This should have been a much better TV series about a private investigator.
On one hand, we have a very charismatic James Garner, along with a very charismatic supporting regular cast. Garner plays Rockford, who lives with his likable dad in a trailer.
These human attributes then are subordinate to a mythological world devised by the mob itself, to keep themselves in power.
That's where the series really fails miserably.
Rockford behaves as if he has "horse sense", yet he must take the prize for the TV series character who has most often let himself be kidnapped. A big sign that mobsters were involved in making this. Rockford would jump into a car with anyone who had a gun, so he could try to escape on the terms of the kidnapper in a secluded spot with no witnesses, instead of on the busy street with witnesses.
Also, the "mob" as portrayed, is invincible, and knows where every single person is every second. That's the mythology. Also, the mythology that you are better off letting hoodlums kidnap you than any other action. People from the lower rungs of the social strata know better than that. At least the ones who live to be forty or older.
There was just too much mob love in this series, and mob mythology, all obviously designed to help mobsters. It's amazing that as obvious as it is, that one doesn't see more exposes about it. Again, another sign that mobsters try to cover it under the rug.
The best one can do with Rockford episodes is to see "what not to do", or "don't try this at home". In effect, Rockford turns out to be what would be the worst private investigator ever, and it's doubtful any investigator who copied the methods of Rockford would live two years as a private eye, even in just routine dull work. Rockford was that retarded.
On one hand, we have a very charismatic James Garner, along with a very charismatic supporting regular cast. Garner plays Rockford, who lives with his likable dad in a trailer.
These human attributes then are subordinate to a mythological world devised by the mob itself, to keep themselves in power.
That's where the series really fails miserably.
Rockford behaves as if he has "horse sense", yet he must take the prize for the TV series character who has most often let himself be kidnapped. A big sign that mobsters were involved in making this. Rockford would jump into a car with anyone who had a gun, so he could try to escape on the terms of the kidnapper in a secluded spot with no witnesses, instead of on the busy street with witnesses.
Also, the "mob" as portrayed, is invincible, and knows where every single person is every second. That's the mythology. Also, the mythology that you are better off letting hoodlums kidnap you than any other action. People from the lower rungs of the social strata know better than that. At least the ones who live to be forty or older.
There was just too much mob love in this series, and mob mythology, all obviously designed to help mobsters. It's amazing that as obvious as it is, that one doesn't see more exposes about it. Again, another sign that mobsters try to cover it under the rug.
The best one can do with Rockford episodes is to see "what not to do", or "don't try this at home". In effect, Rockford turns out to be what would be the worst private investigator ever, and it's doubtful any investigator who copied the methods of Rockford would live two years as a private eye, even in just routine dull work. Rockford was that retarded.