Review of Rockford Files, The: Series 2

Introduction

During the 1970s, if anybody ruled the televisual roost, it was Universal. The Studio had more hit series to its name during that period than any of the other tv-producing studios. Columbo, MacMillan and Wife, McCloud - tv schedules around the world seemed to be built around Universal`s Cop and Private Eye output.

One of the best was The Rockford Files. Jim Rockford was played by affable leading man James Garner, best known in the 1950s and 60s for his co-star roles in a couple of Doris Day pictures and his memorable turn as western con man Maverick. Rockford, like Maverick, was something of an anti-hero. Convicted for his part in an armed robbery (which he was later pardoned for), Rockford had spent five years behind bars at the infamous San Quentin. On his release, he had gone into the private eye business, operating out of a trailer parked in Malibu.

The opening gimmick of the show was Rockford`s new-fangled telephone answering machine, which set up the format of the show during the brief titles. The titles were also accompanied by the show`s memorable theme by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter. The show was created by Stephen J Cannell (the guy who used to yank a page out of his typewriter on the A-Team end titles) and Roy Huggins (who also created The Fugitive, Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip and produced dozen of other shows).

Between 1974 and 1980, James Garner made 123 episodes of the show, one feature-length pilot and eight tv movies.

There was, as with most series of the day, a "family" of secondary characters backing up Rockford. There was his father "Rocky", played by Noah Beery Jr, who wished Jim would quite the dangerous private eye business and do something less dangerous instead - like truck driving. There was Rockford`s favourite police contact Sgt, later Lt, Dennis Becker played by Joe Santos and trouble was seldom far away when his old prison buddy Angel (Stuart Margolin) turned up.

Rockford`s adventures were seldom straightforward whodunnits or procedurals - his own tendency to lateral thinking usually put a peculiar spin on things. The second series, presented in this set, is typical of the show`s nine season run. Twenty-two episodes of convoluted cons and mindboggling mysteries. Standout in the season has to be the second episode "The Farnsworth Stratagem" where Jim helps police buddy Dennis Becker and his wife recover their savings from a dodgy hotel investment.

Video

Presented in their original 1.33:1, the episodes are workmanlike transfers. Relatively clean they`re about what you would expect from a re-run on the Beeb.

Audio

Bog standard Dolby 2.0 Mono

Features

Only a Universal Playback trailer which you don`t want to see more than once, on disc one and a couple of eight minute filmed interviews (with James Garner and Stephen J Cannell) on disc six.

No subtitles.

Conclusion

One of the more entertaining 1970s private eye shows. Not quite as much fun as Columbo, Jim Rockford was a likeable, laconic hero, a sort of working-class knight errant for people in trouble. Not much of a tough guy, he won battles on his wits rather than with his fists.

A classic.