MickeyDrive
The car is sometimes described as the ultimate American invention- though in fact we didn't invent it. We did invent the assembly line, which allowed large machines like that to be turned out inexpensively enough that middle to upper-lower classes could afford them. Cars literally changed the American landscape, and by the time TV was in most American homes there were cars in virtually every garage.
It was reasonable that cars would be shown, and even featured, in various TV shows. It was unfortunate that one of the most (in)famous examples was My Mother the Car, which has come to epitomize the ability of Hollywood to take the most ridiculous premise and to present it to us with a straight face. As a vehicle (pun intended) to introduce the Eastern concept of reincarnation to the American public, it had the misfortune of being maligned (rightly or wrongly- this show is one that is so infamous that even folk like me who've never seen it have at least heard of it) as the worst show ever put on TV. Only in the 60's could this thing have run a whole season; these days it would be cancelled during the pilot's opening credits.
Of course, talking cars aren't necessarily ratings suicide. For four years the super-intelligent K.I.T.T. (Voiced by William Daniels) teamed up with the dumb-as-a-bag-of-hammers Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff, who went on to be a singing sensation in Germany) to champion the cause of guest stars from other Universal and/or NBC series on Knight Rider. K.I.T.T. (for Knight Industries Two Thousand) was bullet-proof, courtesy of his "molecular-bonded shell," had amazing sensors, as well as the ability to somehow take over the steering of nearby cars, yet still made time for the occasional timely sarcastic remark. Throw in the wise old father figure (Edward Mulhare) and the seriously hot mechanic (Patricia McPherson) and you had the quintessential 80's TV show.
Almost as indestructible was the General Lee, the red Dodge Charger that starred in The Dukes of Hazzard. Time and again the car could jump over ditches, barrels, stuntmen, the audiences credulity etc. and keep on driving. When I was a lad my friends and I jumped over a particularly built-up railroad crossing and the radiator was dry in less than a mile (to be fair, we had been drinking heavily that evening, and had hit said crossing at around 100mph).
I wasn't as aware when the show was on, but when the movie version came out recently many Black activists came out against the painting of a Confederate flag on the General Lee's roof. As far as the series goes, White people should have been complaining about being portrayed as having the intelligence of a turnip... a turnip that had ridden to market on the short tractor, if you get my drift. Granted Denver Pyle's Uncle Jesse was fairly bright, and Catherine Bach's Daisy Duke looked so good in her shorty shorts that really, who could possibly care how smart she was? Thing is, the police in this show were so over-the-top incompetently stupid that they literally had negative IQ scores to add to the mix.
While we fortunately don't yet have flying cars in the 21st Century, we are developing cars that talk to us- even as the market is seeing cars and vans that include TV screens. It's only a matter of time before the cars start complaining about the show we're watching, and threaten to ram the next police cruiser if we don't change the channel.
It was reasonable that cars would be shown, and even featured, in various TV shows. It was unfortunate that one of the most (in)famous examples was My Mother the Car, which has come to epitomize the ability of Hollywood to take the most ridiculous premise and to present it to us with a straight face. As a vehicle (pun intended) to introduce the Eastern concept of reincarnation to the American public, it had the misfortune of being maligned (rightly or wrongly- this show is one that is so infamous that even folk like me who've never seen it have at least heard of it) as the worst show ever put on TV. Only in the 60's could this thing have run a whole season; these days it would be cancelled during the pilot's opening credits.
Of course, talking cars aren't necessarily ratings suicide. For four years the super-intelligent K.I.T.T. (Voiced by William Daniels) teamed up with the dumb-as-a-bag-of-hammers Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff, who went on to be a singing sensation in Germany) to champion the cause of guest stars from other Universal and/or NBC series on Knight Rider. K.I.T.T. (for Knight Industries Two Thousand) was bullet-proof, courtesy of his "molecular-bonded shell," had amazing sensors, as well as the ability to somehow take over the steering of nearby cars, yet still made time for the occasional timely sarcastic remark. Throw in the wise old father figure (Edward Mulhare) and the seriously hot mechanic (Patricia McPherson) and you had the quintessential 80's TV show.
Almost as indestructible was the General Lee, the red Dodge Charger that starred in The Dukes of Hazzard. Time and again the car could jump over ditches, barrels, stuntmen, the audiences credulity etc. and keep on driving. When I was a lad my friends and I jumped over a particularly built-up railroad crossing and the radiator was dry in less than a mile (to be fair, we had been drinking heavily that evening, and had hit said crossing at around 100mph).
I wasn't as aware when the show was on, but when the movie version came out recently many Black activists came out against the painting of a Confederate flag on the General Lee's roof. As far as the series goes, White people should have been complaining about being portrayed as having the intelligence of a turnip... a turnip that had ridden to market on the short tractor, if you get my drift. Granted Denver Pyle's Uncle Jesse was fairly bright, and Catherine Bach's Daisy Duke looked so good in her shorty shorts that really, who could possibly care how smart she was? Thing is, the police in this show were so over-the-top incompetently stupid that they literally had negative IQ scores to add to the mix.
While we fortunately don't yet have flying cars in the 21st Century, we are developing cars that talk to us- even as the market is seeing cars and vans that include TV screens. It's only a matter of time before the cars start complaining about the show we're watching, and threaten to ram the next police cruiser if we don't change the channel.
Lost Fanatic
Day Break TV
Film & TV on DVD
But, where is Miami Vice my friend, Crocketts Ferrari Daytona and later Testerosa were characters in their own right.
Come to think of It Magnum PI's red Ferrari was the only reason to watch the show.
Funnily enough I find TV far more hockey now than back in the 60's.....I mean Friends, Will and Grace, reality TV etc, ridiculous shows aimed at IQs below 10...difference is back in the day people could tell good from bad, now with the proper advertising you can tell people shit dont stink and they buy it.
Poker Addict
I've been to Germany a couple times in the last few years and they still talk about Knight Rider and their beloved Hasselhoff. LOL.
I haven't seen the movie version of Dukes but I vaguely remember the original series. When I was little, I used to pretend my parents' car was the General Lee and get in through the open window.
Passionate Apathy
Both Knight Rider and Hazzard definitely operated on kiddie appeal, though I'm not sure how many parents were ever actually able to sit through a whole hour of either show.
JohnDoe
Agreed about modern TV shows; these days get a face people will recognize, three or four gags that were so old Moses would have sentenced them to death, a laugh track with no concept of what is actually funny- and you've got a show!!
Pegasus
Just be sure the window is in fact open!!