Updates at NBC’s Knight Industries Research website have revealed two video files with clues to Michael’s missing memories. The files (which were filmed for the episode A Hard Day’s Knight) feature the return of The Shield‘s Paula Garces as Kelli, and can be found under Alex Torres’ personnel file.
The first is titled: “MT Forced Coercion: Experimental Memory Extraction.” The extraction method involved “6 gauge needle injects a radioactive isotope directly into subject’s temple. The isotope acts as a chemical tracer, marking all recently formed neural patterns and allowing them to be manipulated by a properly-tuned synaptic reader.” Known side effects of the procedure include headaches, nightmares and severe memory loss, and the procedure is incredibly painful. If it’s successful, the subject will have no recollection of it.
The second video is called: “MK Dream Surveillance: Experimental Subconscious Image Tap,” and was recorded 10/15/08 at 03:02 am. Notes state that “REM state induced at approx. 3am via psychoactive drug administered without subject’s knowledge. Subject’s personal sleeping pod was prepared with hidden sensors specifically attuned to subject’s neural biochemistry.” Michael had no awareness of the test trial or its results.
SFX rounds up the first four shows, which average between 2 and 3 stars out of 5. They note that “it’s incredible how many opportunities the characters find to lose their clothes” but, “once your brain accepts the 1980s Saturday afternoon vibe, it’s enjoyable in a goofy way.” A Hard Day’s Knight scores the highest with reviewer Dave Bradley, who concludes that “hints at a story arc about gaps in Michael’s memory from his time in Beirut may possibly lead somewhere interesting, but Knight Rider mainly feels like pure ‘guilty pleasure’ television, the sci-fi equivalent of Baywatch.”
The bi-monthly DeathRay features two pieces on the show: an article about the background of the series in their US TV round-up and a less-than-positive review. They state that “It’s a kid’s show re-created by middle-aged geeks, and their biggest mistake is to do it ‘adult’ without making it grown up. The result suits no-one, like later Airwolf.” It’s not all doom-and-gloom though; reviewer Guy Haley adds: “The chatty car’s still the star, and the new K.I.T.T. is realised with escapist glee, with Val Kilmer appropriately deadpan as its voice. Such is the strength of Knight Rider‘s core ideas that if NBC can sort out the juvenile mess round it, and make it just for the kids, it could still be a ratings hit.”
