Episode 125 - Jons, Steves, Daves and Rockfords

On to part 2!

This is an interesting case, not the plot, well I mean that IS, but the episode itself.  It was shown as a single episode in 1979.  It was however produced as a two parter, including separate production numbers.  Some DVD/Blu Ray collections (Mill Creek Entertainment) have it as one episode as it was aired, while others, and the Amazon Prime streaming version, have the two separate episodes. 

Oh who really cares about the plot, it's Jim Garner and Lauren Bacall.  

The Minette crime family is all over the Rockford universe.  I imagine if a spin off or two had survived and we got the REU (Rockford Extended Universe™) we would have heard more of Minette.

I find there to be less action generally in season 6, but more shooting.

I wonder who Steve will put in the Spotlight this week.

Kendall's digs at Chapman are great.  Damn Lauren Bacall was a movie star eh?

Dana Wynter was no slouch either.  Her performance here is understated, but then we find out she's just this side of snapping, ok, now I get it.  Well done.

Generally loved this one, mostly just because I got to watch three movie stars on a tv show in 1979.

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Episode 124 - Steves, Daves, Jons and Rockfords

A double length episode (that we'll tackle in two parts) starring LAUREN BACALL!

Very very 70s this week.

I mentioned Lauren Bacall right?

(I have an idea of what next week's Steve's Spotlight might be, I dunno).

There were rumours about the two of them (Bacall and Garner, but it seems unlikely).

Angel interacting with Lauren Bacall is a thing to behold.

I'm not even using her character name, because, well, she's Lauren Bacall.

Wait, Dana Wynter from Sink the Bismarck too?

Rocky loves any situation where he can either brag about his son, or when he can rub shoulders with the rich and famous.

Billings got a promotion!

Kendall is basically an influencer.

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Episode 123 - Steve and Dave Explain What a Polaroid is to Jon

I went off the board for 50 on this title, somewhat pleased with it.

SEASON SIX!

MARIETTE HARTLEY!!!!

Man the on screen chemistry Garner and Hartley had.

You know, Mariette Hartley's grandfather was John B Watson, of radical behaviourism fame.  OK, maybe that isn't much to you, but he was a big deal in psychology.

Oh the story, it's almost secondary as you get to watch these two actors have so much fun, but the story itself is great.

We've got stuff going back to the 30s.

We've got the government coming after Jim.

We've got a corrupt local official.

We've got probably the best episode of season 6.  Or at least top two or three.

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Episode 122 - Season 5 Wrap Up

Our season 5 wrap up show already?

Well, yeah of course, I mean look, we're done season 5....

I'm burying the lede here, we were joined by fellow Rockford enjoyer and reviewer Ryan Evans from the youtube channel Nothing But Media!

We talked about the season.

We talked about the 70s.

We talked a bit about 1979.

We talked about Boy King.  How could we not?

We talked guest stars, and boy there were lots this season.

Thanks for coming on Ryan, this was a blast!

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Episode 121 - If Any Of Us Marches To a Different Drummer It's Jon

I mean hands down right?  Like Steve and I are odd, but then you've got Jonno...

I always felt that this was a bit of a letdown after Boy King, but it is still a fun one.

Lots of 70s weirdness this week, style and decorating wise.

This one is another where the show is trying to teach us something, in an entertaining way.  It is a VERY pro transplant position, a position the three of us of course share.  The almost mugging for the camera talking about how great transplants are is a bit weird.  This was not always the case, and in the late 70s when the idea of signing up to be a donor was new, the concerns about harvesting organs from the living were real (in people's minds) concerns.  The show is telling us 'this is nonsense, in fact, it would involve a conspiracy...' which I like.  A lot.  Now, it's ham fisted at best...

Fun performances this week.

That said, lots happens that we don't know why.

At times you almost forget that there are two idiots trying to kill Jim as well.

Yost's house is the same one from the episode 'Guilt' from earlier this season.

The sheer weaselness of Yost is probably my favourite bit of the episode, but I also liked the quirkiness of rhe Sorel character.  She reminded me a bit of Meredith from Mad Men (surprise)  I think she's more competent than she lets on.  Of course the character isn't as fleshed out, she's a one off from 50 years ago vs a series regular from the prestige tv era.

Sometimes I find Rocky annoying.  I think that's the point.  I imagine Jon finds me annoying sometimes...

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Episode 120 - So If Jon is the Boy King Are Steve and Dave Men?

Fonzie, the boy king.

Again, remember, best episode ever.

Webber's Coombs gets increasingly unhinged because the gang do that to him.

ANGEL is hilarious when he's interacting with the 'artefacts'.

Odette has very odd choice in cars. 

I appreciated the improvisational elements of the scam.

Egypt wouldn't have an embassy in LA, it would be a consulate.  I just looked it up, yes, Egypt has a consulate in LA, but it is a suite in an office building on Wilshire Blvd.

