Gaffs and Goofs

[jup]

If so that would imply that either Bonnie or K.A.R.R. know the formula for the MBS which would be unlikely if it was established in Goliath that only 3 people knew the three parts to the formula and no one person had the complete recipe.

Even when Bonnie repairs K.I.T.T. in Knight of the Juggernaut, she is not able to reapply the MBS until after they've returned to the Foundation facilities.

=VK=

Getting technical minded, both KITT and KARR have these amazing arrays of sensors and chemical analyzers on-board. Taking an example from Juggernaut, KITT is able to scan...eventually...that the MBS is missing. And, it is established that the MBS truly is just a chemical compound that bonds molecules together like Crazy Glue on the sub-atomic level. So, doesn't it just make sense that KITT/KARR should automatically be able to detect how the MBS is formulated and know...in secret...the formula for their defense?

The only roundabout I see to that is a sub-routine that checks for partial chemical detection of the MBS and then tells the hardware to ignore further scans into this one compound mixture...which would defy the Juggernaut episode.

[jup]

In s3e6, "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R.", when Karr is pulled out of sand where he was staying for two years, he has all-black finish but later in the same episode we see that his lower body is silver.

There was suppose to be a whole minute's worth of footage around Ronnie adding that silver streak along KARR's lower half. But, it wound up on the cutting room floor. Now...WHICH floor, I'm not sure. Seem to recall something about the original airing date including the scene. But, every re-airing is sadly missing the scene. (Oh, how many scene blunders have occurred, thanks to those time constraint edits for the syndication runs.)

Funny thing is, I can't help but compare KARR's repaint to a quote from the cop about repainting KITT after the chase scene.

[Victor Kros]

In s3e6, "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R.", when Karr is pulled out of sand where he was staying for two years, he has all-black finish but later in the same episode we see that his lower body is silver.

There was suppose to be a whole minute's worth of footage around Ronnie adding that silver streak along KARR's lower half. But, it wound up on the cutting room floor. Now...WHICH floor, I'm not sure. Seem to recall something about the original airing date including the scene. But, every re-airing is sadly missing the scene. (Oh, how many scene blunders have occurred, thanks to those time constraint edits for the syndication runs.)

Funny thing is, I can't help but compare KARR's repaint to a quote from the cop about repainting KITT after the chase scene.

- I've heard about this mysterious "missing footage" that was allegedly shot from KvK but I can't find anyone who has it or knows for certain it was ever shot at all. I would think with all the die hard fans out there, someone would have this missing footage - fans have even found missing footage from A New Hope (Luke with Biggs on Tatooine) that Lucas never intended to release so it honestly can't be that impossible to achieve.

As for the MBS theory, I've always believed it is like a clear-coat that is applied over KITT's central black paint job as depicted in Junk Yard Dog when Michael spray paints over the gray primer - or it could be mixed in with the black paint as well then hardened into the "shell". Goliath was not all black nor shiny, so it's possible it was either mixed in with the gray primer or just applied over it and the exposed metal bits like the front grill.

If you apply this idea to K.A.R.R., then it would make sense but John would need to have the resources to get the specific chemicals to recreate the MBS in order to keep K.A.R.R.'s new paint scheme protected like the rest of him. Bonnie was kidnapped though so I guess it's possible, however she was not able to apply the MBS to KITT in the garage set up in Knight of the Juggernaut - meaning she most likely didn't have the equipment to do it. So how could she do it in K.A.R.R.'s meager garage? Did K.A.R.R. know exactly what he needed inside the semi and just make up a grocery list along with his alpha capcitors and the laser?

It's never clearly explained but I think that's part of the fun of keeping a sense of mystery to KITT like not showing the turbine engine assembly under the hood.

=VK=

[Matthew]

It was Tony that kidnapped Bonnie in Trust Doesn't Rust, not John in KITT vs. KARR. John just did KARR's bidding once they had entered the semi.

Matt

[Victor Kros]

It was Tony that kidnapped Bonnie in Trust Doesn't Rust, not John in KITT vs. KARR. John just did KARR's bidding once they had entered the semi.

Matt

- Yeah I get those episodes mixed up sometimes (especially with the KRFII planning going on) but the point remains the same about the MBS sans the garage bit with Bonnie. Thanks for pointing that out.

=VK=

[JesseHawks]

Funny thing ... I've also noticed the goofs over the years while watching my old VHS recordings and, more recently, the DVD releases. I remember reading in one the entertainment trades (or perhaps it was a DVD commentary track) where one of the producers of ABC's Lost struggled with making a shot of a vicious animal attacking suddenly out of the brush look realistic. The producer (it may have been J.J. Abrams) mentioned that they had to mix some CGI along with the fake stuffed animal to make it appear realistic in this day and age of DVR and DVD playback, which can easily be slowed down and paused in high definition resolution, leading to great scrutiny by the fans.

