Forever Knight

Plot

The series followed the adventures of Nick Knight, a Toronto cop working the graveyard shift with his partner Donald Schanke. Unbeknownst to most of his colleagues, Nick is actually Nicholas, an 800-year-old vampire (his human name was a pun based on his status as a literal knight in medieval France). Remorseful over centuries spent as a vampiric cold-hearted killer, Nicholas works as a cop and often ends up using his special abilities to bring criminals to justice. Nicholas explains his need to work on the night shift by claiming to have a skin disorder, photodermatitis, which requires him to stay out of sunlight. Refusing to feed from humans, he survives by drinking bottled animal blood, something that most vampires find repulsive. The only one who knows his true nature is his friend Natalie Lambert, a city medical examiner who doesn't like for Nicholas to use his special powers as she believes it increases his need for blood.

Nick's ultimate dream is to find a way to become human once again, but his quest for redemption is complicated by the arrival of fellow vampires Lucien LaCroix and Janette DuCharme. LaCroix, who was born in the Roman Empire, and Janette, whom originally made Nick a vampire, were his companions for many centuries. Janette now runs a night club, while LaCroix works as a late-night talk radio host. While Janette is scornful yet tolerant of Nicholas's new lifestyle, LaCroix actively attempts to seduce his protégé back to a more violent life.

During the series, Nick had two partners. At the beginning of the third season, his first partner, Detective Schanke, is murdered, and he is partnered with Tracy Vetter, a rookie detective who gets the assignment due to her father's high-ranking position in the police force. Tracy is never aware of Nick's true nature but finds herself increasingly attracted to Javier Vachon, a vampire who had been a conquistador in life. Although Nick continues to protect the "innocent" civilians, he finally gets tired of the life he lives. Nick is faced with the choice to either move on or attempt to recapture his humanity through a method that puts Natalie's life in the balance. At that point LaCroix appears and indicates the time to leave is near and he must either bring Natalie over or leave her to die. Nicholas decides that neither option is acceptable and hands LaCroix a wooden stake. We do not see what LaCroix does, but we hear him say "Damn you, Nicholas" in stress and frustration, and the scene pans out to the building where Nick lives.

The ending is left to the viewers' interpretation but the implication is that Nick dies with LaCroix's help, hoping to join Natalie in an afterlife.

Cast

Powers and abilities

Nick Knight, as well as several other vampire characters, demonstrates a number of superhuman abilities. As a vampire, Nick has not aged throughout nearly 800 years of existence. In most cases he is invulnerable to harm from gunshot, blunt force trauma, or blade. Vampires in the Forever Knight universe also display the powers of super strength and speed, enhanced senses, flight and a degree of hypnotism/mind control. However, Nick's hypnotism does not always work, especially if the victim has physical evidence that proved opposite to what Nick would have them believe. Vampires in the "Forever Knight" universe are not reanimated corpses as they have a heartbeat once every 10 minutes, as is stated in one episode.

Production

The series originated as a 1989 CBS television movie, Nick Knight, with Rick Springfield playing the title character. In 1992, CBS began broadcasting the series as part of its Crimetime After Primetime lineup, with a new name and with Geraint Wyn Davies now playing Nick Knight (using a pilot that had been re-shot with Davies).

Novels

There have been three novels written based on the series:

Soundtracks

There have been two soundtrack CDs released that contain selections from the score. The first was released on 25 July 1996 and the second was released on 11 May 1999

DVD releases

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released the entire series on DVD in Region 1 (US only) in 3 volume sets. Madman Entertainment released the entire series in Region 4 (Australia), in the same format.

Reception

Forever Knight was nominated for 13 Gemini Awards, and won once in 1996. It was also nominated for a Golden Reel Award in 1992, but did not win. It was ranked #23 on TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever in 2004, but was taken off the list in 2007.