Knight Rider -- "I Love the Knight Life" -- Season/Series Finale -- 3/4/09

[DJariya]

Synopsis:

Spoiler:

STRONGER THAN IS HUMANLY POSSIBLEMike (Justin Bruening) and KITT (voiced by Val Kilmer) are trying to track down a stolen serum that maximizes the recipient's physicality before it gets into the wrong hands. With the help of the lab's research assistant, Billy (Paul Campbell) learns some information about the serum that will help Mike when he takes on the now powerful thief. Meanwhile, Sarah (Deanna Russo) is overwhelmed with her new duties and quickly learns how much work it will take to reinstitute the Foundataion for Law and Government. Smith Cho stars. Kevin Alejandro and Mini Anden guest star.

Last episode of the season and most likely the final one as well.

[Snowmaker]

Really? They're cancelling it? This is the first I've heard of it.

And just as it was getting much better after the reboot.

[stingermck]

Season season season!!!

I hope

http://knightrideronline.com/news/20...d_says_gst.php

http://knightrideronline.com/knight_...2008/campaign/

[DJariya]

I never said it was cancelled. I just said it could possibly be the final episode considering the ratings have been really low for the most part this season. Yeah the re-boot has worked for the show creatively. You never know, stranger things have happened.

[GizmoDVD]

With Leno taking away 5 hours a week next season (10pm hour is gone) this show is a goner.

[rfduncan]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

With Leno taking away 5 hours a week next season (10pm hour is gone) this show is a goner.

Really? Even with that minus 5 hours, I think NBC will still be hurting for new programming. Besides Thursdays (barring ER which is ending this season), what do they really have beside Chuck, Heroes, Life and maybe Medium - all of which only have mediocre ratings? Biggest Loser and Deal or No Deal? I'm not even going to mention Friday Night Lights which will certainly be gone if only for another truncated 13 episode season.

[wirefan]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

With Leno taking away 5 hours a week next season (10pm hour is gone) this show is a goner.

I don't know... with 2 hour shows like Celebrity Apprentice, 2 hours of the Biggest Loser, ER signing off and the random SNL compilation show, there is plenty of time - it's just a matter of cost. NBC clearly has gone the 'we'll live with lower ratings if the costs are also lower' route (which means any non-SNL cast related shows that cost a lot are probably high on the potential cut list).

[GizmoDVD]

Originally Posted by rfduncan

Really? Even with that minus 5 hours, I think NBC will still be hurting for new programming. Besides Thursdays (barring ER which is ending this season), what do they really have beside Chuck, Heroes, Life and maybe Medium - all of which only have mediocre ratings? Biggest Loser and Deal or No Deal? I'm not even going to mention Friday Night Lights which will certainly be gone if only for another truncated 13 episode season.

They have a little wiggle room, but with poor ratings and a big budget I can't see this going on. Same goes for FNL (which I love) and maybe Life.

[stingermck]

I would think booting half the cast has helped the budget, and they shoot a lot of it on green screen. And the ratings are not high, but they are consistent. Not like NBC has much else.

[resinrats]

Bill's undercover name: Templeton Peck AKA Faceman from A-Team!!

That will suck if this is the end. It is so much better now than the first few eps.

[stingermck]

Ah I didnt even notice that!

A nice little moment at the end, if this is the last one. I really hope it comes back though.

[Snowmaker]

Not sure what it says about me, but I liked the scene with Mini Anden tie-wrapped to the chair while being interrogated by KITT.

[loneranger]

Good episode and plenty of eye candy. I hope they keep it around.

[stingermck]

Wooo! #2 for 8 PM!

Time Net Show Viewers (Millons) 18-49 Rating/Share 18-34 Rating/Share 8:00:

FOX American Idol 22.51 7.8/22 6.3/19
NBC Knight Rider (finale) 5.76 1.8/5 1.4/4
CBS New Adventures of Old Christine (R) 5.51 1.5/4 0.9/3
ABC LOST (R) 4.79 1.7/5 1.2/4
CW America’s Next Top Model (premiere) 3.32 1.5/4 1.9/6

Season ratings:

[DJariya]

TVGuide.com is reporting that KR won't be coming back. No official confirmation yet though.

[stingermck]

If they do that, then they may as well cancel Chuck so I can be done with the network. Most of what I watch is on FX or USA anyway.

Heroes can get a reboot every year, and loose ratings, and still stick around. I just dont get it.

[dgmayor]

Originally Posted by stingermck

If they do that, then they may as well cancel Chuck so I can be done with the network.

Bite your tongue sir!

[stingermck]

Originally Posted by dgmayor

Bite your tongue sir!

Oh dont get me wrong I dont want them to! But this is NBC Im surprised shows like Chuck and 30 Rock have made it this far...

