Conference ljsrv1::tv_chatter

    
    Saw this last night for the first time. It's on again tonight
    at 8pm on USA.
    
    I enjoyed it.
    
    Vampire cops, what next huh.
    
    Dave                                                         

    I started watching this show this summer too.  There are a couple
    more major players.  The vampire which brough Nickolas "across" is
    still very much a part of Nick's life.  I can't think of this person's
    name right now, but he acts as a diskjockey and his radio name is 
    something like "nightcrawler".  This is the person who also brough
    Jeanette across, therefore Nick and Jeanette are very close because
    they have the same "father" in a sense.
    
    A little history behind Nick and the Nightcrawler is way back when in
    some other century the nightcrawler was in love with Nick's sister. 
    Nick convinced the Nightcrawler not to turn her into a vampire and the
    Nightcrawler feels that he lost the love of his life and blames Nick. 
    This premise has come up in a few shows.  Also, Nick is cop because he
    wants to do penance and make up for all the people he has killed.  He
    doesn't drink human blood anymore, some how he gets animal blood which
    he keeps in the fridge in wine bottles.  The Nightcrawler is always
    tempting him to follow is vampire side and thinks hanging with mortals
    is foolish (kind of like some of the immortals in HIghlander).
    
    Another primary character is the lab lady at the police headquarters.
    She and Nick are dating.  She knows he is a vampire and has tried to
    "cure" him.  She is a scientist and therefore tried to look at the
    whole vampire thing scientifically.  She has tried to treat it as a
    blood disorder but wasn't able to cure him.
    
    He tells the folks he works with that he is "Photophobic" and can't be
    out in daylight...and of course, they believe him!!!  He has been
    caught out a couple times though and once had to jump in Skanky's trunk
    to avoid the sun.
    
    I was surprised at all the folks they dropped in the first show.  The
    addition of the new woman partner could be a love interest, but what
    about the lab lady?
    
    I don't believe this is an American show.  I think I read somewhere
    that the networks bought in to the second season and so none of us here
    in the US has seen the first season.
    
    Oh yeah, Nick goes by the last name of Knight, which is what he was
    when he turned into a vampire.
    
    RS

>     Another primary character is the lab lady at the police headquarters.
>     She and Nick are dating.

	Small correction.  They are not dating.  Their relationship
	is strickly platonic.  They flirted with the idea of "dating"
	in a couple of the shows but backed off (one time with Nick
	making her "forget").

    Really???  I guess I missed that one.  I saw the one where the
    Nightcrawler wanted to take her so Nick could feel what it was like to
    have someone he loved taken from him so I figured they were dating.
    Since they aren't dating, maybe they will try to hook him up with
    his new partner.
    
    Did anyone see the show on the USA channel?  Was it the same one that
    played on Saturday on CBS?  The one where his partner dies?  Since it
    is on two networks now, I wonder if they will play the same show or
    if they will play two separate shows.
    
    RS

>     Really???  I guess I missed that one.  I saw the one where the
>     Nightcrawler wanted to take her so Nick could feel what it was like to
>     have someone he loved taken from him so I figured they were dating.
>     Since they aren't dating, maybe they will try to hook him up with
>     his new partner.

	I also saw that episode.  You must of missed the first part of
	that episode.  That's the one where the two decide to try to
	date.  However at the end of the episode Nick makes her forget ....

>     Did anyone see the show on the USA channel?  Was it the same one that
>     played on Saturday on CBS?  The one where his partner dies?  Since it
>     is on two networks now, I wonder if they will play the same show or
>     if they will play two separate shows.

	They air the same episodes.  It appears to be a syndicated show
	like ST:DS9 as during the summer I caught the show on either
	Ch. 25 or Superstation WPIX.

    On the episode shown on USA, all the references seem to imply that it is
    located in Toronto, not Seattle.  Like the references to the RCMP being 
    in charge of the crash investigation and Tracy going back to see the cute 
    Mountie ("Due South" deja vu? :-) ), and the cities they were talking 
    about were Edmonton and Toronto (and maybe Vancouver, I forget), and the 
    police force is the Metro Police not the Seattle Police.  Not that it 
    matters. I just wondered if the show has ever said it was supposed to be 
    in Seattle and it is now a little inconsistent in the continuity area.
    
