New Knight Does Worse Than Bionic Woman
October 2, 2008 by brian
Perhaps these high profile, low-return remakes crashing under their own weight will do what no TV critic or jaded viewer can: convince network execs the revamps are a bad idea.
Knight Rider is the latest TV remake that looks to be on its way to a swift exit. According to Nielsen’s estimates from Sept. 24 Rider pulled in only 7.3 million viewers, finishing in a distant third behind Bones and the Dancing With the Stars juggernaut. Reality shows were the big winners on the night, Dancing With The Stars drawing nearly 15 million and America’s Got Talent picking up 10 million pairs of eyes. As a side note, did anyone think that in 2008 a major network outside of Germany would build a lineup around David Hasselhoff and a remake of the show that made him famous?
And in NBC’s defense – half of that lineup is working. But it ain’t the half about the car. Rider’s early numbers are of course drawing comparisons to NBC’s Bionic Woman remake that jumped off in the same time slot last year. Woman finished with a 5.5/9 average, higher than Knight’s premiere.
A friend of mine’s reaction as I discussed these numbers may sum it all up.
“Knight Rider? I didn’t even know that had started yet.”
Pictured: KITT — NBC Photo: Paul Drinkwater
I stand by my statement that I like this show. It’s fun, it’s full of car stunts, it’s got lights and colors and cool things happening. It’s A-Team and Dukes of Hazzard and I love those shows — still do.
People will watch others dress up like chickens on a Japanese game show but they won’t watch this? I don’t get it.
I haven’t seen the show, because I watched the TV movie back in the spring (just a bit of nostalgia from my misspent youth) and it was terrible. That TV movie probably turned alot of would be viewers off.
Cyn, I think the Japanese game shows will be like the American version of Weakest Link. It was hot like fire for about two months.
You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing somebody say “You Are The Weakest Link – goodbye!”
Then one day America woke up and collectively got over it. It’s kind of like that Simpsons episode where Bart becomes the “I Didn’t Do It” Boy.
The other thing is that the game shows don’t cost the network as much. The rise of reality TV makes it too easy to cut a sci-fi show because it costs five times as much.
I’m afraid of the day network TV is littered with nothing but “Dancing With” shows and American Idol style shows. It seems to be approaching fast.
The show could work.
The movie they made earlier this year was good.
The show – for some reason they decided to make it more like those california bimbo shows – OC, Hills, 90120, etc… Acutally it most reminds me of VIP but without the intentional tongue in cheek.
Everyone looks like a model. Blaring background music that makes it look like a rock video. Everything and everyone is perfect.
Most importantly… they deal with cases that NOBODY CARES ABOUT!
This is what’s going to kill the show. If they want to save it, they need to go back to the 2008 pilot and back to the original show and take some notes.
Right now, it’s just pathetic.