TVXOHOF JULY, 2022 - K.I.T.T.

“No-one says 'Good morning' to me?

What am I, chopped liver?”

K.I.T.T.

‘Diff’rent Strokes’

July has always been something of an amorphous month when it came to inducting candidates into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.  Mostly it has been the showcase for detectives, but it’s also been something of a catch-can.  This year, it’s a little of both….

K.I.T.T.

[KNIGHT INDUSTRIES TWO THOUSAND]

From Wikipedia:
KITT or K.I.T.T. is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure franchise 'Knight Rider'. While having the same acronym, the KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared in the original TV series 'Knight Rider', and the other as the Knight Industries Three Thousand, which appeared first in the two-hour 2008 pilot film for a new 'Knight Rider' TV series and then the new series itself. In both instances, KITT is an artificially intelligent electronic computer module in the body of a highly advanced, very mobile, robotic automobile: the original KITT as a 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and the second KITT as a 2008–2009 Ford Shelby GT500KR.

During filming, KITT was voiced by a script assistant, with voice actors recording KITT's dialog later. David Hasselhoff and original series voice actor William Daniels first met each other six months after the series began filming. KITT's evil twin is KARR, whose name is an acronym of Knight Automated Roving Robot. KARR was voiced first by Peter Cullen and later by Paul Frees in seasons one and three, respectively, of the NBC original TV series 'Knight Rider'. A 1991 sequel film, "Knight Rider 2000", is centered on KITT's original microprocessor unit transferred into the body of the vehicle intended to be his successor, the Knight Industries Four Thousand (Knight 4000), voiced by Carmen Argenziano and William Daniels. Val Kilmer voiced KITT in the 2008–2009 'Knight Rider' series.

In the original series' history, K.I.T.T. was conceived and designed by the late Wilton Knight, a brilliant but eccentric billionaire and the founder of the "Foundation for Law and Government", (commonly shortened to "FLAG") and its parent Knight Industries.

K.I.T.T.'s main cybernetic processor was first installed in a mainframe computer used by the United States government in Washington D.C. However, Wilton saw better use for "him" in the Foundation's crime-fighting crusade and eventually the system was installed in the vehicle. K.I.T.T. was in fact the second vehicle built by Knight Industries with an artificial intelligence. His predecessor was K.A.R.R., the Knight Automated Roving Robot. K.A.R.R. was programmed for self-preservation, but this proved to be dangerous to the Foundation's interests. K.A.R.R. was later deactivated and placed in storage while K.I.T.T. was given to his new operator Michael Knight (the new identity of Michael Long).

Unlike K.A.R.R., K.I.T.T. is programmed primarily to protect Michael and all human life at all costs. This is made clear in the pilot episode when Michael asks Devon Miles if K.I.T.T. will protect anyone driving it. Devon's answer is that K.I.T.T.'s primary function is the preservation of human life, and Michael's in particular.

O’Bservation:
The TVXOHOF is only inducting the Knight Industries Two Thousand and not the upgrades or KARR.  But as the shows and TV movies are all connected, I will include the six degrees of separation for the crossovers.

K.I.T.T. not only exists in Toobworld, but also in the tele-version show based on the “real” car.  So, there are two K.I.T.T.s to be inducted.  There is the “real” AI car which we see in the TV series, which means the one to be found in the main Toobworld.  And then there is the fake K.I.T.T. who stars in the TV series as it is seen in Toobworld.

From Wikipedia:

KITT has a front- scanner bar called the Anamorphic Equalizer. The device is a fibre-optic array of electronic eyes. The scanner can see in all visual wavelengths, as well as X-ray and infrared. Its infrared Tracking Scope can monitor the position of specific vehicles in the area within 10 miles. The scanner is also KITT's most vulnerable area. Occasionally, the bar can pulse in different patterns and sweep rapidly or very slowly.

Glen A. Larson, the creator of both ‘Knight Rider’ and ‘Battlestar Galactica’ has stated that the scanner is a nod to the 'Battlestar Galactica' characters, the Cylons, and even used the iconic Cylon eye scanner audio to that effect. He stated that the two shows have nothing else in common and to remove any fan speculation, stated in the Season One 'Knight Rider' DVD audio-comments, that he simply reused the scanning light for KITT because he liked the effect.

That would have been a great crossover, even in deep background!  But I’ll respect the creator’s decree….  (I just wish he did consider the possibility that Wilton Knight did incorporate Cylon tech into K.I.T.T.)

But there have been crossovers which qualify the car for inclusion…..

Here are the two lists:

THE REAL K.I.T.T.

KNIGHT RIDER

86 episodes
1982-1986

KNIGHT RIDER

MOUTH OF THE SNAKE
(April 8, 1984)
From the IMDb:
Michael and Kitt join forces with an agile freelance agent called David Dalton to investigate the death of a government agent near the Mexican border. Dalton leads the investigation and stays close to Joanna St. John in order to protect her.

The last episode produced for the second season, this show is well-known due to its apparent lack of Michael and K.I.T.T. Here they are relegated to the background chasing missiles across the country; the real story is Dalton's, giving David Hasselhoff time away to prepare for his wedding to actress Catherine Hickland.

O’Bservation:
There was a “spin-off” movie a year later, but it feels more like a prequel as Dalton really was on his own.  (That TV movie gets its own category for it serves to disable a Zonk regarding the two K.I.T.T.s….)

Here's a roundabout connection to ‘Star Trek’:

TEAM KNIGHT RIDER

APOCALYPSE MAYBE
May 5, 1998
There is a connection to 'Star Trek' because Dr. Jackson Roykirk, who invented the earthquake machine that was defeated by Team Knight Rider, was also the doctor who invented the Nomad robot that was defeated by the Enterprise crew.