    FWIW, there is a whole different series of "Forever Knight" that just 
    started showing on Saturday on Newfoundland TV.  I watched both, just to 
    see if they were the same show on different channels and they are not.  
    This one also looks like the beginning of a new series, so maybe they are 
    starting to show last year's series on NTV?  It did seem to fill in the 
    details about Nick a little bit more than the one on USA and the story 
    was "to be continued".  It had to do with Vampire-like murders and ritual 
    sacrifices linked to some chalice that a museum had, or something like 
    that, in case anyone remembers this show being from last year's series.

    
    There is lots of information out there on the world-wide web about
    forever knight.  For example, try the following:
    
	http://www.spe.sony.com/Pictures/tv/forever/forever.html
    	http://www.hu.mtu.edo/~gjwalli/fktoc.html
    	http://www.catt.ncsu.edu/users/vamp/WWW/fk.html
    
    I have extracted and posted some of the more introductory information
    in the following replies.
    
    Valerie

 

Forever Knight Series Background

Last updated on March 10, 1995. 


 He was brought across in 1228. Preyed on humans for their blood. Now he wants
 to be mortal again. To repay society for his sins. To emerge from his world of
 darkness. From his endless, forever night. 



Premise (as of 1994)

Forever Knight chronicles the life of Nick Knight (Geraint Wyn Davies), a 13th
century vampire living in a modern metropolis. Knight seeks to regain his
mortality and rid himself of the savage blood lust that has consumed him for
more than 700 years by once again embracing the mortal world. 

He takes his first step toward the world of the living when he joins the city's
police force. Serving as a homicide detective permanently assigned to the night
shift, Knight sets out to clean up the crime ridden city with the help of his
partner, the wise-cracking, rough around the edges, Don Schanke (John Kapelos). 

Aiding him in his quest is department pathologist Dr. Natalie Lambert
(Catherine Disher). The only mortal privy to his dark secret, she searches for
a way to restore his mortality while helping him adjust to his new life. A
devoted friend and confidante, she describes his condition as a severe allergy
to sunlight, and will always step forward with a medical explanation when his
strange ailment is questioned by Nick's suspicious new captain (Natsuko Ohama). 

Tortured by his evil past, Knight begins to distance himself from the vampire
community as he slowly rediscovers mortal thoughts and feelings. Some in the
community, however, are not pleased by his flight from the shadows. LaCroix
(Nigel Bennett), his former master and the one who gave Nick his immortality,
wants him back and will do whatever it takes to conquer his former pupil. And
Janette ( Deborah Duchene), his former lover, still secretly yearns for his
eternal love and embrace. 

Nick, still relying on blood to sustain him, faces a constant struggle to
suppress his savage hunger to feed. With each passing day, however, he learns
to deal with the rage that torments his soul, bringing him one step closer to
mortality. 

Forever Knight is produced by Paragon Entertainment Corporation in association
with TriStar Television and Germany's Telemunchen. The show is syndicated
domestically by Columbia TriStar Television Distribution. 

Background

On August 20, 1989, CBS aired a pilot for a proposed series, Nick Knight.
Starring Rick Springfield as the lead, the two-hour movie failed to muster the
support it needed for a full-fledged series at that time. However, in May of
1992 CBS remade the pilot as a two-part premiere called Forever Knight. FK was
then picked up as a series for the CBS late-night lineup of shows commonly
refered to as "Crimetime After Primetime."

The second season of FK is currently in production and airing on many stations
around the United States at varying times throughout the week. There is little
doubt that this revival of the show is largely in response to viewer letters.
CBS had not originally intended to continue filming despite FK's success at the
top of the Crime Time slot.

