Michael Long is an undercover cop but when a mission goes wrong he sustains heavy injuries to his face. He is taken in by the CEO of Knight Industries who nurses him back to health, giving him a new face alongside fingerprints and a new identity: Michael Knight a man, to the world, doesn't exist. He is given new high-tech equipment in the form of the car K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand), a black T-Top Pontiac Trans Am that happens to be indestructible and fitted with artificial intelligence. He talks, he computes, he turbo boosts over obstacles and can drive all by himself! They take on crime and help out the innocent, the helpless and the powerless in a land where criminals operate above the law. This show is just simply put, amazing. It's got everything from action to comedy, science fiction elements and crime. I had so much fun watching this 80s TV classic as I adore everything from the 1980s. It is my favourite decade ever and this show is most certainly one of the big reasons why. Not only is the show iconic and memorable on its own but it also has one of the most recognisable and catchy intros, I would say, of all time. Whenever I hear that 80s synth sound, I am instantly engaged and brought back to the world of the Knight Rider. I love the opening credits, also because of the pinky/purple sunset that we see K.I.T.T. drive through because it just looks so beautiful and when contrasted with that sound it becomes 10 times cooler. Michael and K.I.T.T. make the perfect crime-fighting duo and have so much fun banter that I am always excited to see what adventures they will partake in next. They are shown as best friends and great crime-solving partners making them an unstoppable force for justice. The other most memorable character in the show has to be Devon Miles, the Ceo's assistant who briefs Michael on missions for him to take on. He is charming, really funny and shares the same banter as Michael and K.I.T.T. even joining in on theirs. There are other members of the team who aid them on their adventures: Bonnie, April and RC3. However, where there are friends there are also arch-enemies. From K.A.R.R. (Knight Automated Roving Robot) the original prototype for the car of the future turned villain to Garthe Knight criminal son of the Knight Industries founder, who shares Michael's face. The pilot episode is also really well done and even feels like it could have been a movie featured on the big screen. It worked very well as a starting point for a great series to sprout from. I love episodes that feature a lot of action, however, it can get quite brutal at times. This can be seen on the occasions where the indestructible car actually manages to get destroyed or severely damaged, which would up the stakes and tension of some episodes. Even Michael gets into plenty of perils on his adventures but in the end, both pull through and get the mission done. Knight Rider is even referenced in the film: Ready Player One (2018), which is one of my all-time favourite films. The light sensor from the front of K.I.T.T is built into the front of the Delorean from another brilliant 80's product: Back to the Future (1985) and combined in that film, it makes my all-time favourite dream car. The show also got a follow-up TV movie in the 90s called: Knight Rider 2000 (TV Movie 1991) which was an attempt to renew the show in a futuristic setting but unfortunately never happened. It is an okay film but ultimately doesn't come close to the feel of the show, which was a shame. My copy came as part of my boxset, which was a nice addition. If you are a fan of this show, why not check out: The A-Team (TV Series 1983-1987), which shares a similar helping people out premise and is another 80s classic. Overall, if you haven't seen any Knight Rider and are an 80's fan like me, then this is one to look out for. The pilot alone is just a fantastic experience to get a taste of this incredible show. The characters are funny, charming and compelling and the adventures just get more and more ambitious leading to some phenomenal action sequences. So hit those Turbo Boosts and jump into the world of the Knight Rider.
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