Remember ‘Knight Rider‘ back in the early 80’s? Watch a couple episodes and its obvious that the show owes a huge debt to ‘The Lone Ranger‘. A modern re-telling of the old westerns, with K.I.T.T. in place of trusty horse, Silver. Even Michael Knight’s secret identity was like the Lone Ranger’s mask!
In 1982, when ‘Knight Rider‘ debuted on NBC, the futuristic movie ‘TRON‘ had just hit the silver screen. Not a box-office hit, but the movie got four stars from respected film critic Roger Ebert for its dazzling special effects which inspired future filmmakers. So, when does inspiration become a complete ‘rip-off’? The answer is the 1983 TV series ‘Automan‘.
Seems that producer Glenn Larson just loved the imagery of ‘TRON‘ especially the way vehicles moved in that computer simulated world, seemingly breaking the laws of physics. So, Larson took the basic idea of ‘Knight Rider‘ and gave it a ‘TRON‘ aesthetic.
Originally broadcast on ABC from December 1983 until its cancellation in April 1984, the show followed the adventures of a computer programmer who’d created AI software to fight crime. The result was ‘Automan’ a crimefighting hologram able to escape the computer world at night and battle evil. Inside the Atari, Automan was friends with Donkey Kong, but in the real world, he chased down corrupt judges, counterfeiters and crooked cops. Pretty lofty ideas for a fluff TV show!
Without support from a car company like ‘Starsky & Hutch‘ had with Ford or ‘Knight Rider‘ with Pontiac, the producer Glenn Larson actually used his own personal 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 for the hero car. The Lambo was painted black and outlined in 3M retroreflective tape, requiring the hero car to be filmed at night for the effect.
The concept allowed for limitless possibilities in cool vehicles (Automan also had the Autocycle and Autochopper) and could have been a popular toys, like K.I.T.T. But ‘Automan‘ was a one-trick pony, cool for a feature film, but not enough to support a series.
The network tired of low ratings and expensive special effects and after only episodes, sent ‘Automan‘ to the sent recycle bin. In retrospect now 40+ years later, the show’s lack of originality was its biggest sin. Dressing Michael Knight in cowboy boots and a western belt to fight crime in his automotive sidekick was inspired by westerns. But ‘Automan‘ was just a ‘TRON‘ rip-off for TV with bad acting. Too bad.
i don’t remember this at all. i was busy enjoying my college classes and my boyfriend, Greg. Your review of this and KnightRider is so insightful, Chris. Your blog has become one i look forward to every day.
Funny thing is I don’t remember this either! And an action TV show with an Italian sports car would be right up my alley in 1983!
.
A friend of mine (full grown kid) collects 1:64 scale Hot Wheels type ‘dinky cars’ as I call them. He was complaining over Christmas that he could not find an Automan car to add to his collection. I had no idea what he was talking about.
.
Night Rider on the other hand, I watched very closely. And if you ignore the synthesizer music and futuristic car… it’s a western! Plastic surgery instead of a mask, a car instead of a horse, a law man helping those facing overwhelming challenges. I always thought Hasselhoff was kind of a goof for wearing those belt buckles and boots (not very cool, like Miami Vice of the era) but now that I look back at the show, I get what Glenn Larson was aiming for!
it would never have occurred to me to see the similarities to the western. i don’t think! love it that you pointed it out.
I don’t have the heart to say it was my wife told me.
but somehow you found the courage. 💪🏼
after i commented i remembered about “reading in browser” so i reread it and got to see your thoughtful placement of images! also forgot to mention i loved “cursor!”
I guess ‘Cursor’ is similar to the voice of KITT; the likeable sidekick. There was so much potential for this idea… but it was a rip off.
.
The funny thing is that Glenn Larson was the producer of ‘Knight Rider’ AND ‘Automan’ so he was just ripping off his own idea. I guess that TRON had a big impact on him. Basically made the same show a year later, but with a new aesthetic.
I vaguely remember this show. But not like I remember Knight Rider. Now I feel old…
No… you are ‘retro’. In a few more years, you’ll be ‘classic’ !!!
Yeah yeah yeah… tell my wife that…