider, we do have a lot of green screen for when we put our principle actors in the car. I'm trying to tie them more into the real work we do. I've actually got some business to do this Friday with Justin Bruening who's our Michael Knight Rider guy, and I'm gonna tie him onto the hood of our Knight Rider car. I'm trying to bring some of the feature film world tricks to help sell our actors in there. It is a challenge."

ComingSoon.net: Exclusive - Knight Rider's Stunt Dude, Dan Wynands

Magazine Watch - SFX

The UK's SFX Magazine has a huge 5-page feature on NBC's new Knight Rider in their latest issue. Entitled The Road Warrior, they talk at length with showrunner Gary Scott Thompson about the series. He talks about how the low expectations of the critics are driving the writers to raise their game ("You could just feel the hate... Hopefully we can change some minds about it, but to have a preconceived notion of it is challenging"), how he has ensured that the writers are on-set for the filming process ("That's the person that wrote the script. It's a big advantage to the director and an even bigger advantage to the actors"), and also how pleased he is with the SSC, or K.I.T.T.-Cave ("Seeing it as a model and plans is one thing, but then you step into the set and say, 'Uh, we're going to need more than 30 extras, because this place is huge!'").

They also have a brief interview with Justin Bruening, who talks about the difference in approach between the TV movie and the series, the attention being paid to scripts and characterisation, and his relationship with his talking car. "[Mike] is very much the Lone Ranger, but at the same time he has to learn to be part of a team," he says. "I feel like Mike gets annoyed with K.I.T.T. as he would a girlfriend, because K.I.T.T. is always telling him what to do and the right way to do it."

It's all in issue #175, November 2008, on sale now!

Tonight... Knight Rider

Buckle up as Knight Rider returns to TV screens! Tonight on NBC, 8 pm, Knight in Shining Armor:

"In the series premiere, Mike's new mission brings him face-to-face with people from a past he does not remember – Mike (Justin Bruening) and K.I.T.T. (voiced by Val Kilmer) are assigned a seemingly easy package delivery – until they realize the package is actually a man with vital top secret code decryption built into his DNA. The mission gets complicated when the enemies, including a mysterious woman (guest star Paula Garces, The Shield), seem to know a great deal about Mike and a past he can’t recall."

Be there!

Two New NBC Commercials!

Not one, but two new commercials running on NBC in the States for next Wednesday's television premiere of Knight Rider. The first includes the surprise Turbo Boost from the debut episode (A Knight In Shining Armor -- not such a secret anymore!), and includes the narration: "Next Wednesday on NBC we're changing an American Icon from the inside out! It's the ultimate car, and the one man fast enough to handle it!"



The second, shorter TV spot includes some new footage from some of the later episodes, and we're told that "Only one thing could give an ex-Army Ranger even more muscle." And that's K.I.T.T.!



Well done to my friends over at Knight Rider Online for the captures.

NBC to Ramp Up Their Knight Site

Monsters & Critics report that we can expect some interesting updates at NBC's Official Knight Rider Site:

"Fans will be able to investigate the back stories of some of their favorite characters in the Knight Industries micro-site. Plus, a new behind-the-scenes production blog featuring the writing staff and Billy's Blog will provide even more insight. Additionally, users will find an all-new K.I.T.T. game and interactive Attack K.I.T.T. and K.I.T.T. cave."

Monsters & Critics: NBC digital ramps up series website extras

More on that K.I.T.T.Napping...

The Internet was abuzz last weekend with the apparent theft of K.I.T.T. from its promotional tour in Canada, reported here. Some news sources reported that the incident was a publicity stunt, but there was no official word. Now some more details have come to light...

