The Rockford Files - The Complete Series

Rockford Files holds up remarkably well for a 45 year old TV show. It's hard to believe it's that old really. Generally good to very good writing, some great acting (James Garner, Stuart Margolin and Isaac Hayes in particular) with a few poor performances mixed in. The 70s stereotypes can stick out a bit in watching it today. Such as all small town locals seeming to have Southern accents, regardless of where they are. And there are some things that were new when it first aired, but are now cliches today. But otherwise it's as good as almost anything that's been put out recently in the detective show genre. It beats things such as Midsommer Murders, Brokenwood or Tin Star hands down, and I'd take it over Death in Paradise, Frost or even Psyche. It even compares reasonably well with the likes of Bosch, Longmire, George Gently, Jack Irish, Poirot and Sherlock. Though the production quality doesn't match today's and it doesn't fit the gritty crime drama mold of many of those modern shows. Rockford Files was set in LA's natural sunlight, instead of Bosch's atmospheric nights and lights and so doesn't have the same urban feel to it. It's hard to come up with a modern show that matches the blend of serious situations with Rockford's laconic humor. There's a lot of James Garner in James Rockford, and that's a good thing.If you can get past the lack of lens flares and what not, and stick to the characters and stories (with many a car chase thrown in), you'll enjoy this.The price is great. It comes on 22 discs and so is packed in dual-sided cardboard sleeves. They could have made the the two piece cardboard box those are housed in a bit sturdier, but it's adequate (barely) and not enough to knock off a star. They could also have put the disc details on the sleeves. As is you have to look at the small print on the discs themselves to tell what it is. Again, a minor thing.

I watched this when it originally aired and then again in reruns, always wanting a set of the episodes. I went through the VHS era without purchasing this, but, upon seeing the complete series offered an excellent price on DVD, I made the buy. It has arrived, and I have watched the first episode. The video quality is very good and, should the rest of the episodes play properly, I will be completely satisfied. This is a classic series well contrived, written, cast, and acted, and to own it on DVD is a real pleasure.There are some who have described one negative feature of these discs: the packaging. The DVDs come in 11 cardboard slide-ins that hold two discs each, one on a side, with all 22 discs housed in a fairly flimsy box with slip-over cover. Most folks I know have their DVDs in shelves, often custom DVD shelving, spine out, in sometimes very large numbers. This can wind up occupying considerable space.Some, including myself, have converted to storage in disc binders that take eight discs in a sheet, four to a side. Such binders can be obtained in sizes that will hold hundreds of DVDs each. The enterprising DVD owner will make a separate alphabetical index of his/her DVDs and perhaps a separate "mini" binder with trimmed DVD case covers in disc order. In any event, anyone with a system that has removed disc storage from the typical jewel cases to more compact filing will not mind this packaging at all.

Love it, well organized dvd.

Great show and set

I loved the Rockford Files as a kid in the 70's, so It's GREAT to have the entire series on hand to watch whenever I'm feeling a bit nostalgic or want to hide back in my childhood again for a few minutes(or hours!) & try to forget how screwed up & crazy the world & this country has become in the last few years.The video quality is good on these DVD's(i mean you really can't expect full HD quality or anything since there wasn't such a thing back when this series was filmed).the only con that I can think of is the P-poor packaging that they come in. The outer box is made of VERY flimsy cardboard & came pre-crushed & ripped in places. I tried to put it back together with scotch tape, but there was only so much that I could do with it :-( . The disks themselves come 2 to a cardboard sleeve(one on either side of the sleeve). The sleeves are a bit sturdier than the outer box, but this system still kind of sucks....wish the disks would come in a DVD wallet-type thing or something instead so it would be easier to flip through & find the episodes that you want & to protect the disks from scratching.All in all, other than the crap packaging, this is a decent set & a good way to get this classic back in your home & on your TV.

Arrived in reasonable time, case in good condition, no scratches on discs, works in player! If you're into tough private eye with good guy complex you will enjoy this series. Rockford, through his detective business, finds himself getting into unique situations via his clients. Cast of characters are interesting, story lines keep you interested from beginning to end, many scenes are filmed outside the studio on location and finally Rockford comes across as a likeable guy who you'd invite to a barbeque. No regrets having this series in my collection.