Again, like I said last week, watch that Maverick episode "I'm workin' on it".

I wonder why this wasn't the finale?  We have a normal episode next to end Season 5.

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Episode 119 - Never Send Jon to do Dave or Steve's Job

Yes, Steve's job, not Steve Jobs, different dude.

I vividly remember watching this one with my parents.  I also remember the three of us hoping that this was a return of Richie Brockelman Private Eye.  No dice sadly.

This is my favourite episode.

This might be the best episode of the series (both parts).

Originally this was a two hour episode, cut into two for syndication.

The thing of it is is James Garner likes driving race cars.

I think that's a Can Am car.

ROBERT WEBBER!

Jimmy Joe Meeker makes his most memorable appearance.

Many sources claim this episode, and a couple of others, are inspired by 'Shady Deal in Sunny Acres' from season 2 of Maverick.  I watched it and yup.  Also, you should seek that out, it is very good.

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Episode 118 - Steve and Dave Think Jon Has Made a Material Difference on the Podcast

Man that was a long trip for not much payoff, title wise.

Jim finally snaps at Angel this week, as you can see in the accompanying pic.

Russians.

East Germans.

Wait so it is the 70s, of course.

Funny to think I was staying up late to watch Voyager on TV and it's still going!

Chapman is annoyed this week.  So it's a week...

We get an LJ mention, which is like a Dale sighting on Mad Men.

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Episode 117 - Steve, Jon and Dave Return the Black Shadow

I wonder if it is still under warranty...

Bo Hopkins's final appearance as Coop.

'You wanna eat some iron?'

The rise and fall of bider culture in California was a thing at the tie.

Some fun evil performances this week.

Oh yeah, we get a Steve's Spotlight!

Disturbing one this week, perhaps the darkest episode of the series.

Come out and play Warriors

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Episode 116 - The Dave Who Saw the Jon and Steves

This one definitely goes in my 'worst title ever' pile.

This episode was originally a 90 minute one that was cut down to an hour for syndication.   We will talk about the 90 minute version.  Hopefully we get through it in a reasonable amount of time. (I clearly write these things before we start).

David Chase did this one, and it seems that every episode he runs gets closer and closer to the Sopranos.  This one has George Loros returning as Anthony Boy, who we first met in the two parter 'To Serve and Protect'.

Oh hey and there's Joey Aresco from Black Sheep!

The B plot has Jim trying to get out from under an IRS audit. 

This plot is not as complicated as we've seen before, but it's made up for by how good the  episode was.

Apparently this is a 90 minute one because of torrential rains in California.  At least IMDB says that, but who knows when it comes to IMDB.

I keep saying this, but this really is a Proto Sopranos episode.  

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Episode 115 - Steve, Jon and Dave are One More Than a Deuce

Long trip for the title this week.

Both Jon and I have been in the Rockford Fires this week.  Thank you.

Sorry about the Cylon voice, I'll have it sorted by next week, hopefully.....  Here's an update, just after getting off of the call I fixed it.  Here's a podcasting tip, don't update your interface's firmware and control software just before recording.

When I see the name 'Mills Watson' in the credits I'm happy.

This is an episode that doesn't like Mondays.

As expected, and consistent with the character and the actor, Jim Rockford takes his civic duty very seriously.  Or (unlike the actor) he pretends to anyway.

His father on the other hand....

OK, maybe not THAT seriously.

The whole time through this episode I kept thinking of John Bassett, former owner of the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL... (seriously)

Man this is an elaborate plot.

A bit of ickiness from Jimbo this week.

Interrogating someone in a garbage can is a thing of beauty.

This had a long and involved denouement scene as the plot had to be explained.

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Episode 114 - Dave Isn't Sure About Steve and Jon's Guilt

Long trip for this week's title, not much of a payoff either.

A couple of MASH connections this week.

A heck of a lot happens in a short period of time in this episode.

We get out 39th '200 Dollars a day plus expenses' in this one.

The fact that the stuff Val designs is supposed to be the height of hip (and it was!) shows you how truly odd tastes got into the late 70s.

I like the background on Jim, that he almost married Val etc.  Rocky talking about how he would dance with her daughter, that resonated with me.  I think that Garner might have been thinkng about Gigi while he was doing that scene, you could see some real emotion on his face.

Val is a touch, oh let's go with manipulative.

Some fun guest stars this week as well.

Car chase with a helicopter!  

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Episode 113 - The Academics and the Exploding Fonzie

You gotta be a fan of the podcast to get that title.

We've got the FBI.

We've got the ATF.

We've got the LAPD.

We've got USCG.

Sadly no BB King, BBC or Doris Day.

We've got the DIA, wait, not the CIA?  Well whatever, but we've got an alphabet soup of agencies this week.

Classic bungling federal agencies in a 70s show, a clear sign of the times.

The selling bad weapons thing, that happened, more than once.  Not just weapons either.  There's a subplot in the TV show 'The Americans' about this.  