I just find it interesting to compare this mindset with that of the 1982 action/adventure television producer. Larson and co. had no fancy CGI to work with, yet they still wanted to put these fantastic fantasy sequences on the screen for the fans. I think in contrast to the above-mentioned mindset, the 80s producer knew he/she could get away with a small amount of screen real estate to make the shot work (wrong dashboard/steering wheel, odd-looking driver's seat with arms, a stunt driver during jumps, etc.). I think the editing could have been better in many instances in Knight Rider, and I think it probably would have been if they were worried about 2000s-era technology to scrutinize. They knew that people would be watching it on the small screen, often on fuzzy over-the-air analog broadcast signals. Also, I don't think VCRs had a huge impact in '82 yet, so the replay factor was also low. This gave producers a little more leeway when attempting to pull off their small-screen "movie magic."

I think the gaffs and goofs in 70s and 80s-era TV shows are part of the charm of these programs, indicitive of the day and age they were created in. And for what it's worth, Knight Rider had to be one of the most difficult to pull off, and I think they did a fabulous job of bringing spectacle to our television screens week after week for four seasons.

All of this is largely just my opinion and silly theorizing, of course. This is my first-ever posting to KnightRiderOnline, and I am happy to have found this website as Knight Rider is still my favorite show of all time.

[peterp&j]

i agree pretty much all you said jesse gaffs and goofs were part of knight rider or any adventure show of the 70s and 80s makers used stock footage anyway they could(to save on costs im sure) a few examples how many episodes in starsky and hutch did the torino pass the dumper truck as they pulled a 90 to the left how many shots of airwolf while in flight did the cannons apear then disapear as different stock shots are used knight rider was no different but you still watched then and i still watch now and will always apart from the use of models the original will always be miles ahead of the update owing to the fact the stunts were real using real cars and talented stunt drivers as opposed to cgi which has its place in todays film making
we also all know that stunt persons play an enormous part in making what you see on screen fantastic to watch knight rider was a high energy show with many stunts and stunt drivers the improvement of picture quality is something the makers of these shows probably hadnt concieved 30 years ago so it innevitable that different faces with dodgy wigs would somethimes apear dehind the wheel of a kitt stunt car but do we really care we still watch kitt pull brilliant 180s or turbo over a ravine or smash through a wall if i had to critisise i would say the 4th season was the season the where the producers got a little lazy and more errors started to occur the new nose kitt had meant that it was plain to see when stock footage of kitt from previous years was used also they made no excuse on how kitt drove himself by then the camera seemed to focus in on the cabin of kitt so we could see the lump on the back of the seat or the hands turning the wheel(killer kitt when kitt smashes micheal into the news stand he reverses and you can clearly see the hands moving the wheel(even before dvd quality) always thought the editor was blind that day)
i digress in short knight rider is nearly 30 years old ive watched it for 30 years and will still be watch it in 30 years goffs included it still remains a fantastic show with great episodes brilliant acting superb stunts questionable clothing and the coolest car in tv history

[JesseHawks]

Good post, Peter. I totally agree. I love the fact that they used real cars and real stunts to pull off many of the sequences. And some may disagree with me, but I think the model work on the show was pretty darn cool as well. I've screened episodes with friends that have never watched the show before and they never seem to think twice about any of the action sequences done with the models. They are just caught up in the story.

I made a big deal out of the new Knight Rider series when the February '08 pilot aired. I'm sure many of you on here have already told similar stories, but I had a "Knight Rider Party" in my theater room. I had about eight friends over, male and female, none of which had ever watched the show before (they were mostly in their early 20s). We watched 'Knight of the Phoenix' at 6:30pm ... then at roughly 8pm we watched the finale of the new American Gladiatiors that was airing at the time (it went along with the flashback theme of the party) ... then the new Knight Rider backdoor pilot at 9pm. It was so much fun!

Why am I sharing this here? My point is this: I've watched the original KR pilot so many times I could perform it as a monologue (no doubt many of us here can! lol). So, every time I saw the messed up "presentation nose" of the car in driving scenes, or the sides of the ramp during a turbo boost, or the model of the car jumping over the semi head-on, or any of the other gaffs, goofs or continuity errors, I'd cringe wondering what my friends, who were used to watching Lost & Prison Break and other modern shows week after week, would think of of the hokey-ness.

But to my amazement, they were all caught up in the show, and not once did anyone even flinch as if they thought something looked out of place. Their favorite part of the drama was Michael and Tanya's showdown at Comtron where she figured out who he really was. They were really caught up in the revenge plot! So, as far as people who are watching it for the first time go, it might as well be 1982 all over again because they enjoyed it and didn't notice *any* of the gaffs that we've been conditioned to over the years after countless viewings.

