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UPDATE: For those Deadline readers who suggested in the comments that Rockford Files should be reworked and put on USA. USA actually was pitched the idea for an updated Rockford about a year ago. It passed.
PREVIOUS: It’s been a stunning downfall for NBC’s update of the classic PI series, which only a month ago appeared as one of the few sure things this pilot season with its strong brand name, House creator David Shore as writer and Steve Carell as producer. The first signs of trouble came in the casting stage when it took a long time to cast the lead famously played by James Garner on the original series as several offers to A-list actors didn’t pan out. But feedback from the audition of Dermot Mulroney, who has strong improv background, was great, and the pilot, which co-starred Alan Tudyk and Beau Bridges, went underway with Michael Watkins at the helm. However, NBC was underwhelmed by the completed pilot. It then underwent major recutting, which was reportedly done by the editor of one of NBC’s top drama pilots this year, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced Chase. But, while an improvement vs. the original cut, the new version of the pilot still didn’t impress NBC brass enough to muster a series order. Still, a redevelopment of the concept is a possibility.
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Jim Rockford = James Garner.
The greatest, the original, the best. I am thrilled with this news. Leave it alone. Thank you James Garner for a wonderful role and a great series. Come on NBC. Just leave it alone.
Dermot was terrible casting for a project that didn’t need remaking. Snooze fest from the get go.
JAMES GARNER is, was and always will be Rockford. Stop trying to rob the past and come up with something original, NBC. Your development has stunk for years. Stop the nonsense and either fire everyone (again) or figure it out.
This is a GOOD thing.
If in ain’t James Garner, it ain’t The Rockford Files.
re-write, re-tool, re-cast, and set it up at usa.
Holloway is perfect for the role, if they insist on remaking it, then no other lead will do. I would rather the project be dead than have to watch boring ass Mulroney butcher all of the things that were lovable about Jim Rockford.
However Josh Holloway’s agent should be on the phone about this part right now.
Several commenters have said they’d like a Rockford-like show that isn’t a remake. Someone should check out Canada’s REPUBLIC OF DOYLE, which is exactly that — a modern-day P.I. inspired by Rockford but not a remake. It’s on CBC and really deserves to go south of the border.
Great! There is a God. The ORIGINAL Rockford Files is the BEST!
Leave it alone. It does not need to be ‘re-made’.
Trying to make a sequel to the Rockford Files would be trying to make a sequel to Sabrina – how can you improve on Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and Wm Holden? And who would have the courage to play in the sequel?
Oh wait, somebody tried that, too…
They actually re-cast this show correctly.
It’s on FX- Timothy Oliphant in “Justified.”
I wasn’t crazy about the idea of a Rockford do over, but the first name that came to mind when I heard they were considering it was Damian Lewis from the cancelled way too soon Life.
Although Holloway would be a great choice for this kind of role too.
RING. RING. “Hi, This is Jim Rockford. Please leave your name and a message.” BEEEEEEEEEEEP. “Hey, Jimbo, this is (insert douchebag) over at NBC. We’re terribly sorry that we have to deliver bad news, but… the pilot sucked. That’s the pink slip on your Firebird, buddy. Can you bring that by today?” CLICK.
I’m glad to hear this very dumb idea is being shelved. You shouldn’t fuck with the classics and there’s no way any current actor will ever measure up to James Garner. When the hell will Hollywood stop relying on past tv shows and movies for current projects? Creativity really is dead. Enough with raping classic television shows!
Actually, there was a perfect Jim Rockford. But Nathan Fillion is a little busy these days.
James Garner and Jack Lord forever !!!!!
Remakes have disaster written all over them.
It is just as well that this revival of the Rockford Files is now been struck down. The show cannot be made properly without James Garner. This is actually a smart move on NBC’s part.
I really thought this remake might work. It was inspired casting to reach out for the ever camera friendly Senator Chuck Schumer to star as a flim-flam man extrordinaire Angel Martin.
Hey how about just putting the original back on in prime time. I would bet it would get better ratings then 99% of the crap on TV now.
James Garner was 46 when Rockford Files started, and 52 when it ended. That was an important part of it’s charm – his age. He’s been around the block….many times.
You could have saved a lot of time and expense had you just faced reality and shown a little common sense. You can’t match James Garner as Jim Rockford. Why don’t you develop a little creativity? You missed a good original series several years back with “Nowhere Man,” a creation of Larry Herzog.
Remakes (of successful things) are always a bad idea but let’s think about it; “The Rockford Files” went OFF the air 30 years ago. With the important ad demos being 18-49 (which I KNOW was refuted in 2008) that means that the oldest viewers in that demo were 19 when it ended it’s run.
It ran from ’74-’80 and there probably weren’t a lot of 13-year-olds watching from Season 1.
Doesn’t seem so crazy to try and re-do it that much later (from a Net’s perspective.)
But I agree that perhaps just “redesigning” it would have fared batter. Otherwise you risk the obvious comparisons. But brand names mean something.
(Can’t wait for the “Friends” re-do in 2034.)
Sorry, I didn’t mean the oldest viewers were 19. (I meant factoring in the 18-49 made them 19 at the time.)
When they announced a remake of THE ROCKFORD FILES I thought it was a bad idea. Rockford’s not a character like Sherlock Holmes or James Bond that can maybe be recast with another actor.
Much of what makes Rockford’s personality and who he is came directly from the man who originated the role: James Garner. Why? Because the role was designed for him, with his personality and strengths in mind.
Why do you think Rockford can outdrive anybody? Because Garner loved driving and doing his own stunts behind the wheel. That’s one example but there are many other instances.
THE ROCKFORD FILES was a detective show that at every turn upended the cliches that had built up around the private eye by the 1970s. It’s considered to be the best private eye tv series ever by both mystery writers and real p.i.’s. Remaking it poses a problem: there are many, many ways to fail and no clear way to succeed.
NBC should forget about trying to *remake* the show and instead create a new p.i. show for the 21st century that looks at the world we live in and upends the cliches that have come along since the 1970s.
Incidentally, Josh Holloway shouldn’t be Rockford. His own shoes are awesome enough without trying to fill Jim Garner’s.
Josh Holloway should be cast as Travis McGee, John D. MacDonald’s boat bum/”salvage consultant”. Nobody’s played the definitive McGee yet and Holloway might be perfect.
Oh, and NBC: If you must remake one of your old shows, why not try a new take Robert Loggia’s old 1960s series T.H.E. CAT? A former circus performer and cat burglar turned private eye and bodyguard? Come on, you know that would be fantastic! Plus you can put out remastered dvds of the original series…
Larry Hertzog was a huge Rockford fan and I’m guessing my old friend would have hated the remake… Nowhere Man was brilliant… which is why the execs killed it… originality is as dead as most of the guys who could do… I miss you, Larry — you crazy old fuck; you’re not missing a thing, except the dogs at the Wiener Factory.
I’m with Jack: Josh Holloway as Travis McGee! Win/win!