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Episode 112 - Steve, Jon and Dave Aren't Really Fashion Plates

Jon often calls me a fashion faux pas.  I have no idea whey, but it fits with the episode.   It's probably also true, but that's neither here nor there.

Rene Auberjonios! 

WK Stratton!

Erin Grey!

Directed by Ivan Dixon!

I've used too many exclamation points in this post!

Yeah a pretty good set of 70s guest stars.

Making fun of fashion is fun, especially in 1979.

I almost always use a picture of Jimbo, but this week's screenshot is Odo getting ready to toss wine into a French guy's face.

Lots of disco references this week.

Big story this week is the US and the PRC normalizing relations.  It was a big, and surprising, deal.  

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Episode 111 - Local Podcasters Eaten by 48 Year Old TV Episode

I'm happy with this week's title, in case you were wondering.

Lots of Sopranos refugees this week.

Coop is always welcome, I like Bo Hopkins.

Jim's working under cover for the National Investigator which is clearly standing in for the National Enquirer.

A couple of nice pulls by Jim this week, one to The Day The Earth Stood Sill and one sort of meta one to Garner's character in The Great Escape.

Augie and Natalie are quite a pair.  A pair of what, I am not sure.

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Episode 110 - All Three of Us Can Count Fast

Tried something a little different with the title this week.

Boxing!

Mary Frann!

All boxing trainers look like Kenneth McMillan.

Hey, I should also mention that's Rocky Echeverria, you may know him as the way more white boy name, Steve Bauer.  It's his life, and his name, but Rocky is just a better name, change it back!

We've got cons inside of cons this week.

A big news story this week was Vietnamese refugees, the so called 'boat people' and their struggle to get somewhere, anywhere really.

The 70s car lot ads, you know, as annoying as they were, I almost feel like we've lost something.  Until I remember what those ads were like.

Jim should consider more sweaters.

Jonno did the intro this week!

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Episode 109 - No, really Jon and Steve, some blind people have PhDs in psychology

Had to stick with the theme for the title.

We get a lot about multiple personality disorder (or dissociative identity disorder as it is now called).  The three faces of Eve and Sybil were FICTION.

Unlike most two parters, or ones that were double episodes, there is no padding in this one.

Kathryn Harrald, the actor for Megan, eventually did become a therapist!  I wonder if this episode had anything to do with it.

Billings is an unsung hero on this show.

Oh we find out that Megan lost her sight in an accident.

The note at the end from Charlie Martel is gold.

Angel has left the building.

Megan reappears in season 6, and in one of the TV movies.

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Episode 108 - Jon and Steve find out that some blind people have PhDs in psychology

Look, I couldn't help it.

But, a blind character with a PhD in psychology, even if the actor is not blind and it was 50 years ago, means a lot to me.

I will likely talk a lot about the importance of representation in media (As I have noted before, I write these things before we record).

Much of the performance in Part 1 (this was originally a 2 hour episode) by Kathryn Harrlod as Megan is remarkable.  Either she knew a blind person, or there was an actual blind or low vision person helping out/consulting whatever.

The therapy is pretty well done as well (I may not be a clinician, but I know things).

We get a couple of actors we've seen earlier in the series.

A little of Rocky pushing Jim to call Megan.

Parts of this were very difficult for me to watch.  So it was that well done.

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Episode 107 - Jon Puts Steve and Dave in an Empty Frame.

As I oft note, not all of my 'clever' titles are good, or even clever.

I adore this one.  

We've got Chapman with no power.

We've got a little Dennis.

We've got Jim GETTING PAID.

We've got this amazing show not giving a shit that two of the main characters in the story are a gay couple.  It's never mentioned, it is not played for laughs (as it was at the time, I'm looking at you Three's Company).  They're just a couple.

This is the first time I will be using a picture that does not have Jimbo in it for the post.  I needed to use Angel in the pool.

You ever cosplay a Kronstadt sailor?

Angel might be at his worst here, except for when he becomes a televangelist in one of the 90s movies.

The 'communists' are pretty funny.

In the end though, the way being gay is treated as just, well, a normal thing, so normal that it is not even mentioned, is super freaking cool FOR TODAY.  In 1978 it's actually revolutionary.

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Episode 106 - Steve, Jon and Dave Use Real Estate Words Like Escrow

Tough title this week.

Some 'problematic' as the kids say, portrayals of 'unnamed scary Arab culture' in this one.  I suppose that's a sign of the times, but it was a bit weird.  This is an occupational hazard of looking at 50 year old media.  

There's also a lot of BS psychobabble (that is, to be fair, portrayed that way) in this one.  I approve.

This has nothing to do with the episode, but, will spring come at some point please?

The ol' cork in the eye trick eh?  That's twice this month.

Is that Bull from Night Court?

(It is).

The words 'ham fisted' come to mind now and then during this one.

I quite liked the episode despite the weirdness.

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