"To accelerate the steadily building buzz around the premiere of the Knight Rider series, last week E! Everything Entertainment brought the star of the show, the new and improved K.I.T.T., to a number of high profile events and heavy traffic locations in Toronto including the Virgin Music Festival, where fans were able to have their picture taken with the legendary car. Last Friday, the final day of K.I.T.T.'s celebrity tour, crowds of Knight Rider enthusiasts were left stunned when a man ran out of the crowd, dove into K.I.T.T. and screeched off. Intense speculation spread across news outlets and viral communities promoted by links to YouTube with audience cell phone footage of the 'KITTnapping" action. And now E! is looking for help to find K.I.T.T.

"Toronto's "KITTnapping" officially launched a unique viewer engagement promotion whereby fans have a chance to win a brand new Mustang GT Coupe or a number of limited edition Mio Knight Rider GPS units simply by identifying where K.I.T.T.'s been spotted.

"E! is also looking to the public to post their sightings of K.I.T.T. at eonline.com and watch E! for updated daily K.I.T.T. sightings. Viewers will be encouraged to enter their sightings once daily and during the Wednesday, September 24th premiere episode of Knight Rider, when one lucky fan will walk away with a brand new car!"

E! Announces Integrated Fall Marketing Campaign

New Commercial on NBC!

A new commercial has aired on NBC, and in this one "it's finally time to see how K.I.T.T. rolls!"



Well done to the folks at Knight Rider Online for the capture.

K.I.T.T. Taken for a Joyride

Pandemonium in Toronto yesterday when the K.I.T.T. doing the promotional rounds was "stolen" at an event outside of Union Station:



S. Breezy, a member of the local electro hip-hop group The Royal Society, was on the scene and took photos of the incident with his camera-phone, ultimately becoming the first to post images of it to the Internet.

"I just figured... why not? I guess it'd be cool to have a photo with K.I.T.T.," he said. "This guy just dropped his coffee on the ground and jumped in and took off in the car. I wished I'd gotten shots of that moment... the girl beside me who took video was immediately approached by a guy from the Toronto Star, who told her that they wanted to buy the video!"

Breezy lingered around for about 20 minutes, taking in the scene, and waiting for K.I.T.T. to come back, but it never happened.

"The car delivery guy was screaming about insurance, and the woman who left the car unattended was bawling," Breezy explains.

The Royal Society's female vocalist Nikki Awesome was asked how she would feel if 95% of the group's fans ended up being Knight Rider geeks, and she seemed totally okay with the possibility. "The Knight Rider producers should totally approach us for licensing... the track Roborotic is like a dialogue between me and K.I.T.T. -- he just doesn't know it yet!" She laughed about the whole ordeal, and is totally taking in in stride and having fun with it.

Knight Rider Car "K.I.T.T." Stolen & Caught on Camera

Local Band Benefits from Stolen KITT Hoax

NBC Buys a K.I.T.T. From AutoTrader

An interesting story coming out of Grand Rapids, Michigan: News services there are reporting the story of local woman Deb Fralick, who claims that after she put her Mustang up for sale on AutoTrader it was bought by NBC for the new Knight Rider series.

"I just turned 50. So it actually made me feel like I was 18 again," Fralick said after cashing a $19,000 cheque for the car. "This man showed up and didn't drive it, didn't open the door, didn't look under the hood, and just instantly bought it."

According to Fralick, her Mustang is doubling for K.I.T.T. on the TV series' promotional tours, and is the model currently doing the rounds in Canada. If the car ever goes up for sale, the man who bought it from Fralick says she gets the first chance to buy it back.

For the full story, visit Wood TV at the link below:

Wood TV: Local Woman's Car is New K.I.T.T.

The Chronicles of K.I.T.T.

Joe Huth, the co-author of the popular Knight Rider Legacy book and a good friend to this site over the years, has embarked on a new project: He's building a replica of the Knight Industries Two Thousand, and is attempting to create "the most series accurate version of the Season Three K.I.T.T. hero car."

Joe has put together a fascinating blog to document every step of the process, and it's a great read. If you're interested in building a K.I.T.T. replica, or are just a fan of Knight Rider in general, check it out!



Joe Huth's Chronicles of K.I.T.T. Blog

Knight Rider Car Show Reports!

