Knight Rider Kicks into High Gear on NBC
Add comment February 18th, 2008
The latest in a long line of vintage remakes, Knight Rider is actually unique in that it is a continuation of the 1980’s David Hasselhoff series as opposed to a re-imagining like Bionic Woman. This time, Mike Tracer (Justin Bruening) is behind the wheel of the artificially-intelligent supercar KITT (Val Kilmer), out to protect KITT’s creator and his daughter from danger. The new Knight Rider might be incessantly predictable, but it’s also slick and insanely enjoyable. The biggest let-down is this is only a “back-door pilot”: a movie-of-the-week which could lead to a full series. This means the show isn’t even green lit at a time when prime-time television needs KITT the most. You can still watch the pilot again on Saturday on NBC at 8:00 P.M.
Kyle XY kicks off with an enigmatic premise, as a mysterious youth named Kyle (Matt Dallas) is adopted by a psychiatrist and her family, and discover to have no memories, no language and no belly button. Kyle assimilates to normal life with superhuman ease while attempting to discover clues to his strange existence. Despite lacking the intensity of Lost or specials effects of Smallville, Kyle XY is simply a good show. Though super-intelligent, Kyle is out of his depth with regards to relationships, and Dallas’ innocent and beleaguered expression reinforces the character’s almost child-like persona. Good writing keeps the premise fresh while effectively balancing character over plot. Overall, Kyle XY is a good, teen-friendly win for ABC Family’s lineup. Kyle XY airs on ABC Family at 7:00 PM on Monday.
