Is KITT too powerful? (SPOILERS for new Series)
- Thread starter Brent
- Start date
Turbo Boost isn't sustained flight, though; it's more like a rocket-assisted rampless jump, similar to the Tumbler in Batman Begins.
Tune in next week.
I don't have any problems in general with the new KITT's abilities, apart from his morphing ability, but I do agree about the pace at which these abilities are being added.
The first season of oldKR gave KITT some of his key functions in the pilot (his invulnerability, Turbo Boost, auto-pilot, the ejector seat, oil slick, and Ski Mode, though the last didn't have an actual defined push-button until either the second or third season), and added a few more as the season went on (the microwave jammer, chemical analyzer, and grappling hook are probably the most noteworthy). It wasn't until the second season that they went a bit overboard, with April seemingly adding a new gadget each week, only for it to disappear the next. The only one I can think of that made repeat performances was the laser (first seen in "Goliath," then again in "Soul Survivor." Apparently removed after that, and later stolen by KARR in S3's "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R."). The gadgets returned to a more reasonable pace in the third and fourth seasons, though some of them in the final season got a bit silly (S.I.D. the robotic soccer ball, anyone?).
I find it funny how this thread starts as a commentary on the car's capabilities and quickly erm..."transformed" into a "bash everything about KR 2008" thread.
Anyhow, in answer to the original question - no, I don't. I say that because KITT has already been shown to have weaknesses. In "Journey into the end of Knight" we saw that a mid-air transform that wasn't completed could damage him upon landing. In the pilot movie we saw that if his computer is deactivated, he essentially becomes a normal car again and in last week's episode, it was shown that while KITT could take heavy arms fire, he had limits as to how many of them he could take.
As for the improbability of the technology, I don't have any problem buying any of it. If I can accept that in the KR universe there was a fully functional AI in the early 80's that had a functional on board communications system complete with video screens as well as a mysterious "molecular bonded shell" that made it bullet proof, then accepting that the same organization that came up with these technologies over twenty years ago could come up with some new wacky stuff like what we see in the current series is not beyond my imagination.
Anyhow, in answer to the original question - no, I don't. I say that because KITT has already been shown to have weaknesses. In "Journey into the end of Knight" we saw that a mid-air transform that wasn't completed could damage him upon landing. In the pilot movie we saw that if his computer is deactivated, he essentially becomes a normal car again and in last week's episode, it was shown that while KITT could take heavy arms fire, he had limits as to how many of them he could take.
As for the improbability of the technology, I don't have any problem buying any of it. If I can accept that in the KR universe there was a fully functional AI in the early 80's that had a functional on board communications system complete with video screens as well as a mysterious "molecular bonded shell" that made it bullet proof, then accepting that the same organization that came up with these technologies over twenty years ago could come up with some new wacky stuff like what we see in the current series is not beyond my imagination.
Too powerful? Yes.
Not in the realm of belief? Yes.
I don't mind a touch of fantasy, but for the love of all that which does not suck (a partial quote from Butthead), I want a degree of realism!!
The morphing from the pilot was realistic and even the producers stated they were going for him to change to a car of equal mass and not anything outlandish. Um, changing to a full size truck or van isn't outlandish?
The "do everything" glovebox drawer is stupid, and I'm tired of every other POS on the road able to outrun and outmaneuver the car in a chase. Hell, in the episode where he's being shot at by the modified 50-cal, he should have been able to overtake the SUV on a straight away and pushed the truck.
Attack mode sucks as well. It looks like the car came out of the meat-grinder when every car from the movie The Road Warrior was tossed in and ground up.
Back in the day, the original KR was critiqued by computer analysts who stated that the amount of processing power the car (AI) possessed would fill almost two semi-truck trailers
This show reminds me of Star Trek: Voyager -- great potential that was quickly destroyed in the name of ridiculousness.
Not in the realm of belief? Yes.
I don't mind a touch of fantasy, but for the love of all that which does not suck (a partial quote from Butthead), I want a degree of realism!!
The morphing from the pilot was realistic and even the producers stated they were going for him to change to a car of equal mass and not anything outlandish. Um, changing to a full size truck or van isn't outlandish?
The "do everything" glovebox drawer is stupid, and I'm tired of every other POS on the road able to outrun and outmaneuver the car in a chase. Hell, in the episode where he's being shot at by the modified 50-cal, he should have been able to overtake the SUV on a straight away and pushed the truck.
Attack mode sucks as well. It looks like the car came out of the meat-grinder when every car from the movie The Road Warrior was tossed in and ground up.
Back in the day, the original KR was critiqued by computer analysts who stated that the amount of processing power the car (AI) possessed would fill almost two semi-truck trailers
This show reminds me of Star Trek: Voyager -- great potential that was quickly destroyed in the name of ridiculousness.
^ yeah, really the main thing that gets me is this morphing thing, i'm sorry, but transforming into a truck and a van, I just can't stand it
BTW, what does KITT stand for in this new series? In TOS it was Knight Industries Two Thousand, and in the movie it was Knight Industries Three Thousand, so what's it now?