(oh, and a couple of them even became enthusiastic weekly viewers of the new show when it premiered the next fall ... pretty cool stuff!)

[simon_a6]

Am just watching Speed Demons to find those goofs - and spotted one right near the start.

They are in Devon's office. Devon's at his desk with April and Michael talk.... they start talking about Devon's days on a bike.

Bear in mind Michael and April at on Devon's left side (his left). Yet when Devon looks up to see Michael and give his expressions, Devon looks up to his right!! The opposite place from which Michael is standing. He also talks to him, so you know Devon isn't meant to be just looking into the air.

All this is straight after they watch the TV programmer of the bikers.

[simon_a6]

Can we have an explanation for the rest of these pics please? I can't see anything wrong with the very first pic (in the semi), and the close up of KITT's rear wing? It might just be me being daft!

The Semi pic shows where the studio is. Look at the bottom right of the image - you can see the 'set' has been drawn back a bit.

[simon_a6]

the episode is "Knight Moves" from season 1 about the truckers far to many goofs and gaffs to write down however for me the worst one has to be the scene in "Killer KITT" after KITT smashes michael into the news stand Berio orders KITT to leave KITT goes into reverse then the scene shows clearly the blind driver spinning the stunt car steering wheel as he reverses now i know that after 4 years most fans knew how KITT drove by himself but to show it so clearly in the episode was very bad directing or editing as a side line just how did the stunt car look atfer it landed after the jump over the water in "Speed Demons" often wondered

Wow - never spotted that blind error.
You cannot quite see the steering where but you do see the 'cloth' lifted and a little movement.
Try this one - same episode, earlier in the show.
They are in the Semi and MK goes to take KITT out to test drive him. He gets in the car with all the dash lights on, and starts up the engine, revs it a bit.

Watch the rev.counter...................... NOTHING!!!!
You will also see the rev counter never changes from 47 while MK is on top of kitt.

[simon_a6]

the episode is "Knight Moves" from season 1 about the truckers far to many goofs and gaffs to write down however for me the worst one has to be the scene in "Killer KITT" after KITT smashes michael into the news stand Berio orders KITT to leave KITT goes into reverse then the scene shows clearly the blind driver spinning the stunt car steering wheel as he reverses now i know that after 4 years most fans knew how KITT drove by himself but to show it so clearly in the episode was very bad directing or editing as a side line just how did the stunt car look atfer it landed after the jump over the water in "Speed Demons" often wondered

You might like to watching the first minute or so of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJnVa-A2c0U
It shows KITT landing and his whole bumper coming off. I have seen the 'landing' of the jump you are talking about - which i think was done over the famous lake at Universal they used in many KR shows and evening Psycho I think.

I think the all-time BEST example of seeing the hands, gloves, wheel and raised material is actually in the Pilot Episode.

Watch it when KITT returns after being stole, to MK at the phone booth. Just as he pulls up next to him, you see IT ALL!!!! Even the damn beige gloves. lol.

[JesseHawks]

The jump over the lake mentioned above ... is this the same jump in Good Day at White Rock? I remember thatone in my head because the editor left the car's flight on-screen about as long as he/she could have before showing the landing, and the car was clearly in a heavy nose dive. lol

I often wondered just how that real jump ended up. It almost looks like it cuold have flipped end-over-end.

[simon_a6]

I agree - based on some of the goof landings I have seen, when some should not really have caused the bumper to fly off - that would have probably totalled the car.

bumper, hood, chassis the lot!! Bet someone somewhere has see the complete cut of that.

There was a scene in Big Iron where MK and Kitt are buried in a whole covered in earth by the big diggers. Now we all know, since we have heard Kitt say it, that he doesn't have enough room to turbo boost, because he needs a run up to do it - apparently! So how on earth does "Trajector Guide" - apart from 'aiming' KITT, allow him to suddenly fly up vertically into the air?

(so funny when MK shouts "A L R I G H T......"... when flying thru the air)

I'd also like to know how a flat-fronted 4x4 truck going into the side of kitt, can end up flying up into the air for a devastating crash. I forget the episode now. There was the mistached guy from Commando movie in it. Obviously they used a ramp, but how did they think the viewers would think it would go 'up' like that. haha.

God love it.

[TurboBoostMan]

in KITT vs KARR, when KITT and KARR Turbo Boost into each other, if you look to the left, KITT does a little flip in the air, then in the next shot, we see him Turbo Boosting down out of the air.

[KnightRyan]

i was just watching Knight In Retreat and noticed a goof at the point when KITT turbo boosts over the 4 wheeler. You can see a finger press the button. Now if KITT was truely driving himself there wouldnt be that finger.