While attending the spring buyers convention in LA, executive producer James
Parriot became aware of a definite lack of enthusiasm for a third season of FK.
Show buyers were simply not that impressed. After a plea sent via the Internet
from JP, fans and friends of FK literally flooded their local television
stations with phone calls pleading for the renewal of FK for a third season.
This overwhelming response has possibly revived FK for a third season. No
official word has been handed down from above, but strong rumours indicate the
show is now safe. Despite these assurances, fans are encouraged to send
followup letters of thanks and praise to their local television stations and to
Columbia/Tristar.


Background and Premise / The Forever Knight Home Page / [email protected] 

Rumours

Last updated August 8, 1995.

Here are the latest rumours I've heard from various sources. These are rumours
only and very likely could be wrong. Read them at your own risk. They contain
spoilers, opinions, and other such nonsense. 


CCC Report on Deb

Videotapes

Another rumour sufaced about the possibility of FK going to video cassette. Now
that Highlander is becoming available, this seems a likely possibility, but I
doubt it's actually true. I *highly* recommend writing to TriStar Entertainment
(don't have the address on hand) and BEG them to start producing the tapes.
This would make numerous fans and their credit card companies very happy! 

Vachon's Name, Deb's Money

Sources say that the first episode of season three will be called "Black
Buddha," directed by Ger. It's a two parter, folks, so be prepared for a
cliffhanger after episode 301.

Our new studly vampire Vachon finally has a first name: Javier (J=Z in this
case). So the whole sheebang is pronounced ZAH-vee-eh. Nick's new partner on
the other hand is confirmed and most definitely female. My source says she
looks like a tough cookie to fool about Nick's vampirism.

As for the situation with Deb, well, the latest short and simple rumour I heard
was that Deb was offered money. Still isn't going to be coming back as far as I
am aware.



Press Release

Date:    Tue, 18 Jul 1995 21:21:04 -0400
Subject: New Cast Members

A copy of a July 9, 1995, press release dealing with the 
new season came into my hands...:

"New Blood on 'Forever Knight' This Fall
Series Premieres on USA Network Monday, 
September 18 at 10PM

     "A trio of characters has been added for the 
fourth [sic] season of the popular vampire series 
'Forever Knight,' premiering on USA Network this
fall.  Actors Blue Mankuma, Lisa Ryder, and Ben 
Bass will portray Captain Reese, Tracey Vetter, 
and Vachon respectively.

     "'Forever Knight,' which chronicles the life 
of Nick Knight (Geraint Wyn Davies)--a 13th century 
vampire living in a modern metropolis-- launches on
USA Network Monday, September 18 at 10PM ET/PT.

     "Captain Reese, who will be portrayed by Mankuma, 
is Knight's new Captain.  Mankuma's television 
credits include 'Robocop (the series),' 'For the 
Love of Aaron,' 'A Mother's Justice,' 'Miracle on 
I-880,' 'The Red Spider,' and 'Body of Evidence,' 
and his film credits include 'The Russia House,' 
'Stakeout II,' 'Bird on a Wire,' and 'Look Who's 
Talking.'

     "Tracey Vetter, who will be Knight's new partner, 
is portrayed by Ryder. A few of Ryder's film and 
television credits include 'City of Darkness,' 
'Das Hammr,' (sic) and 'Kung Fu.'

     "And the new vampire, Vachon, is portrayed by 
Bass.  Bass's television credits include '21 Jump 
Street,' 'Andrea Martin: Together Again,' 'Air Wolf,' 
and 'Friends to the End.'

     "'Forever Knight,' which is produced by Paragon 
Entertainment Corporation in association with TriStar 
Television, will also run in national syndication 
this fall."



Form Letter from USA Regarding 3rd Season

Dear Viewer,

Thank you for you interest in the USA Network and 
Forever Knight.  We value the input we receive from 
our viewers and will forward your comments to the 
programming department for review and consideration.

Many of you have written in to protest the removal 
of some of the integral characters from this series.
I am forwarding your letters to the production company 
for review, but would also like to inform you that
USA Network has no creative control on this series.
It is therefore not up to USA to maintain or discontinue 
any particular character or story line.

