TELEVISION MEMORIES 4: ‘Knight Rider’, ‘Airwolf’ and ‘Street Hawk’

 

There is a ‘new’ digital television channel that has been launched this week called ‘Virgin 1’, which will feature a host of new American programmes in a ‘primetime’ slot. However, earlier on in the daytime schedules, the channel will be broadcasting not only ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ but also a re-run of the popular 1980s ‘techno-action’ series ‘Knight Rider’.

 

‘Knight Rider’ was just one of a number of similar shows that appeared in the 1980s, and is probably the most famous of them all. This is manly due to the continuing success of the show’s star, David Hasslehoff, his continued use of the iconic imagery of the ‘Knight Industries Two Thousand’ Pontiac in his pop videos and television shows; and the fact that for young people in the 1980s it was one of the television highlights of the week.

 

Whilst ‘Knight Rider’ featured a character called ‘Michael Knight’ and had a technologically advanced car, ‘Airwolf’ featured a character called ‘Michael Archangel’ and had a technologically advanced helicopter. If I remember correctly ‘Archangel’ was the type of character that was part ‘Charlie Townsend’, part ‘Bosley’, and looked like he could have fitted into any number of 1960s fantasy shows with his trademark outfit of white suit and eye-patch. The main pilot of ‘Airwolf’ was ‘Stringfellow Hawk’ played by (the now infamous) Jan Michael Vincent whilst his main co-pilot was an older gentleman by the name of ‘Dominic’ who was played by Ernest Borgnine.

 

Around the same time as ‘Airwolf’ there was another television show called ‘Blue Thunder’ which was basically the same idea of a Vietnam veteran who had taken up crime fighting in a ‘futuristic’ helicopter. I cannot remember much more about this show as the series did not last very long, and being more of a cult show in the territory of ‘Automan’ and ‘Manimal’ rather than an ‘A-Team’ ‘out-and-out’ cult success, I would expect more people to remember ‘Airwolf’ better, even though both shows were based on the main ‘Blue Thunder’ film. Actually the only other thing I know about ‘Blue Thunder’ is that one character was called ‘Clinton Wonderlove’, a name which should have been used for either the ‘Love Train’ at ‘the Ritz’ or the third film in the ‘Austin Powers’ series.

 

The last show along these lines that people might remember is ‘Street Hawk’, though some people may get this show mixed up with Jan Michael Vincent’s ‘Airwolf’ character. This time, rather than a sports-car or a helicopter, a motorbike was the mode of transport that was used as a weapon in the fight against crime. I think the show was more successful than ‘Blue Thunder’ even though it was rated a long way behind ‘Knight Rider’ and ‘Airwolf’, if only for the fact that I always remember the bike before I remember the ‘Wonderlove’ machine.

 

I cannot remember if there were any shows with planes or trains to go with the various automobiles, helicopters and motorcycles, though in the case of the former mode of transport there must be one that I am over-looking, as a 1980s television version of the film ‘Stealth’ seems such an obvious concept to me that it must have been broadcast on at one network.

 

Finally whilst I am talking about various kinds of futuristic transport, some people might remember a film from the 1970s called ‘The Big Bus’. Even though it is not the same genre or decade as the previous shows, there might be some fans on here of this Irwin Allen disaster movie spoof. I know that I am always happy to see the film when it is put in the afternoon television schedules, and maybe there are other people who love the film as well.

 

I have seen the film Big Bus, years ago, cant remember a thing about it now though

Knight Rider was one of my favourite series in my young days, they are bringing the series back for 2008 without the Hoff though, they are casting a new actor to play the part of Michael Knight.

 

I hated Street Hawk, but Airwolf was great.

I have seen the film Big Bus, years ago, cant remember a thing about it now though

 

 

 

Essentially the film is about a brand new nuclear powered ‘bendy bus’ that someone wants to blow up. The bus manages to get a swimming pool and a bar on board; and in the end of the film the bus is shown dangling over a cliff edge in a way similar to the ‘Italian Job’.

Virgin 1 is a con. i wanted to see Knight Rider but cant get it as its just ftn hours

 

 

I think most of the series are out on DVD, you should be able to get them easily.