History YMMV / KnightRider

*** In "Mouth of the Snake", Tiara D'Arcy (the woman who opens the episode being rather unconfortable as the target of a dagger-throwing act) was played by [[Music/PrincesAssociates Apollonia]]; the episode premiered two months before the release of ''Film/PurpleRain''. (She was even credited as "Patty Kotero".)

*** In "A Knight in Shining Armor", Katherine Granger, the teenager put in Michael and KITT's custody, was played by Creator/DaphneAshbrook, whom ''Series/DoctorWho'' fans will recognize for her role as Dr. Grace Holloway in [[Recap/DoctorWhoTheTVMovie the 1996 TV movie]]. (Funnily enough, both ''Series/TeamKnightRider'' and the 2008 series would make references to ''Doctor Who''.)
*** In "Mouth of the Snake", Tiara D'Arcy (the woman who opens the episode being rather unconfortable as the target of a dagger-throwing act) was played by [[Music/PrincesAssociate Apollonia]]; the episode premiered two months before the release of ''Film/PurpleRain''. (She was even credited as "Patty Kotero".)

** On the original series episode "Lost Knight", Creator/JasonBateman is a little boy witnessed a crime and [[ItMakesSenseInContext adopts an amnesiac KITT]].

* RetroactiveRecognition: MMA fighter Annie Ortiz from the 2008 series episode "Fight Knight" is played by Creator/MeghanMarkle. Yes, Meghan Duchess of Sussex herself.

** This also keeps the scene in "Junkyard Dog" in which KITT is submerged into an acid bath from being as tearjerking as it could've been, as the car that sinks is very obviously a model and doesn't look anything like KITT. Several of the jumps were also filmed with similar model effects to wildly mixed results.

* CompleteMonster ("[[Recap/KnightriderS4E4SkyNight Sky Knight]]"): [[WesternTerrorists Charles Zurich]] ex-agent and leader of the New Dawn movement, is a FauxAffablyEvil extremist vying for the release of 197 "political prisoners" under the threat of murdering a plane full of innocent people. Zurich's [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist seemingly good intentions are a farce]], as he secretly intends to use these prisoners--all of them merely cutthroat murderers—-as his own private army to wage wars upon and take over any small country he wants. Gleefully attempting to execute Michael Knight's love interest with the intent to hurt him, Zurich finally just tries to wipe out all the hostages with a nuclear doomsday device, even [[BadBoss leaving his own men to die]] the second they hesitate.

* CompleteMonster: [[WesternTerrorists Charles Zurich]], from season 4's "[[Recap/KnightriderS4E4SkyNight Sky Knight]]", ex-agent and leader of the New Dawn movement, is a FauxAffablyEvil extremist vying for the release of 197 "political prisoners" under the threat of murdering a plane full of innocent people. Zurich's [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist seemingly good intentions are a farce]], as he secretly intends to use these prisoners--all of them merely cutthroat murderers—-as his own private army to wage wars upon and take over any small country he wants. Gleefully attempting to execute Michael Knight's love interest with the intent to hurt him, Zurich finally just tries to wipe out all the hostages with a nuclear doomsday device, even [[BadBoss leaving his own men to die]] the second they hesitate.

** One of the common running gags about the show is KITT being constantly mistaken for a regular car than an advanced piece of technology. But there's a good explanation for this, and why the Mustang in ''Knight Rider'' (2008) and the Ford vehicles in ''Team Knight Rider'' make sense: If KITT didn't look like a regular car, then when he's tailing someone, the person he's tailing would notice him if he were something more uncommon on the road (for example, a supercar like a Ferrari). At the time the original show came out, Trans-Ams were common on the road. When TKR came out, each of the vehicles (including the motorcycles post visual upgrade to look like a pair of Kawaski Ninjas) look normal. The Mustang used for KITT(3000) in the 2008 series was a common vehicle. The vehicles look so common that they're literally incognito in modern times (or what counts as modern during the times of their shows' airings).

* AluminumChristmasTrees: People often see KITT drive up into the semi while both are moving at highway speeds on the show, and it was long thought that this type of stunt would be impossible. In the show, this was accomplished with models. But Mythbusters did the same thing with a car similar to KITT and a semi truck moving at highway speeds, and not only did it work, it worked *exactly* like it was depicted in the show (save for the part about the trailer being BiggerOnTheInside)[[note]]The reason it works is because when the car hits the ramp, it's inertia keeps it moving at the same speed, forcing the tires (whether they are connected to the drive train or not) to quickly slow down[[/note]].

** Speaking of ''Baywatch'' - if you thought that the first TV series starring David Hasselhoff to have ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' Playmates pop up, in "Knight of a Thousand Devils" you get Kathy Shower, a pre-''Film/HardTicketToHawaii'' Dona Speir, Marlene Janssen[[note]]Billed as Marlene Slieter[[/note]] and Venice Kong. (Shower is the only one whose role isn't basically just eye candy Shower plays [[spoiler: one of the baddies.]]

** On the original series episode "Lost Knight", Creator/JasonBateman is a little boy witnessed a crime and [[[ItMakesSenseInContext adopts an amnesiac KITT]].