Again, thank you for watching USA Network, and we 
hope you will join us in the fall for Forever Knight.

Thank you,
Robin Bennett



John Kapelos not returning for the 3rd season

This isn't just a rumour anymore folks. Here's the poop I heard and some
additional poop too. John Kapelos asked that the following message be forwarded
to people on FORKNI-L and other places. I received it from Carolyn G. Lynn,
president of the John Kapelos Fan Club. The message reads as follows: 

   Date:    Mon, 1 May 1995 13:06:00 PDT
   From:    "Lynn, Carolyn G." 
   Subject: Note from John Kapelos

   Yes, it's sad, but it's true.  John is leaving FOREVER 
   KNIGHT to pursue other projects in Los Angeles.  He has 
   asked me to post the following on his behalf.

   "I have been associated with FOREVER KNIGHT since the 
   development of the original NICK KNIGHT series in 1988.  
   I was the only cast member to continue with the series 
   when it evolved into FOREVER KNIGHT in 1992.  After six 
   years with the show, I feel it is time to move on to other 
   projects.  I wish Jim Parriott and my collegues on the show 
   continued success. -- John Kapelos"

   [some personal information was deleted here]

   [email protected]
   [email protected]

In addition, an unnamed source (okay, so I sound like a trade rag, but I didn't
ask to quote this person, so I'm not using their name) said that Ger reported
that "the current thought is to have Schanke killed" which, according to this
person, isn't a popular idea with Ger because he would like to see John come
back to visit for future episodes as a guest star. 


Natsuko Ohama is not returning for the 3rd season

At a recent event called "Weekend with Ger," a gathering of friends and fans of
Geraint wyn Davies, attendees heard Ger report that, like John Kapelos, Natsuko
Ohama will not be returning for the 3rd season of FK. The poop I heard was that
both Ms. Ohama and Mr. Kapelos were asked to appear in a "closure" episode and
both declined the opportunity. 

Rumours / The FK Home Page / [email protected] 

    re: .7
    
>   On the episode shown on USA, all the references seem to imply that it is
>   located in Toronto, not Seattle.

    It is located in Toronto.  The "Forever Knight" part was always located
    in Toronto.  I don't know where the "Nick Knight" pilot was located
    (might have been Los Angeles).
    
>   It had to do with Vampire-like murders and ritual 
>   sacrifices linked to some chalice that a museum had

    That is what the pilot was about (both pilots -- if you read .-2, they
    re-shot the pilot from "Nick Knight" for "Forever Knight", the stories
    were the same).  Sounds to me like Newfoundland TV is airing Forever
    Knight from the start (the first season, this is the third season).
    
    Valerie
    

    
    
    A little bit of trivia for those who are interested...the guy who plays
    Lacroix ( you remember him, he's the evil dude with the funky hairdo
    who brought Nick over to the vampires in 1228), has been on a series of
    commercials over the last couple of years.
    
    Any guesses? Answer to follow.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    He's the realllly annoying guy who insists " BUT IT'S NOT OATMEAL".
    Personally, I'll never look at oatmeal the same way again.
    
    Dave 

    Did anyone catch the dog episode??  I thought it was pretty
    interesting.  I never considered an animal turning into a vampire.
    I thought the flashbacks with Nick and his dog were good.  Boy,
    I really can't stand that Lacroix!!  I would hate to have someone
    like that following me around for enternity!! :)
    
    RS

    re:  <<< Note 386.13 by ACISS1::SEIBERTR >>>
                                   -< vampire dog! >-
     >>>    Boy,
     >>>    I really can't stand that Lacroix!!  I would hate to have someone
     >>>    like that following me around for enternity!! :)
    
    Yeah, me too.
    
    Why can't Nick just do Lacroix in?  As Lacroix stated, Nick is
    capable of killing.  So why can't Nick kill Lacroix and be done with
    him?
    
    Nick had to kill his 19th Century(?) dog with a stake.  If it had been my 
    dog I would have found some way to kill Lacroix for doing that to him.
    