[simon_a6]

NEW GAFF IN SHORT NOTICE

I just watched Short Notice and they made a big gaff, but I cannot work out WHY they made it at all!

Michael and Harold T Turner are having the fist fight in the old wild west town (Universal Backlot one assumes!), and when it's all over, and KITT has returned after taking Natalie to Longpine.

He's parked up at the end of the street and Michael thanks him. You get a closeup of KITT... and the camera is on him for a while.

The car is empty. But watch the driver side. There are arms moving, looks like the seat material going up and down. Almost like the driver (probably Jack Gill) waving or something).

In a VCR it probably wouldn't have been noticed. Watch it on DVD and it's clear.

Bit like the Goof of Goofs: the end of EVERY KR on the desert road at the end.... it's the straight stunt car dash, not the curved one. WHY????

[peterp&j]

here's the scene you mentioned it is clearer on dvd

[simon_a6]

noticeable damage

funniest oops in the entire run of the show

Knight in Retreat

When KITT goes after the guy at the end of the episode after michael jumps out, he presses turbo boost with his "finger" (wrong stock turbo boost footage)

OMG.... so he does! It's so quick I'd never noticed before.
The comment about the dent in Buy Out - I can only see one point where there was a 'bash inward' like it had been punched, near the start of the scene.

Was there another more noticable part to it?

[simon_a6]

dont remember which episode it was but in one episode mk gets out of kitt and goes to shut the door. You see a hand pop out from the back seat and reach towards the door almost like he was trying to keep the door from slamming. there was someone laying in the back seat.

I have watched this episode, but without knowing the scene, it's soooo difficult to find it.

Where in the episode is that magic hand?

[simon_a6]

here's the scene you mentioned it is clearer on dvd

Exactly. It's a bit dark, and actually better when you watch it in motion, because you can easily see movement.

I was just watching it and then noticed the movement and thought "hey, it should be empty!".

[KnightHawke24]

Hello gang -- Long time reader...first time poster.

I've always felt that finding the gaffs and goofs was an interesting part of the Knight Rider culture. Something tells me that the producers of the original show didn't expect us to have "DVDs" and slow motion to watch the shows over and over again. I think this is a reason why some of the gaffs were left in, along with the budget. Anyway, here are a few of the gaffs I have found that are not regularly mentioned:

Knight of the Drones (Season 3) which seems to have a countless number of mistakes
Both involve the chase scene early on when Michael and KITT are pursuing the empty drone. If you watch closely, the taxi carrying the older couple actually hits KITT (I think it is around 14:09 on the DVD), and parts go flying. It is hard to tell if the parts are from the taxi or KITT, but I'm sure there wasn't supposed to be a collision. Right after that, when the drone slides into the rock pile, they cut to a KITT which apparently did not have a nose or front turn signal covers installed. This is odd, because the KITT immediately before and after that short part seem to have everything in place.

Big Iron (Season 2)
When the bulldozer knocks KITT over the edge, it is obviously a black T-top with no "KITT" work done to it. I guess they used an "inferior production-line model", as KARR might say.

Knight in Disgrace (Season 3) ***quite possibly my favorite goof***
Near the end, when Michael tosses LaSalle the canister with deadly contents, LaSalle actually drops the canister. They break to the next frame quickly, but you can definitely see it was fumbled and ultimately dropped.

~ Happy viewing and GOOD KNIGHT ~

[simon_a6]

Hello gang -- Long time reader...first time poster.

Knight of the Drones (Season 3) which seems to have a countless number of mistakes
Both involve the chase scene early on when Michael and KITT are pursuing the empty drone. If you watch closely, the taxi carrying the older couple actually hits KITT (I think it is around 14:09 on the DVD), and parts go flying. It is hard to tell if the parts are from the taxi or KITT, but I'm sure there wasn't supposed to be a collision. Right after that, when the drone slides into the rock pile, they cut to a KITT which apparently did not have a nose or front turn signal covers installed. This is odd, because the KITT immediately before and after that short part seem to have everything in place.

~ Happy viewing and GOOD KNIGHT ~

I have just watched that particular scene and there is no sign of anything missing. Do you have a screen shot of it?

[KnightHawke24]

Sure...I just figured out a way to do some screen shots.

Here are the ones you are probably asking about, from just after the chase in Knight of the Drones:

(Now that I know what I'm doing, I'll try to post the others as well)

[KnightHawke24]

Here are the shots from Big Iron. In the second, you can see a pretty big dent in the roof of the passenger side after being knocked over the cliff (it's a good thing they used the dummy, seen in the first pic). The third is from Knight in Disgrace. There is a lot of movement, so it is blurred, but you can see the canister by LaSalle's thigh, compared to his hands. It was hard to get a shot of the parts flying after the taxi hit KITT in Knight of the Drones, so I left it out.