It was too late to add it to the Upcoming Events section here at the Archive, but this past weekend was host to the Knights of the West Coast car show. This fantastic gathering brings together fans of the series with an exhibition of K.I.T.T. replicas, and was attended this year by some Knight Rider VIPs: creator Glen A. Larson, Stu Phillips (who wrote the music for the theme and half of the first season), and K.I.T.T.'s designer Michael Scheffe. Knight Rider producer Ron Martinez was also on hand to share stories of his first-hand experiences on the series.

The whole thing took place at the Saugus Speedway -- Knight Rider's spiritual home; it featured in the episodes Knight of the Phoenix, Slammin' Sammy's Stunt Show Spectacular and Knights of the Fast Lane, and was also where Stunt Co-ordinator Jack Gill taught David Hasselhoff how to stunt drive for the role of Michael Knight.



Knight Rider Online: Car Show in Video

Knight Rider Online: Car Show in Pictures

Knight Rider Online: Live from Saugus Speedway

E! Brings K.I.T.T. to Canada

K.I.T.T. rides into Toronto tomorrow for a whistle-stop tour, giving fans the opportunity to snap one-on-one photos with TV's coolest car before the new series premieres on Wednesday, September 24. Thanks to E!, who will be televising the series in Canada. In addition to the photo opportunity, fans will also be able to enter onsite to win a coveted 2008 Mustang GT Coupe California Edition and one of several special edition Mio Knight Rider GPS units.

There will also be a display at Union Station on Friday, September 12, when the tricked-out machine will spin its wheels performing stunts for the crowd.

The appearance schedule and locations are as follows:

Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7 (11am-4pm)
Virgin Music Festival - Ferry Terminal Harbour Street and Bay Street

Monday, September 8 (11am-4pm)
Gardiner Museum - 111 Queen's Park

Tuesday, September 9 (11am-4pm)
Corner of Front and Simcoe

Wednesday, September 10 (11am-4pm)
Corner of Bay and Dundas

Thursday, September 11 (8-10am)
CHCH News Studio - 163 Jackson Street West (Hamilton)

Friday, September 12 (11am-2pm)
Union Station - 65 Front Street West

Newswire: K.I.T.T. Roars into Toronto!

[Thanks to Mblackphoenix over at Knight Rider Online for the tip-off].

K.I.T.T. Road-Tested by Jalopnik

The guys at Jalopnik have posted an article detailing their experiences test-driving K.I.T.T.

"People point. They stare. The silent back and forth sweep of the red light draws the questions of curious passers-by. Camera phones are wielded, friends are called over and disbelief removed. But in the face of the crushing power of this car, the tight hold that childhood memories maintain over the aura of K.I.T.T. shrink, and become insignificant as you pull runs — again, and again, and again... This GT500KR has all the boost we need."



Check out the original article (and a gorgeous gallery) at:

Jalopnik.com: K.I.T.T. - First Drive

Autoblog Take K.I.T.T. for a Knight Ride

Autoblog.com have posted an article about the new K.I.T.T., and also got to test-drive the car itself (a non-kitted-out version, although it did have the Mio GPS unit with William Daniels' voice installed).

"On the road, K.I.T.T. garnered plenty of stares. Big surprise, right? When the sun went down and we turned on the car's nose-mounted light show, there was more rubber-necking than a carbeque on I-75. We'd have kept it on all day long, but the red LEDs are virtually invisible until dark. And yes, we were dorky enough to purchase the Knight Rider theme song on iTunes, which was fun to jam at stoplights.

"Regardless of whether or not the upcoming rehash of Knight Rider goes boom or bust, the car will always be an icon. And regardless of whether K.I.T.T. is a 1982 Pontiac Firebird or a 2008 Shelby GT500 KR, if it's black, talks, fights crime and has a red light bar, it's still K.I.T.T."



Autoblogs.com: In the Autoblog Garage - K.I.T.T. Shelby GT500 KR