Product Description

Nick Knight is a 13th-century vampire living in modern-day Toronto. In an effort to regain his mortality, Knight atones for 700 years of evil by fighting crime as a homicide detective for the Toronto police.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1929 in DVD
• Brand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
• Released on: 2003-10-21
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 5
• Dimensions: .90 pounds
• Running time: 1035 minutes

Amazon.com
The complete first season of the much-maligned supernatural television series Forever Knight makes its DVD debut in a five-disc set that should satiate its devoted fans and intrigue first-time viewers with its well-blended mix of horror and crime detection. Forever Knight first aired in 1989 as a two-hour TV-movie titled Nick Knight, starring Rick Springfield as a thirteen-century vampire who moonlighted as a police detective. Though the movie was not a hit for CBS, the network created a new two-part version of the pilot titled Forever Knight featuring Welsh actor Geraint Wyn Davies as the undead sleuth. The series was launched in May of that year as part of a late-night syndicated package called Crimetime After Primetime.

The first season outlined the series' essential storyline: Knight wanted to atone for his bloody past and regain his humanity, but was challenged by master vampire Lucien LaCroix (Nigel Bennett). Knight's partner in crime-solving was the smarmy Det. Schanke (John Kapelos), and scientist Natalie Lambert (Catherine Disher) aided Knight in his desire to become human and struggled with her attraction to him (which would endanger her in episode 16, "Only the Lonely"). Knight's adventures yielded a small but loyal following over its three-season run, which was constantly threatened with cancellation; a letter-writing campaign saved the program after CBS axed it in '93, but failed two years later, when Knight's adventures came to a permanent end.

Columbia-TriStar's DVD set compiles all 22 episodes of the first season (note: the series was presented in three different formats--a 40-minute version for American audiences, a 47-minute version for Canadian and Australian viewers, and a European version which contained nudity; the episodes compiled here are the Canadian versions save for the first episode, which has the American network running time). Hardcore fans may be disappointed by a lack of any extras aside from trailers for three vampire-themed Columbia features (including Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters), but should be consoled by having the full debut season in one attractive package. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

overall, 1 for the packaging but 5 for the series
Will I be buying the next two - absolutely! Would I be willing to pay more for a better product - absolutely! Will I let other FK fans know about the DVDs - already have, with cautions.
I fell in love with Forever Knight the first time I saw it on late night TV. I have been anxiously waiting for the show to come out on DVD,and pre-ordered as soon as I found that it was finally going to be released. Within the first 30 minutes my excitement was tinged with disappointment...there are missing scenes from the pilot episode, there are no extras, interviews, etc. C'mon guys why aren't all the eps at least the full Canadian version (European would be even better!) Why no extras? All the actors, producers, directors and writers are still around would getting some interviews be that difficult? Outtakes have to exist why not include them? As for the ads for other products that are being presented as extras - didn't watch and not going to watch - if it doesn't include some of the FK cast don't even bother to put it into the next two.

GREAT SHOW.....BAD DVD
While Forever Knight is a fantastic show, this is one of the worst, if not THE worst TV DVD set I have ever seen. Columbia Tri-Star did NOTHING to clean the image of the film up. I own seasons 1-4 of MASH on DVD, and let me tell you that there was no other TV show that had such poor film quality. Well guess what...the MASH DVDs are beautiful, so TV show picture quality CAN BE improved. My VHS taped recordings off of Sci Fi channel are way better than this DVD set. Yes, that's how bad the picture quality is. Looking for Forever Knight extras? Don't look here. Columbia-Tri Star didn't include a SINGLE EXTRA feature. Quite frankly, if season 2 and 3 are this poorly done, count me out. I don't want them. A true shame this is. This is probably one of the finest, most under-appreciated TV shows of the 1990's. A true shame that the folks at Columbia Tri Star are too ignorant to do a DVD set right.

At long last FK is on DVD!
Sure, I'm disappointed that there's no extras, and that there's just a few seconds missing out of the first episode, but overall, I'm doing a happy dance! It is great to finally have this wonderful series out in a professional format instead of my taped of the air well-worn tapes. These also are the Canadian versions, which are slightly longer than the episodes which aired in the USA.

Sure, the price should be less since there are no extras. However, if these had been released in a VHS format, it would have been 11 or so tapes at *at least* $14.95 OR MORE per tape. The DVDs are MUCH less expensive. So am I disappointed in the cost? Yes. Will you see me lowering my rating of a great DVD set because of it? No. I'll certainly get my money's worth out of this set.

The series itself is a classic. Not quite a vampire series, not quite a detective series, yet the best of both. It appeals to people who normally don't like either, and also to fans of both genres.

Nick Knight is a detective who was "brought across" as a vampire in 1228 and now wants to "repay mankind for his sins." He wants to be mortal again, but his "sire" LaCroix has other ideas.

I'm eagerly awaiting the other two seasons on DVD. I hope the producers of the DVD include extras, but if they don't, I'll still be first in line to own a set!