* RetroactiveRecognition: MMA fighter Annie Ortiz from the 2008 series episode "Fight Knight" is played by Creator/MeghanMarkle. Yes, by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

* RetroactiveRecognition: MMA fighter Annie Ortiz from the 2008 series episode is played by Creator/MeghanMarkle. Yes, by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

* HilariousInHinesight: In the episode of "Deadly Knightshade" from the original series, when KITT is asked about what his ideal partner is, he describes an AI car that is red and a convertible. When it comes to the spin-off series, ''Team Knight Rider'', one of the AI controlled vehicles happens to be a Ford Mustang, red in color and it's a convertible.

* ScrappyMechanic: Enemy and civilian vehicle spawns are completely RNG reliant. It boils down to luck and hope you don't get an unlucky pattern.

** Another level got changed to be much harder in the US/EU versions is the last level, UsefulNotes/LosAngeles (called Home). You now have a very strict timer to work with, while helicopters and dynamite throwing cars are everywhere in that stage. One crucial mistake and you're not finishing that level. There's also boss rush ahead, where you must defeat a few bosses [[spoiler: and KARR]] in one sitting. If you die at any point, you have to redo that level again and redo the boss rush from the beginning.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: If there is more than one boss fight, you have your shields fully restored.

* GoodBadBugs: By repeatedly turbo boosting after time expires, you can still go through the level, provided you have gas remaining.

** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}} is utterly brutal because it introduces a mechanic that is exclusive to that level: after you get to a point in that level, barrels will randomly spawn in the road with no vehicles around. It is complete RNG, and where they spawn hinges on luck. If you crash into these barrels, you will lose time and you can only make so many mistakes.

** Another level got changed to be much harder in the US/EU versions is the last level, UsefulNotes/LosAngeles (called Home). You now have a very strict timer to work with, while helicopters and dynamite throwing cars are everywhere in that stage. One wrong mess up and you're likely not finishing that level. And there's a boss rush ahead, where
* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: Knight Rider on the NES has several glaring flaws with its NES adaptation. It gets difficult way too quickly, for one. Another is that you have to avoid shooting civilians on an already crowded road. It also plays loose with the Knight Rider name, where it becomes a generic driving game mixed with a shooter that's set in the U.S. and Canada.
* ScrappyMechanic: As mentioned above, enemy and civilian vehicle spawns are completely RNG reliant. So it boils down to luck and hope you don't get an unlucky pattern.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: Knight Rider is often stereotyped as a kids' show because it has one hero and his super cool super car, but the first season itself is loaded with episodes about politics, corrupt police, framed murder charges, a lover implicated in soliciting crime and the murder of a sleaze magazine owner- plenty of murders in the first season. The pilot is surely not for kids. (In its initial run on US TV it aired opposite ''Series/{{Dallas}}'' - which aired first run at 10PM on Fridays) Plenty of gunshots fired in the show actually hit — and a few kill. Contrast that with The A-Team which has only two casualties in the whole run and almost none of the shots fired by the heroes hit.

* FridgeBrilliance: The show has had three examples of EvilTwin, one of which was KARR, KITT's evil twin. At first, this seems like a further effort to establish the car as a character. But when you think about it, KITT is ''more'' likely to have an evil twin than the two humans (Michael and Devon). True, the in-universe explanation is the most likely (KITT is an advanced piece of technology and KARR was his prototype), but creating a copy of KITT only requires getting a third generation Trans-Am and customizing it to look like KITT (which some real life fans have no doubt done).

* TheOtherDarrin: Peter Cullen voiced K.A.R.R. the first time. Paul Frees did the voice of K.A.R.R. the second time (albeit uncredited, leading some to speculate that it was actually Cullen).* FridgeBrilliance: The show has had three examples of EvilTwin, one of which was KARR, KITT's evil twin. At first, this seems like a further effort to establish the car as a character. But when you think about it, KITT is ''more'' likely to have an evil twin than the two humans (Michael and Devon). True, the in-universe explanation is the most likely (KITT is an advanced piece of technology and KARR was his prototype), but creating a copy of KITT only requires getting a third generation Trans-Am and customizing it to look like KITT (which some real life fans have no doubt done).
** One of the common running gags about the show is KITT being constantly mistaken for a regular car than an advanced piece of technology. But there's a good explanation for this, and why the Mustang in ''Knight Rider'' (2008) and the Ford vehicles in ''Team Knight Rider'' make sense: If KITT didn't look like a regular car, then when he's tailing someone, the person he's tailing would notice him if he were something more uncommon on the road (for example, a supercar like a Ferrari). At the time the original show came out, Trans-Ams were common on the road. When TKR came out, each of the vehicles (including the motorcycles post visual upgrade to look like a pair of Kawaski Ninjas) look normal. The Mustang used for KITT(3000) in the 2008 series was a common vehicle. The vehicles look so common that they're literally incognito in modern times (or what counts as modern during the times of their shows' airings).

%%* FightSceneFailure: The fight scenes are pretty hilariously bad.
* FridgeBrilliance: The show has had three examples of EvilTwin, one of which was KARR, KITT's evil twin. At first, this seems like a further effort to establish the car as a character. But when you think about it, KITT is ''more'' likely to have an evil twin than the two humans (Michael and Devon). True, the in-universe explanation is the most likely (KITT is an advanced piece of technology and KARR was his prototype), but creating a copy of KITT only requires getting a third generation Trans-Am and customizing it to look like KITT (which some real life fans have no doubt done).

** This also keeps the scene in "Junkyard Dog" in which KITT is submerged into an acid bath from being as tearjerking as it could've been, as the car that sinks is very obviously a model and doesn't look anything like KITT.