Though NBC kept touting that the revival of Knight Rider was a success, the ratings have told a different story. Just about everyone in the industry was shocked when the network gave the Justin Bruening series an order for the back nine episodes. Now, to little surprise, NBC is pulling the plug.
Knight Rider debuted on September 24th, as a follow-up to the TV movie that aired last February. The new TV show takes place 25 years after the original exploits of Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) and his high-tech, four-wheeled partner KITT (voiced by William Daniels). Mike Traceur (Bruening) is the son of Knight and the driver of the newest KITT (voiced by Val Kilmer). The car was built by Charles Graiman (Bruce Davison), the father of Mike’s former girlfriend, Sarah (Deanna Russo). As in the original series, Mike and KITT work together to thwart evil and save the innocent. The rest of the cast includes Paul Campbell, Yancey Arias, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, and Smith Cho.
A few revivals of Rider have been attempted over the years but none have been a success. The newest version is, unfortunately, no exception. The premiere episode debuted to just 7.35 million viewers and a 2.5/7 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. The audience for Rider’s second episode grew to 7.77 million while the demo remained essentially flat at 2.4/7. The following three episodes averaged about 7.2 million but the demo began slowly dropping with each new installment.
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Likely due to the state of the rest of NBC’s sagging schedule, the network decided to stick with Rider and gave the series a greenlight for nine more episodes. This would bring the order to a full 22 installments for the season. Soonafter, the ratings took a serious hit in the November sweeps period.
After a week off, Rider’s audience sank to just 5.12 million and a terrible 1.6/4 in the demographic. The ratings weren’t much better for the rest of the month.
A few days after the first November ratings dip, showrunner Gary Scott Thompson announced that the show was going through a retooling. He told The Hollywood Reporter, “We’re moving away from the terrorist-of-the-week formula and closer to the original, making it a show about a man and his car going out and helping more regular people, everymen.”
As a part of this effort, three castmembers were let go — Poitier, Arias and Davison. Thompson maintained that this move had nothing to do with their performances. The decision likely had more to do with an effort to cut costs and make the bottom line more attractive to the network.
It seems the network hasn’t been sufficiently impressed by what they’ve seen and execs have cut the episode order back to 17 installments. The cast and crew are currently working on their 17th episode, written and directed by Thompson. They’re expected to wrap some time next week.
That episode, now the Rider season finale, is scheduled to air on February 25, 2009. The five remaining scripts will be utilized on the off chance that the series is renewed for a second season. Unless the ratings seriously improve, there’s no way that that will happen. Not even Mike and KITT will be able to save the day. Stay tuned! 
Image courtesy NBC.
The new direction of the series, I like, so what happened? It will never be number one, but if it is cost effective, so be it.
please don’t cancel knight rider i love it
“dont stop to loving me” u_u please
I wish to continue….
I Love michael, sarah, actually DR.Graiman, who create me….
don’t cancelled knight rider, because i like it…please…
I’m waiting for season 2…. God Bless…. move on…. 🙂
It is very stupid that they canceled it
i agree with the one that sed nbc gives up 2 quickly! I like something that u can enjoy even if ifts a little far fetched! also to the 1 that sed reallity shows reek aaaaaaaamen rock on KITT!!!
I cant believe that this got cancelled I mean the older season sucked compared to this and it got more seasons then this show so everyone at nbc that works on this show sucks if there going to cancel this.
plzzzz do not cancell this show im 15 and this is the show that gets me through the week i watch every wednesday. please do not cancell this show i love it!!
This show is REALLY bad. Some of the worst acting I have ever seen.
I think KNIGHT RIDER should go on, there are so many good things and yep, liked the old ones to! The new KITT is so cool, and I’m not a FORD fan, but love the car! Hope to see a 2nd season!!! Keep it going!!
Steve
I really like the new Knight Rider series and i would like for them to make a second season the new car is so amazing. I actually saw the new car and the orginal at a car show where i am from and it was a dream come true so please keep Knight Rider going it really is a great show to watch.
Well I have to say that the pilot movie and several of the earlier episodes left a lot to be desired, but as the show went on and was rebooted it got better and by the end I dug it. I liked the fact that they eventually decided a little bit of humour to the show, but it wasn’t too much.
I think there should be another season just to see how it picks up – but maybe get some new writers in (maybe the guys from BSG) to add a bit more of an edge.
Knight Rider is not cancelled! NBC has yet to officially announce this. please continue to send letters of support to NBC and follow the real news at:
http://tinyurl.com/bauhug thanks!
Here’s how we’ll do it; We kill off Michael Knight’s son in some outrageous firey wreck so we can get rid of this new, unbelieveable kitt too. Now the old Michael has all the motivation he needs to come back to the foundation. Hasselhoff’s version of Michael Knight is a human, everyman type of charecter and the wonderful thing about the old KITT is that he was vulnerable. I could go on for hours about plotlines involving KARR, Goliath, Garth Knight. Those were the keys to success. Oh and let’s not forget to invite back the old voice of KITT.… Read more »
The only thing that can and would save this show is hasselhoff and the original kitt coming back. That’s it and that’s all. I promise that formula would work.