The Checklist: Knight Rider (S3 Ep5) “Halloween Knight”
I always loved when one of my favorite shows of yesteryear did a Halloween themed episode. Whether it was a Tree House of Horror, the Dunder Mifflin Halloween Party, Larry David refusing to give out candy or Sam and the gang at Cheers getting Monster Mashed by Gary’s Old Town Tavern… seeing these characters celebrating spooky season just strengthened their bond with me.
So I thought it would be a good idea to put a Halloween themed episode of one of my favorite action adventure series to The Checklist test on Halloween! And that is how I landed on Episode 5 from Knight Rider‘s third season, appropriately titled “Halloween Knight”.
Does “Halloween Knight” embrace spooky season while also adhering to the tried and true tropes of Knight Rider, let’s find out…
#1. Did the episode feature a cover of a pop music favorite?
Knight Rider would never license an original song, but they loved using covers and “Halloween Knight” starts off with a cover of Laura Branigan’s “Self Control” as an under the weather Bonnie (Patricia McPherson) is dealing with her rowdy neighbors getting a jump start on their Halloween celebration. However things go from nuisance to murder, when Bonnie witnesses a woman being strangled by someone in a gorilla costume in the apartment across the courtyard from hers… or was it all a fever dream?!!? 1/1
#2. Does the episode feature spooky music?
Any self-respecting Halloween themed episode needs some spooky music and composer Don Peake did a masterful job incorporating the music of Psycho into “Halloween Knight” and blending it with the musical cues Knight Rider fans had become accustomed to. At times it even felt like some John Carpenter music. Don’t believe me? Well, you can listen for yourself by clicking here! Oh and on some non-musical notes, the infamous Bates Motel is also featured in the episode and the custodian at Bonnie’s apartment complex is a creepy guy named Norman… tow more nods to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. 2/2
#3. Were there any car chases?
As I’ve said in the past, what is the point of having a TV show about a crime fighter with one of the coolest cars in the history of entertainment and not put that car to good use… well Michael and K.I.T.T. do get into two car chases… first when Michael is nearly runover by a guy in a gorilla costume and then at the climax of the show, when the identity of the killa gorilla is revealed and he tries to get away! 3/3
#4. Was K.I.T.T.’s Turbo Boost button used?
I just mentioned the two car chases, well both car chases featured K.I.T.T. making the big jump thanks to his Turbo Boost capabilities… the first time Michael and K.I.T.T. jump through a giant pane of glass that was being transported on the back of a truck and that obstacle slows them up enough that the gorilla gets away… The second time, Michael and K.I.T.T. jump through a drive-in movie screen giving the audience watching The Creature from the Black Lagoon a 3D experience like no other! 4/4
#5. Was anybody in costume?
Obviously there was one guy running around in a gorilla suit for a portion of the episode, so you already know the answer to this one is yes… but it is Halloween and he’s not the only one in costume. Devon Miles (Edward Mulhare) throws a Halloween party at the Foundation headquarters and dresses as Louis XIV, Michael Knight dresses up as Rhett Butler, Bonnie comes as Scarlett O’Hara and Norman (a last minute fill in as Bonnie’s date) shows up wearing a mask of the highest quality… for it is a mask made by the recognized leader in the novelty industry, Silver Shamrock! 5/5
- Final Score = 5/5 (100%) Not only a great Halloween themed episode, but a great episode of Knight Rider period. They loaded it up with Halloween sounds and imagery… I didn’t even mention the ghoulish backwards talking hologram the killer planted in Bonnie’s apartment or the actual witch that lived in Bonnie’s building… but still gave Knight Rider fans what they wanted, plenty of car action, K.I.T.T. being K.I.T.T. and Michael Knight saving the day!
