Rockford Files – Season 2
By John Sheridan, Blockbuster.co.uk

Haggard and weatherworn James Garner returns to DVD in this classic from the seventies.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Rockford Files, the series follows the adventures of Jim Rockford (James Garner), a private investigator that picks up the cases that the LAPD fail to solve. If Detective Dennis Becker (Joe Santos) declares a case dead then Rockford will be happy to take it on for the right price.

Wrongfully convicted of a crime but then cleared several years earlier, Rockford is happy to take the cases that the police won’t follow up. The police and the FBI don’t trust him and he is not allowed to carry a gun so it’s often a dangerous job. Rockford doesn’t come cheap, he charges $200 a day plus expenses but he rarely makes any money, he is lucky to break even as Jim Rockford is an old softie at heart.

In Season 2, Rockford tries to protect his childhood foster brother from the mob (The Aaron Ironwood School of Success), helps Detective Becker and a bunch of other people get out of a mob-real estate scheme (The Farnsworth Stratagem) and saves his Dad from an assassination attempt (Gearjammers Parts 1 and 2). His girlfriend Beth Davenport (Gretchen Corbett) usually bails Rockford out of difficult situations (usually involving jail) however in Season 2, she in fact ends up needing his help.

All in all, Season 2 of The Rockford Files is great, mainly due to the strength and charm of the leading man, James Garner through the course of the 22 episodes, you will find yourself routing for him as he bumbles his way through case after case. Rockford is The Man. Add to your list now.