QUOTE:

Remember "Knight Rider," the classic 1980s show starring David Hasselhoff (as Michael Knight) and the talking car KITT?

Well, it's back in an updated fashion in a new movie, Knight Rider, which premieres Sunday, February 17, on NBC at 9/8c.

The new Knight Rider star, Justin Bruening, stopped by for a quick chat [on the NBC morning talk show].

Before he appeared on the show, Justin and I discussed how his life changed at a McDonald's, what to do when you're bored in Nebraska, and who's cooler: Hugh Hefner or David Hasselhoff.

Here's our conversation:

DF: First of all...I read that you were "discovered" at a McDonald's. Is that true? How does that happen?

Justin Bruening: Technically speaking, yes, I was. I was in Escondido, California. I actually worked at Blockbuster Video. I was on my way to work at about 6 in the morning. It was the night after my birthday, and there was a modeling agent in the McDonald's. Her car happened to break down so she just happened to be in there.

I was hung over and waiting for my breakfast burrito, sausage-egg McMuffin, and 50 other things I ordered. She approached me, tried to talk me into modeling. I was apprehensive at first, I didn't really want to do that. But she told me it was the best way to break into acting, which I did want to do, so I signed up.

/QUOTE
...

Read the entire interview (with photo and video) at http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/15/667730.aspx

sci fi wire

Riding the sentimental-for-the-70s wave (a la BSG) along comes a new KNIGHT RIDER with KITT, the sage car.

Like the original, this brainless plot relies on the the car for a sense of motion. However, it may succeed on the engaging personality of Justin Bruening as the new occupant of the KITT's drivers seat. More so than on the very pretty but less interesting Deanna Russo who plays the potential love interest. At least, there's gorgeous Sydney Poitier in a supporting role an FBI agent -- and possible lesbian (did the FBI vet this?). Journeyman actor Bruce Davison as Russo's father and inventor of KITT is probably a better actor than Ed Mulhare but he's nowhere near as colorful. And Val Kilmer, providing the voice of KITT is not nearly as fun as supercilious William Daniels was in the original.

The first show of any series needs to contain alot of background building and it's up the writers to make it not only painless but fun. Here they did much of the exposition as the car zooms along at high speed -- mistakingly thinking that will make up for their oh-so static dialog. Plot and dialog were just functional. As was David Hasselhoff's brief appearance.

I occasionally would watch the original and I'll probably do the same with this. This, like the original, aims for the nondiscriminating audience, relying on the glossy production and the appeal of a really-smart-car and the actors.