The Pilot for the Emmy award winning Series "The Rockford Files". No Answering Machines and a more subdued "Rocky" (Replaced in later episodes by the Iconic Noah Beery). This episode is a standout even in in an era that had what some may consider a surfeit of "Cop Shows". The late Roy Huggins wrote his original episode under a Pseudonym for some reason although it's plot is pretty respectable. The main weakness here is that this episode gets kind of lost in a sub-plot about Billy Mumy (The kid from "Lost in Space) that would have been the key to the entire caper- But only serves to muddy up the Episode. You can bet that REAL cops would have been VERY interested in a Kid's involvement in a conspiracy to steal $10 Million Bucks and the Murder of his Dad. Not to give anything away- But Rockford shoots down a light plane going about 120 mph (on a strafing run no less!) with a snub nose Revolver- a shot not even the world's finest marksman could make- and steals a cement mixer from someplace to use as temporary "Holding Cell". Fortunately this series in it's subsequent episodes took a turn from the cartoonish and you can see the Genesis of the fine Dialogue of later episodes- Including a Hulking Psycho (The era's Ubiquitous TV "Bad Guy" William Smith) with the Banal name of "Jerry"- A running joke throughout the Episode and the Pusillanimous Rockford threatening Mayhem on the Diminutive Mumy in Billy's only scene. I must say that in the days of Columbo, Mannix and Hawaii-Five-O I hardly noticed the debut of "Rockford"- But this series is the one that stood the test of time. A "Must See"- But only for the Rockford Fan.
Review of Backlash of the Hunter
