There was a time where network television was rife with detectives, police officers, and private investigators. We could list a number of them for you- “Baretta,” “Columbo,” and “Adam-12,” but that would just be the tip of the iceberg. One of the more outstanding series (outside of “Columbo” that is, which will always reign supreme) is “The Rockford Files.” Starring the late, great James Garner, the show was a huge hit for NBC. It looks like they’re hoping magic will strike twice as the network has ordered a reboot pilot.
“The Rockford Files” ran from 1974-1980, but its origins stretch further back than that. Garner was the breakout star of the series “Maverick,” which proved to be a huge hit in the late 1950s. The show was created by Roy Huggins who knew he had a star with Garner. That’s why he created “Rockford,” to effectively remake “Maverick” in a modern era and with a new twist.
NBC has ordered a pilot for a reboot with Mike Daniels writing the script. No lead has been cast, but those are some pretty big shoes to fill. Formerly a cop who had to serve prison time for a crime he didn’t do, Rockford took his street smarts to the realm of private investigation. Sticking to the formula of the original would also mean finding someone to play Rockford’s dad, as the chemistry between the two characters was a hallmark of the show.
For a broadcast medium that skews older, the hope may be that bringing back a series like “The Rockford Files” may attracted older audiences. We’ve seen this happen with other shows like “Matlock,” “Magnum P..I.,” and “MacGyver.” Surprisingly a lot of shows that start with the letter “M.” Of course, this is just a traditional pilot order and there’s no guarantee that the network will take it to series. We are intrigued though to find out who gets cast as Rockford, and if we ever find out, we’ll let you know.
