Ring of Fire

Michael gets a slice of southern hospitality. Especially from an important judge in a Louisiana bayou who is trying to protect his son. A convicted murderer who has escaped from prison and who is hounding his young wife Leyla.

Michael arrives to protect Leyla but pretty soon gets entangled with corrupt cops and a malfunctioning KITT. Both KITT and Michael attract the attention of dogs as well.

The fact that Michael is on his own because of KITT's problems gives the story a slightly different flavour. The episode title alludes to the car's new Pyroclastic Lamination which protects KITT from high temperatures.

I never felt like that the episode was ever in the deep south, the accents were more French than cajun.

When a convicted murderer (a real nut job) escapes from prison, his young wife sends a distress call to the Foundation. Michael and Kitt head to the Louisiana bayou where the murderer is being protected by his father, the judge.

This is a solid episode that benefits from its location, where there's plenty of car chases, but I think in this episode Michael gets a real challenge. He gets injured, KITT ends up in a lake, has a malfunction even when it's pulled out. He has to rely on his wits more than in that superb car. There's enough suspense, action and a sense of danger to make this enjoyable.

KITT is obviously totally useless in a swamp. Although "virtually indestructible" his ultimate nemesis is not Goliath, but a fairly small amount of mudd. Michael will never pickup a gun so against Louisiana Poachers who apparently are all well armed he is useless too. So you can watch him and KITT stumble and fall around the swamp and fall apart against dogs. The only upside is the girl who is not the usual typecast for the female main character. The story is also quite uninspired.

This episode was quite lame, the worlds greatest car gets foiled by some mud? What happened to a few episodes ago when it could turn into a boat and sail across the ocean?