[rfduncan]

Originally Posted by stingermck

Oh dont get me wrong I dont want them to! But this is NBC Im surprised shows like Chuck and 30 Rock have made it this far...

I actually watch quite a bit on NBC...

Knight Rider
Chuck
Heroes
Medium
Life
My Name is Earl
The Office
30 Rock
Friday Night Lights

[ChrisHicks]

I'm down to 3 shows on NBC.

Earl
Knight Rider
Chuck

I enjoy all 3 but Chuck would sting the most if canceled. I'm hoping KR gets at least a 9-13 ep. season 2 pickup however.

[stingermck]

Some positive spin (Credit to Knight rider online forums)

NYTimes 1:

Ratings: ‘Knight Rider’ Finishes in Second Place
By Benjamin Toff

A rocky season for NBC’s remake of the 1980s crime show “Knight Rider” drew to a close on Wednesday, showing minor improvement, but improvement nonetheless, in the show’s struggling ratings.

NBC says no decision has yet been made on the series’ fate, but if Wednesday’s finale was indeed its last episode, at least it went out on a relatively high note. According to Nielsen’s estimates, “Knight Rider” earned a modest 5.8 million viewers, its most in more than a month and enough to place second only to Fox’s “American Idol” (22.5 million) in its 8 p.m. time slot.

NYTimes2:

‘Knight Rider’ Crashes Into ‘American Idol’
By BENJAMIN TOFF; Compiled by DAVE ITZKOFF
Published: March 5, 2009

Season 1 of NBC’s remake of the 1980s action show “Knight Rider” sputtered to a close on Wednesday, drawing 5.8 million viewers, its most in more than a month, according to Nielsen’s estimates. Its primary competitor at 8 p.m.? A Fox series called “American Idol,” which attracted 22.5 million viewers. Fox led the night over all, despite trailing at 9 p.m. with “Lie to Me” (10.2 million), which lagged behind ABC’s “Lost” (10.6 million) and CBS’s repeat of “Criminal Minds” (10.3 million). CBS was runner-up for the night, while ABC and NBC finished in third and fourth.

And Variety:

NBC saw the best scores in a while for "Knight Rider" (1.8/5 in 18-49, 5.8 million viewers overall), which aired its finale. It out-rated the net's repeats of "Life" (1.3/3 in 18-49, 4.6 million viewers overall) and "Law & Order."

[Snowmaker]

Originally Posted by rfduncan

I actually watch quite a bit on NBC...

Knight Rider
Chuck
Heroes
My Name is Earl
The Office
30 Rock

There's my NBC watch list.

[TheKing]

Originally Posted by rfduncan

Really? Even with that minus 5 hours, I think NBC will still be hurting for new programming. Besides Thursdays (barring ER which is ending this season), what do they really have beside Chuck, Heroes, Life and maybe Medium - all of which only have mediocre ratings? Biggest Loser and Deal or No Deal? I'm not even going to mention Friday Night Lights which will certainly be gone if only for another truncated 13 episode season.

You left out Law And Order and Law And Order SVU.

Just judging by what they have now, you could very easily see a schedule that is full of programming thanks to Leno. Chuck and Heroes on Monday, Biggest Loser and SVU Tuesday, Life and Law And Order Wednesday, Comedy Thursday, Deal Or No Deal and Medium Friday. Football takes up Sunday and they don't run new stuff on Saturday.

That doesn't include Kings or Southland, nor does it include any new shows that NBC would add in the fall. I also didn't include Celebrity Apprentice, but that could return as well. Same with Howie Do It.

The bottom line is that every show at NBC other than Heroes and The Office are sweating right now. Anything could stay, and anything could go.

[DJariya]

There is no way that Kings or Southland makes NBC's fall schedule. The ratings would have to be astronimical. I know John Wells, ER's Producer, also has a Police Procedural Pilot called "LAPD" that is also in the running for a spot.

All I have to say is Fuck Jay Leno and Fuck Ben Silverman!!

[stingermck]

An Update from Gary Scott Thompson

So like many of you this is rumors of cancellation is driving me nutz. One person gets an anonymous tip and all of a sudden that's fact. We decided to ask the source for clarification. And while Angela Bromstad is out of reach, Gary fortunately isn't.

He said that they at the show have received no official word and the cast has NOT been released. He stressed that the renewal chances probably hinge on international support, as the series is starting to air internationally. In addition they've sent over a KI3T to go to Spain for promotion.

This information might be different from what NBC is doing, but the team behind the show has no word. It's evident that there is more at play here than ratings, and Knight Rider's fan base, plus international support will be huge.

http://knightrideronline.com/forum/v...=14048#p171558