BTW, what does KITT stand for in this new series? In TOS it was Knight Industries Two Thousand, and in the movie it was Knight Industries Three Thousand, so what's it now?
It's the same car, so it's still Knight Industries Three Thousand.
How so? Is there currently a car on the market or in the military that can change colors and sprout a new spoiler and hide a scanner built into its hood? I'm genuinely curious how morphing cars of any kind are "realistic".
Except that they were not in a straight road, they were going through levels of a parking garage which required lots of turns. Using the grappling hook was the best way to stop them without destroying the vehicle and killing all its passengers.
Pushing the van would have brought it closer to the helicopter. The point was to keep the van from getting to its destination, not helping it get there.
And yet everyone picks on transforming into a truck while letting the insanely advanced AI slide as an example of technological "realism".Back in the day, the original KR was critiqued by computer analysts who stated that the amount of processing power the car (AI) possessed would fill almost two semi-truck trailers
Last edited:
AirWolf was mostly black... maybe neo-KITT will shape-shift into neo-AirWolf during sweeps.
The colors and subtle changes were fine, and yes, I critiqued the spoiler morphing from nowhere in the movie.
BS. With that much torque under the hood he could have clipped the rear corner of the SUV, like what police to during a pursuit, and flipped it around. The parking garage would have given KITT the advantage since he's more powerful under the hood than an SUV.
See above.
And yet everyone picks on transforming into a truck while letting the insanely advanced AI slide as an example of technological "realism".Back in the day, the original KR was critiqued by computer analysts who stated that the amount of processing power the car (AI) possessed would fill almost two semi-truck trailers
I'm sorry to rain on the fanboy parade, but many of us have stated (and it gets ignored) that a degree of fantasy is great, but the show, as it has been presented, has crossed the line of absurdity.
The original show was an adventure series that also focused on the relationship between Michael and KITT. If KITT were a seemingly technologically feasible supercomputer of the 1980s, then there wouldn't have been any interesting character interaction. Some liberties have to be taken for the sake of drama.
Giving neo-KITT capabilities that would make Sixshot jealous stretches credibility well beyond the breaking point, and for no good dramatic reason.
Giving neo-KITT capabilities that would make Sixshot jealous stretches credibility well beyond the breaking point, and for no good dramatic reason.
3D Master
Rear Admiral
I'm okay with KITT and his abilities, except for one thing:
Transformer!KITT tm.
Although I keep wondering where KITT gets the added mass, and how it manage to shift it's insides without changing the insides and without apparently moving at all (as anyone in it doesn't notice anything), the technical problems ultimately aren't what bothers me about it.
What bothers me about it: IT'S STUPID!!
I wish instead of giving KITT more and more things to transform into every friggin' episode, they should have him transform rarely if at all, and just one thing.
Transformer!KITT tm.
Although I keep wondering where KITT gets the added mass, and how it manage to shift it's insides without changing the insides and without apparently moving at all (as anyone in it doesn't notice anything), the technical problems ultimately aren't what bothers me about it.
What bothers me about it: IT'S STUPID!!
I wish instead of giving KITT more and more things to transform into every friggin' episode, they should have him transform rarely if at all, and just one thing.
I think the Attack Mode should have been the only physical transformation, if it was going to have any. Other than that, I like my idea of instead of transforming into other cars, use its advanced holographics to appear like other cars, a holo stealth kinda thing, would have been much better IMO, cause then it could fail just at the wrong moment for dramatic tension
How is it ignored? I directly asked you why transformation is any less "real" than having a fully functional AI in the 80's, both of which are modern day non-existent technologies. Yet instead of answering the query you decide to call me a fanboy.
I've asked this on other boards and in other threads, but the only critique people make is "it's absurd" or "it's stupid" without saying how it is any more absurd than a fully functional and even "feeling" AI existing in the dashboard of a car, or how the physics of turbo boost worked in the original KITT. Instead, people who enjoy the show are frowned upon because we dare to *gasp* enjoy a show instead of bashing it.
Last edited:
See, this I can get behind. If it was used as a dramatic device that was only used rarely, thus making it more special, I think that would be cool.
In TOS, KITT had the ability to remove handcuffs from Michael (in the season four opener).
Anything they do in this new show is just an advance of KITT's abilities.
Next week, KITT gets shot out of a cannon.
*sigh* Trying to discuss this with you is like trying to discuss anything rational with my ex-wife. Neither of you two understand that A<>B.
THE ADVANCED AI IS THE DEGREE OF FANTASY WE CAN BELIEVE BECAUSE OF THE POWER OF COMPUTERS!!!!!!!!!1111111
THE TRANSFORMING TECHNOLOGY SUCK GIANT DONKEY BALLS BECAUSE OF THE MANY EXAMPLES ALREADY STATED
dammit
I've seen devices of this nature before too. They exsist, some do it out of a foam like material, some auto customization or wheel shops have them that'll cut custom designs of rims out of the metal medium. I suspect there's still others that do it out of plastic.
Heck of a lot different than KITT's "replicator" making an electronic key out of whatever material. Considering those electric keys are made of a variety of metal and plastic I doubt that thing is a 3D printer.
Last edited:
I could buy into this, too.
Similar threads