That connects to 'Star Trek' through this episode:

STAR TREK
THE CHANGELING
(1967)
The episode features a character called Professor Jackson Roykirk.

KNIGHT RIDER [TV Movie]

February 17, 2008
The Montecito Resort and Casino from ‘Las Vegas’ appears in the 2008 “Knight Rider” film.

SUPERNATURAL

CHANGING CHANNELS
November 9, 2009
'Knight Rider' is parodied.

O’Bservation:
The parody in that alternate reality must be based on their own version of the real AI car.  So K.I.T.T. would be a multidimensional.

It should be no surprise that K.I.T.T. would be catnip to producers looking for new ideas to churn out as TV shows.  But it was also a lure for TV commercials during the 1980s and even later.  For the most part, I think Blipvert K.I.T.T. is the real deal; it has to be if it’s William Daniel’s voice is coming through the modulator.  

And that is especially true when K.I.T.T. joined Robbie, B-9, Twiki, WOPR, Commander Data and other AIs at the GE laboratories testing site from throughout the Toobworld timeline.  When K.I.T.T. finally left the GE labs, it might have been teleported to a different location.  But there could have been a glitch in the programming; how else to explain how the car wound up in Hungary?

You get the idea....

And now for the Televersion of K.I.T.T.

THE FAKE K.I.T.T.

DIFF’RENT STROKES

- HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD PART 1 (1984)

- HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD PART 2 (1984)
This episode has an appearance of Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) and K.I.T.T.  However the voice of K.I.T.T. is NOT provided by William Daniels who plays K.I.T.T. on Knight Rider. Instead, instead it is played by Jim Ward.

O’Bservation -
This is an appearance by Hasselhoff and the “stunt car” from the Toobworld version of K.I.T.T.’s adventures.

THE NICK AND JESSICA VARIETY HOUR

[2004]
K.I.T.T. appeared on stage and sang a duet with Nick Lachey during the one hour special.

O’Bservation:
As was the case with its appearance on the studio lot in the ‘Diff’rent Strokes’ two-parter, this is the TV star K.I.T.T. with a different voice.

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT

First season
2006
From the 'Knight Rider' Wiki:
K.I.T.T. was reunited with David Hasselhoff in a season 1 episode of the variety show/talent show America's Got Talent, on which Hasselhoff was a judge. A performer brought a replica of K.I.T.T. onto center stage as scenery during her burlesque act.

O’Bservation:
The performer was Michelle L’Amour, but there is no indication in the IMDb as to what episode it was.

JUMP IN MY CAR (music video)

Not only was this another Toobworld replica with Hasselhoff, but it was right hand drive since it was made in Australia.

THE BIG BANG THEORY
THE CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLE AMPLIPHICATION
September 30, 2010
‘Knight Rider’ is mentioned in this ‘Big Bang Theory’ episode.

Sheldon-bot:

I don’t understand why you’re not enjoying this. Together, in this car, with my enhanced capabilities, we’re like 'Knight Rider'.
Leonard:
Except in 'Knight Rider', the car isn’t a yammering sphincter.
Sheldon-bot:
You mock the sphincter, but the sphincter is a class of muscle without which human beings couldn’t survive. There are over 50 different sphincters in the human body. How many can you name?
Leonard:
I was wrong, this is exactly like 'Knight Rider'.

NCIS: LOS ANGELES

BLAME IT ON RIO
October 19, 2015
Crossover with ‘NCIS’

O’Bservation:

Both Tony DiNozzo and Marty Deeks mention the show based on the real car, and the fugitive, who was seeking to get off-the-books cosmetic surgery.  He wanted to look like David Hasselhoff and he bought a T-shirt celebrating it.

DiNozzo
Of course!  Michael Long!
Deeks
That's right.

DiNozzo
Detective Lieutenant Michael Arthur Long. He was shot in the face.
Deeks
He was rescued by billionaire Wilton Knight and was the primary field agent for the Foundation of Law and Government.
DiNozzo
FLAG.
Deeks
FLAG.
Sam
What? What are you two talking about?
Nell
'Knight Rider', starring David Hasselhoff.
Deeks
The Hoff. Don't you dare hassle him.
Nell
'80s TV show with a talking car.
Eric
A.K.A. KITT. And the Knight Industries Two Thousand was a little more than a talking car.
DiNozzo
Oh, yeah.
Callan
Do you ever get the feeling we're working alone here?
Sam
Every single day.

And here is the special recognition for
CODE OF VENGEANCE [TV Movie]
June 30, 1985
[“Code of Vengeance” was a spin-off of 'Knight Rider'.]

O’Bservation:
This TV movie disables the Zonk of K.I.T.T. being a reality in Toobworld at the same time it is known as a TV series by TV characters in other shows.

Here’s how it works:

I’m sticking with my belief that this is a prequel to the ‘Knight Rider’ episode "Mouth Of The Snake"; so this has to take place less than two years earlier, when the televersion of ‘Knight Rider’ began getting broadcast.  That’s because at one point, Willard was in his home watching a ‘Knight Rider’ episode.  (Although dialogue was heard, it doesn’t have to match up with the actual episode from the Trueniverse; Toobworld has often twisted the facts about actual episodes of other TV show.)

Dalton wouldn’t have known Willard had been watching that show, so there would be no reason for him to be surprised upon meeting a real-life TV character two years later.  But at least it establishes there is no Zonk in having both versions of a character at the same time in the same dimension.

Welcome to the TVXOHOF, K.I.T.T.!  I’m not sure, but you may be the first Hall of Fame member to reside in the garage.

"It's over, Knight Rider."

Marty Deeks

'NCIS: Los Angeles'