    But I kinda liked it that the 20th Century blind women and her dog are 
    going to survive - even if they have to be vampires, it's better than the 
    alternatives, she dying terribly from MS and her dog having to be killed.
    
    

>     Why can't Nick just do Lacroix in?  As Lacroix stated, Nick is
>     capable of killing.  So why can't Nick kill Lacroix and be done with him?

	You may of missed the episode when Nick was framed for murder, but
	in that episode we learned that Nick thought he had indeed killed
	(in the un-dead sense :-) Lacroix, but somehow Lacroix apparently
	survived.

>     But I kinda liked it that the 20th Century blind women and her dog are 
>     going to survive - even if they have to be vampires, it's better than the 
>     alternatives, she dying terribly from MS and her dog having to be killed.

	So you'd like to see all terminally ill people become vampires?
	I'd have to disagree that it's better.  In the episode when the
	world was supposedly coming to an end, Nick wouldn't even bring
	across (make a vampire) his best friend (the female doctor)
	because being a vampire is worse than death ....

    I saw that episode where Nick thought he killed LaCroix too.  It was my
    first First Knight and I had no idea what was going on.  I don't know
    why he wasn't able to kill him.
    
    I liked the ending with the lady and the dog "flying" off too.  It gave
    me a good feeling because she was such an independent, strong woman and
    now she can go on.  I also thought the idea behind the dog bringing her
    over was great.....dog loyalty to owners, that kind of thing.
    
    As far as being a vampire is worse than death, I think Nick feels that
    way, but they don't all seem to feel that way so I guess its in the eye
    of the beholder.
    
    RS

>     As far as being a vampire is worse than death, I think Nick feels that
>     way, but they don't all seem to feel that way so I guess its in the eye
>     of the beholder.

	Most vampires also feed off humans, unlike Nick who doesn't.
	If you feel murdering other humans is better than death then
	I'd be scared ...... :-)

    You are soooo silly!! Of course I don't believe murdering people
    is better than death!!!  My name's not OJ!!!! :):)
    
    I think some of the vampires (lacroix comes to mind) likes being
    a vamp because he feels superior to humans and he sounds like
    he gets into being immortal.  I think Vachon may kind of get into
    it too.  I can't tell about Nick's vamp girl friend.  I don't know
    if I have seen a show where she makes a comment on it.  Since she
    tries to blend in with the humans, maybe she regrets it too?  However,
    she doesn't seem the carry all the guilt Nick has so maybe she is
    indifferent.  It makes the show more interesting to have a blend of
    feelings on the subject.  If they all felt bad about it, I don't think
    the show would be as good.  That's one of the main things about Nick--
    he wants atonement.
    
    Watch your neck,
    RS :)

    They ran the 2hour "Nick Knight" (pilot) movie on Lifetime a couple of
    Saturdays ago.  It was indeed the same story as the 1st 2-hours shows of 
    the "Forever Knight" series showing on Newfoundland TV, as was suggested in 
    a previous note.  So NTV is showing the 1st season of "Forever Knight".
    
    The movie had Rick Springfield as Nick.  The doctor who is helping Nick 
    become mortal is male, so no love interest there.  :-)  The Doctor's name 
    is Jack.  The location is LA. There were a few other very small differences
    but only nits. The story was the same.  It was fun to watch and compare.

    
    
    
    Can anyone say WHIPLASH ?!?
    
    
    Did anyone else happen to catch the season premier on Monday night? I
    swear, I ended up with a sore neck (pun intended!) trying to keep up
    with the cast changes, additions and deletions.
    
    Disliked some of the changes, approved of the additions and will miss
    the deletions. (This is me trying not to give anything away to those who
    may have taped it but had no chance to view it yet)
    
    Anyone else?
    
    
    
    Dave
    it taped but 

>     Did anyone else happen to catch the season premier on Monday night? I
>     swear, I ended up with a sore neck (pun intended!) trying to keep up
>     with the cast changes, additions and deletions.

