NBC gives Knight Rider a full order
Okay, the other day I applauded Fox for giving Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles a pick up for the remainder of the 2008-2009 season. Even though the critics have been expecting more from the sci-fi series, Fox chose to stick with the show and give it a chance to evolve. Good for them!That said, the news today that NBC has given Knight Rider a full season order leaves me cold. That's an order for nine more episodes, and it strikes me as throwing good money after bad. Knight Rider has been struggling in the ratings and generally dissed by the critics. It hasn't earned a pick up to be perfectly frank.
So why would NBC give this remake of the 1980's action drama a vote of confidence? Well, it could be that it's considered one of NBC programming chief Ben Silverman's pet projects.
It's also likely that NBC is not sure what will work better in the Wednesday 8 p.m. time slot. Knight Rider is pretty much matching CBS's attempt to build a comedy hour with The New Adventures of Old Christine and Gary Unmarried, and ABC's delightful Pushing Daisies, which is also ratings-challenged.
Here's what I would like to see NBC do with Knight Rider: make it better! This is a show that made it in the '80s based on star power and some fun with a car. That car was not a transformer or a Batmobile, but it did have a great personality. Instead of worrying about the product endorsements, which seems to be job #1 at NBC Universal these days, put some work into developing the Knight Rider characters. It's a radical idea, but maybe it'll enliven this remake and make it worthy of a full season.

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