Knight Rider’s Bruening Has ‘Em Talking

Fort Worth Star-Telegram TV critic Robert Philpot has posted his “10 to Watch,” the actors he feels will break out and potentially become household names this year.

One of them is Justin Bruening, the former soap opera stud who’s been handed the keys to one of NBC’s most high-profile fall shows. As the new driver of KITT in the Knight Rider revamp, Bruening will undoubtedly feel the prick of some critics’ poison pens. But make no mistake, the world will be watching Bruening.

Philpot said since NBC successfully brought Rider back to primetime with Bruening in the lead, he is poised to become one of the fall’s big stars. Philpot gives full disclosure and notes that last year he said some of the same things about Bionic Woman Michelle Ryan. Hey, we all make mistakes.

Other genre stars on the list include Fringe’s Anna Torv and Rutina Wesley of True Blood.

Pictured: Justin Bruening as Mike Tracer — NBC Photo: Mitchell Haaseth