Normally when a TV series ends halfway through a season it means the ratings tanked and the network suits yanked it off the air. However The Rockford Filess Season Six stopped short because James Garners body couldnt take the toil. The constant beatdowns and foot chases took a toll on his body. He only made ten episodes (two of them were two-parters) before his doctor shut down the production. The Rockford Files: Season Six, The Final Season reminds us that Garner didnt limp to the finish line.
“Paradise Cove” starts the season at what appears to be the end of Rockford as we know him. An ex-sheriff living in the nearby mobile home park has successfully sued Rockford for a car accident. Mariette Hartley is appointed by the court to organize Rockfords possessions for an auction. Everything will soon be gone including the answering machine. Luckily Rockford uncovers an ancient crime scene that might save his bacon. Rocky (Noah Beery Jr.) and Angel (Stuart Margolin) help him dig out of this legal mess. This was a big episode since Hartley had been starring for years as Garners faux-wife on a series of Polaroid ads. This was the only time she had a part on the series. They did make a charming couple.

”Lions, Tigers, Monkeys and Dogs” nabs another major leading lady for the series. Lauren Bacall (To Have and Have Not) plays an enabler for the jet set. She hooks them up with places to wine, dine and mingle during their endless parties. However somebody wants to erase her from the guest list of the living. Can Rockford save her life and impress Bogarts widow? “Only Rock N Roll Will Never Die” is a murder mystery in the music business. Sadly enough, Phil Spector is not considered a suspect at any point.
“Nice Guys Finish Dead” brings back Tom Selleck as Lance White, the sexy private investigator. They meet up at an Los Angeles private eye award ceremony. Larry Manetti has a moment with Tom. Soon theyd be full time partners on Magnum P.I. Simon Oakland (Kolchak) is hilarious as he hands out the award. Things turn worse when a senator turns up dead in the mens room. Can a ballroom full of private dicks uncover the real killer? Did Sen. Larry Craig do it? Its up to White and Rockford to solve the crime. Sometimes I forget how power Tom Sellecks mustache wielded.
“The Hawaiian Headache” brings Rockford and Rocky across the Pacific for a tropical vacation thanks to winning a department store contest. Upon touching down, Rockford gets snagged by his old Army Colonel. Turns out the plane tickets were sent as part of a mission. The ex-commander needs Rockford run a suitcase full of cash to fund a dose of Ping Pong diplomacy with Vietnam. Rockford doesnt trust this operation, but he has little choice. The Colonel saved Rockfords life in Korea and this is a CIA operation. Everything spirals out of control, but Rockford does his best not to ruin Rockys vacation while finishing the mission. The episode looks like a very special episode of Hawaii Five-O with Jack Lord out of the state.
“Just a Coupla Guys” drags Rockford to New Jersey to get tangled in a piece of mobster business. This episode is significant since David Chase wrote it. Before he created The Sopranos, he gave us two wannabe wiseguys that are clueless about the game. Theres a touch of Paulie Walnuts in their interaction. The funny part of the episode is how it was all shot in Los Angeles. They do their best to angle the outdoor scenes low as not to expose the Garden States famous palm trees. The producers could find funding to take the show to Hawaii, but they didnt even buy b-roll of naturalistic Newark.
The abrupt nature of the series ending can be observed in “Deadlock in Parma.” This is not even close to a farewell episode. Theres no Rocky, Angel or Detective Becker (Joe Santos). Its a solo fishing vacation gone wrong. Rockfords lakeside dinner pal takes ill. The guy wants Rockford to be his proxy on a town council vote. The various factions of locals arent thrilled at Rockfords new power. Turns out the vote is about establishing legalized gambling. Theres plenty of locals and outsiders wanting to keep him away from the ballot box.
The Rockford FIles deserves its reputation as one of the top detective shows on TV. James Garner created a character that kept you interest no matter how bizarre and twisted his cases became. He was a hard knocks kinda guy who got himself into more trouble for free than with paying cases. What does money matter when your crummy single-wide trailer has a prime view of the Pacific Ocean in the even more prime location of Malibu? The Rockford Files: Season Six, The Final Season gives us a final peek at a time when Rockford solved stray cases for rock bottom prices with the help of Rocky, Angel and Becker. This is a fine collection that deserves to sit on the mantle of any serious 70s PI fan.
The Episodes
“Paradise Cove,” “Lions, Tigers, Monkeys and Dogs,” (two-parter), “Only Rock ‘n’ Roll Will Never Die (two-parter), “Love Is the Word,” “Nice Guys Finish Dead,” “The Hawaiian Headache,” “No Fault Affair,” “The Big Cheese,” “Just a Coupla Guys” and “Deadlock in Parma.”
The video is 1.33:1. The transfers are sharp. Unfortunately they are sharp enough for you to see plenty of dust and other issues on the frame. These werent fully restored episodes. Theyre as rough as Rockford. The audio is Dolby Digital Mono 2.0. The mix is cleaner than the video presentation. The subtitles are in English.
None.
The Rockford Files: Season Six, The Final Season brings to an end the episodic adventures of a great private investigator. What he lacked in cash flow, he covered in charm and durability. The guest stars add flavor without overwhelming James Garner. There is no finale episode so you can start over with watching the season one box set.
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Universal Home Video presents The Rockford Files: The Sixth Season. Starring James Garner, Noah Berry Jr & Joe Santos. Boxset Contents: 12 episodes on 3 DVDs. Originally Broadcasted:Sept. 28, 1979 – Jan. 10, 1980. Released on DVD: January 20, 2009. Available at Amazon
