So I was watching the David Hasselhoff commentary on Kung Fury. He said that the theme of the 80s, and of Knight Rider, was that one man can make a difference. I dunno, for me, Knight Rider was more about the looming loss of autonomy and self-determination of small businesses and small town individuals across the US in the face of corporate consolidation and global economic forces. In each episode these forces were defeated, but I always took it to mean that it was the major social concern of the era. For me watching old episodes of Knight Rider always makes me feel a little sad, since we know that historically the genie definitely came out of the bottle. Did anyone who remembers the 80s get a different take away from Knight Rider?

For me this is also why Shadowrun for me will always exist with the backdrop of the evil Japanacorps. Because the defining fear or struggle of the era was about globalization and technology disrupting the old social orders and challenging traditional values in the United States.

Of course, maybe we've come full circle. If one man can make a difference, that's more true today than it was in the past. Look at how disruptive to the powers that be a lone individual can be with nothing more than an internet connection. And I suppose that at the end of the day, that's what cyberpunk is all about; co-opting the tools and technologies of corporate power in order to empower and liberate the victimized and marginalized ordinary citizen.

Here is the commentary clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMt4yqDjyMA

And here is my favorite cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bM23ZB2Ql8

My takeaway was that robot cars are awesome, but I was five when the show went off the air, so I may not have had the skill to detect nuance like I do now.

You got all that out of knight rider? wow, all I think of is synth voices, awesome theme music and the hoff in a ridicolous mullet... I think the takeaway is that some things you shouldnt look to deep into ^^

another case for the sheep perhaps.

Speaking of the Hoff, he has become sort of a running gag in my usual role playing group. Usually as an ironic sex icon. At one point they ran into the go gang "knight riders" who's leader was an ork that had undergone surgery to look like hasselhoff with tusks. Needless to say it was an instant classic