	Well FOX actually airs the new episodes on Sunday night before
	USA does on Monday night (and WPIX seems to of change their
	timeslot for this show, or may of dropped it, as I haven't seen
	it listed on WPIX for several weeks).

	However you must be watching a completely different network
	as the season premier was like two (2) months ago!

>     Disliked some of the changes, approved of the additions and will miss
>     the deletions. (This is me trying not to give anything away to those who
>     may have taped it but had no chance to view it yet)

	How can you give anything away given this has *already* been discussed
	weeks/months ago here in this very topic?! :-)  I suggest you can
	this topic from the beginning to catch up .....

    re          <<< Note 386.21 by VAXCPU::michaud "Brought across in 1228"
    >>> 
    >>>        Well FOX actually airs the new episodes on Sunday night before
    >>>        USA does on Monday night
    
     
    Well, not All FOX stations air "Forever Knight".  None of the Colorado
    FOX stations do so far as I can find, and I can't find it on FOX 
    on satellite either.
    
    

    
    Forever Knight is not a FOX show.  It is both on the USA cable channel
    and in sindication.
    

    In the Chicago area, its on CBS on Sat. and USA on Monday.
    
    rs

    I goofed somehow, I will try again...
    
        >> Forever Knight is not a FOX show.
    
    My point exactly.  "Forever Knight" is syndicated and therefore it
    can be on any station on any day at any time and even with different
    episodes during the same week.  Some stations might not have started 
    the new season a month ago while other stations did.  Some stations might
    be way behind on episodes.  For example, NTV is apparently 2 seasons 
    behind USA.
    
    I do think that one noter was needlessly hard on another noter who was 
    just trying to share his thoughts about what to him was the season 
    opener - without spoiling what might to some of us have been the season 
    opener, even if for others it was not the season opener. Syndication -
    got to love it. :-)

>> Forever Knight is not a FOX show.
> My point exactly.

	Wow, aren't you smart! :-)  I never said it was a FOX show.  Especially
	when it's very obvious by being on multiple stations affliated with
	different networks that it's a syndicated show.

	What you did catch however was a different mistake in that I had
	meant to give the call letters for the Boston area FOX afflicate...

> I do think that one noter was needlessly hard on another noter who was 
> just trying to share his thoughts about what to him was the season ....

	Well your welcome to YHO, but IMHO the noter still acted like a
	novice (well not a complete novice as they at least found the
	existing topic instead of creating a duplicate topic :-) in not
	looking at any of the previous notes, never mind the *base* note
	which gave the same info as the novices note!

	I just caught this weeks show and it looked like the season finale.....

[major spoiler warning]

	.... this looked like not just the season finale, but the series finale!
	I thought last week's show was the season finale when they killed off
	two of the new vampires they had added at the beginning of this season
	(Tracy's semi-boyfriend, and the curley haired female vamp), but this
	week they killed off Tracy, Nick's doctor girlfriend, and ......
	Nick himself!

	Anyone know why the show appears to of been cancelled (again)?
	Low ratings?  Or did the actor playing Nick himself decide
	to leave the show and since he plays the main character ...?

Spoilers

I've been sort of fond of this show ever since it was a CBS late night
show.

I was watching last Saturday evening, wondering why it was that they killed
off all sorts of people last week.

About the time Tracy bought it, I started wondering.  Well, I was online at
the time (and in fact, already at the computer, since I was watching it on
my "tv-in-a-window"), so I checked one of the FK web pages.

At the same time, I threw out a "what gives" question to whatever IRC
channel I was on, and immediately got a mega spoiler reply from one of the
other participants.

Yes, the show has been cancelled.  Sounds like low ratings killed it,
despite an over-the-top major campaign by some of the shows most ardent
fans.

    Rats.  I've been sort of watching it the whole year, but missed these
    two episodes.  Anybody in southern NH area tape them?  I'm in ZKO3.
    

    For those die-hard (again, no pun intended) Forever Knight fans, there
    is now a paperback novel based on the series out.
    
    Haven't read it yet, but I generally enjoy these kind of books.  It's
    like bonus episodes.
    
    	db