It looks like NBC's new Knight Rider is on its last turbo boost, and the show's executive producer claims NBC has no one to blame but themselves. Mediaweek's Alan Frutkin sat down with the show's executive producer Gary Scott Thompson to talk about the show's already troubled times before it hits the air again on Wednesday.
Thompson said the show has undergone some usual first season changes like differences in creative direction and story outlines, but the changes the network handed down cut far deeper to the bone.
For starters, the network cut three of the show's major cast members in the zero hour and cut back on the number of episodes they originally wanted. The most notable change is the network's insistence that the show's story lines and plots resemble the original series. It's a safe move for an already risky show and NBC has never been more scared about losing eyeballs than right now.
The problem is that when a show carries such a worrisome buzz, confirming audiences' already low expectations is the same as putting a bullet in its brain. Reverting the show to its roots instead of evolving it into a higher form of being dooms its survival rate to zero.
Don't get me wrong. The prospect of Knight Rider being as smart as Nightline were next to nothing in the beginning. But it had the potential to be the slightest something and NBC squandered it by tinkering too much with its engine. It played it safe and ended up creating a disaster of DeLorean-sized proportions. The only way it could have failed worse is if NBC demanded that KITT be a DeLorean. Come to think of it, that would have gotten me to tune in, but the laughs would have worn off by the end of the first season because I would be tired of passing out all the time.
Thompson wants to fight one last good fight for the demoralized cast and crew, and you've got to give him credit for his guts and determination. But with the ratings and the network's confidence already churning in a F3 tornado sized downward spiral, it's all for naught. Let's call this turkey done, burn off what's left of this bird and move on.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-06-2009 @ 5:23PM
Argus said...
A bullet in this one's brain just means more chances for Chuck. I'm not sad to see it go.
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1-06-2009 @ 8:03PM
Jason said...
They remade Knight Rider? Whoa... when did they do that? I guess I was too busy watching good TV on those there cable channels.
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1-06-2009 @ 8:13PM
Usama said...
Yup.. I wasn't expecting a Battlestar Galactica-ish remake but certainly one that wasn't tied to its cheesy roots in the 80s (which I loved as a kid.. but I was a KID, no more than 8 or 9 yrs old).
This is the time to take risks NBC, try a bunch of different things and see what works and then try a bunch of different things again (don't just find one thing that works and create 2-3 different spinoffs, ahem Law & Order, and I worry about The Office).
Well I guess my favorite Knight Rider will always be the old one. I still dig Deanna Russo though.
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1-06-2009 @ 8:17PM
RikerDonegal said...
I feel for Thompson.
He's seems like a clued-in guy.
Given that fact that every new show on NBC nowadays is rubbish, I well believe that the fault for this mess lies with them and not the cast or crew.
Shame on you, NBC...
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1-06-2009 @ 8:47PM
0megapart!cle said...
NBC has many deep, systemic problems with its programming and scheduling, but don't go throwing the baby out with the bathwater. NBC also has some of the best shows on Network television (Life, My Own Worst Enemy (I know it was cancelled, but it is still one of the best things on the networks, and I still think there is a wisp of a chance that NBC will realize their mistake), 30 Rock, The Office, Chuck, and Friday Night Lights) Even Heroes is better than most of the crap that CBS puts on and calls drama.
1-07-2009 @ 5:39AM
Brent McKee said...
Omega, of those "best shows on Network television" you mentioned, all but "My Own Worst Enemy" was created during the reign of Kevin Reilly as head of programming over at NBC. You know, the guy who was fired by Jeff Zucker, replaced by Ben Silverman, and is now running programming over at FOX? I think that says a lot.
1-06-2009 @ 8:44PM
John D\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ said...
is NBC the new Fox?
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1-06-2009 @ 9:01PM
CeeJ said...
See, I thought just the opposite... I thought this version strayed too far from it's 80s roots, and needs to Turbo Boost back there ASAP.
The original series was very much a buddy-cop show, Michael Knight and KITT, with a few support characters. This version has an entire "team", all seeming to demand equal screen time. The end result is you don't get to know any one character too well, so you don't care about any of them. And the one character everyone wants to care about (the car), we don't get to see much at all.
I think if they pared it down more, it might work better. Though I certainly don't mind seeing more Deanna Russo. :)
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1-06-2009 @ 10:43PM
Eric said...
Maybe they shouldn't have canceled Las Vegas, that show got better ratings, and did decent in its timezone on Friday night, and now they have nothing anywhere decent on Friday night.
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1-06-2009 @ 11:24PM
Mike said...
They can't cancel it till KITT faces KARR.
I like the show..and i like the backstory line secret they are keeping from Mike...hope they reveal that too.
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1-07-2009 @ 1:30AM
TravelinLady said...
Blame NBC, the awful lead actor, the awful supporting cast, the awful scripts, too much focus on free PR for Ford Motor Company, a car that did too much, the list goes on.
Having endured watching this show in the 80's because my young son loved it, I have to admit, the Hoff was much better on the eyes then this new guy "his son"
And while David was no Paul Scofield or Peter O'Toole in the acting department, he was WAY better.
I love Mustangs, but I missed the old Kitt and Val Kilmers voice, was awful also. I miss William Daniels. In fact I miss everything about the old show.
This new version, they should have borrowed more from the older version, this was a pain to watch
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1-07-2009 @ 3:41AM
Cray said...
Chuck, My Name Is Earl, and Life are the best shows NBC has to offer, unfortunately these shows are merely good shows compared to other station's programming.
NBC is so out of touch of what's good programming, let alone good scheduling.
Friday Night Lights, Scrubs, and My Own Worst enemy should've never left NBC. They just were in the wrong time slot.
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1-07-2009 @ 1:20PM
Europa said...
The first huge mistake they made was making Kit a Ford! Wtf. Hello? F.O.R.D. = Fix Or Repair Daily. And it appears that's just what NBC has been trying to do with this show. Idiots.
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1-17-2009 @ 4:50PM
Debbie Collins said...
Am I the only one who likes the new Knight Rider show? I watched the old one but prefer the updated one,the new Mike, and LOVE the Mustang! That is one HOT, SEXY car. I think it's a little too out there with KITT being able to transform into a truck, but overall it's a good show, and I hope it stays on. C'mon NBC, give it a chance.
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2-22-2009 @ 2:31AM
MG said...
I'm with you Debbie, I really like the show. I liked it better when the other 3 cast members were there too. I agree the transformation to other vehicles is a little much, but I don't mind the glove box.
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3-14-2009 @ 5:40AM
Paul said...
My boy and I really enjoyed this show. It's hard to find a show in the current day that's appropriate for the kids to watch. They should keep the show running.
The new show is nothing like the old one, which I watched when I was a kid. But hey there's nothing wrong with a little fantasy of the car changing.
The show is a lot better then the stupid "reality" staged shows that are out there now....
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4-04-2009 @ 11:14PM
TBone said...
There are quite a few comparisons from the old show to the new one, but they didn't need to follow the same story line, and why did they kill off the foundations two leaders, I mean, WTF!!?? They didn't reveal (yet) Mike's background. Slow down, NBC!! Give the show some time before you start killing characters too soon. I'm not dissing on the show in general, cause I love the action, but the plot points seemed to be rushed. Do something NBC, before this show comes to a shreeching halt for good!!
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