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Some shows like Heroes and Supernatural don’t have a single definitive set, one location where the majority of the scenes in any season will take place. Knight Rider, the updated version of the classic ’80s series premiering Wednesday, September 24 at 8pm on NBC, is just the opposite. The “KITT Cave” as they call it is the hub for everything related to the car, its missions and the people responsible for taking care of it.
A two-story behemoth of a set, the KITT Cave features numerous video screens, two functioning robotic arms and platform for the car that rotates in both a circle and upside down so the car can be switched out and modified. The crew actually had to dig out a hole on the sound stage in order to accomplish this. Continue reading for a quick look at BuddyTV’s exclusive Knight Rider set visit.
My first instinct when entering the Knight Rider set was to run around like a little boy, touching all the computer monitors, running up the metal stairs and sitting in KITT’s driver’s seat. Or maybe that’s just me. Either way, being on the set is like being a kid in a candy store, and I got the impression that’s exactly how the cast feels as well.
Star Justin Bruening spent the day skulking around with a water gun, then spent the remainder of his time amusing himself in a hollowed out KITT while he filmed a scene in front of a green screen. The green screen process is especially difficult for an actor, requiring him to spend an entire day in a fake car pretending to turn the wheel and crash into things with no idea what it’s going to look with. Bruening survives with plenty of jokes as he fiddles with all the non-working buttons and gadgets on the dashboard.
Other cast members are just as excited about the project. Bruce Davison, the elder statesman of the cast, loves the energy his young co-stars bring to the set. Deanna Russo is quite interested in the chance to do butt-kicking stunts. Yancey Arias is fascinated by the show’s use of technology and the way it relates to our real-life circumstances. And Paul Campbell, who we recently dubbed one of the five hottest guys bringing sexy back to TV this season, is thrilled to have a gun battle that doesn’t end with him getting written off a remake of a cheesy sci-fi show.
In the next several weeks leading up to the September 24 premiere, BuddyTV will have even more videos of the cast, crew and set of Knight Rider as they answer our questions and show us what makes this new show so special.
-John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
