Streaming Sci Fi TV: Tracking down sci fi and fantasy shows of interest available on the streaming services. Note that these shows can be pulled from the services at any time with little notice.
What Is It?
After police detective Michael Long is nearly killed in the line of duty, he is rescued by dying billionaire Wilton Knight, who gives him a new face and a new identity as Michael Knight. He is then recruited by the Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG) and paired with KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), a highly advanced Pontiac Trans Am controlled by an artificial intelligence. Together, Michael and KITT travel the country helping the innocent and taking on criminals who operate above the law.
Aired: NBC, 1982-86, 4 Seasons Totaling 90 Episodes
Starring: David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, Patricia McPherson, Rebecca Holden, Peter Parros, William Daniels
Created By: Glen A. Larson
Why Watch It?
Coming from one of the masters of cheesy sci fi Glen A. Larson (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Manimal), Knight Rider is pure 1980s television, and that is a big part of its charm. The weekly adventures are often pretty standard action fare with Michael Knight showing up in a new town, finding people in trouble, and using KITT’s assortment of high-tech gadgets to save the day. But the show knew how to have fun with its premise, and the partnership between Michael and his artificially intelligent car is what made it stand out from the many other action shows airing at the time.
And, of course, KITT was the real star of the show. Voiced perfectly by William Daniels, the talking Trans Am had a personality all its own and became one of television’s most recognizable vehicles. Pretty much every kid watching the show at the time wanted to get behind the wheel of that car, or at least have one pull up in the driveway. The series also delivered some memorable recurring threats, most notably the evil KITT prototype KARR and Michael Knight’s lookalike Garthe Knight (also played by David Hasselhoff), who drove the massive semi-truck known as Goliath. And while the show does not necessarily count as a strong sci fi entry, it leaned heavily into its high-tech premise as it progressed, adding more gadgets and eventually giving KITT the over-the-top Super Pursuit Mode in the fourth season.
Knight Rider may not hold up as one of the great television classics, and some of its stories and technology are very much products of their era. But it remains a fun piece of 1980s genre television, and its vision of an intelligent car that can talk to its driver, navigate on its own, and assist with everyday tasks does not seem quite as far-fetched today as it did more than forty years ago. If you grew up watching Michael and KITT race across the screen each week, this one offers plenty of nostalgia. And if you have never seen it, now is a good opportunity to discover one of the most iconic genre shows of the 1980s.
Where Is It Streaming?
All four seasons of Knight Rider, totaling 90 episodes, are currently available to stream free (with ads) on both Tubi and The Roku Channel. Both of those streaming channels are similar to Hulu when it first started, and they have quite a number of sci fi and fantasy TV shows and movies to choose from. You can also buy Knight Rider on DVD and VOD.
Watch Knight Rider on The Roku Channel
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