The Rockford Files – Season Six: The Final Season (1979 – 1980/Universal DVD)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: D     Episodes: C-

 

 

The Rockford Files – Season Six: The Final Season was enough for all and the show was finally cancelled.  Before we continue, for those who don’t know the show, here is our coverage of the early seasons:

 

One

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3231/The+Rockford+Files+-+Season+One

 

Two

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3882/The+Rockford+Files+-+Season+Two

 

 

The show survived as long as it did because Universal continued to back it, David Chase was able to keep it going as long as something this deconstructive could and people liked Garner.  Besides Rita Moreno, Stuart Margolin and Simon Oakland turning up on occasion, guest stars this final season included Kathryn Harrold, Lauren Bacall, Jon Cedar, Michael Des Barres, Julie Parrish, Melody Thomas Scott, Dana Wynter, Van Williams, Barbara Mandrell, Joseph Sirola, Henry Beckman, Constant Towers, Tom Selleck and Larry Manetti, but the big news was the addition of Mariette Hartley.  She was Garner’s co-star in a very successful series of TV ads for the recently discontinued Polaroid Instant Cameras.

 

I was never a big fan of the series and part of it turns out to be exposure to the latter episodes versus the former.  These are the last 12 hour-long shows.  Though I was not impressed with these final shows, they still are real TV shows versus reality TV and other junk, but enough was enough, though fans got to see a series of TV movie revivals.

 

The 1.33 x 1 image is poor down to the color and detail, looking a bit harsh, making this more of a disappointment.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is also on the weak side, telling us these are second-generation copies.  There are no extras either, which is no way to wrap up these sets.  Maybe they will have something when and if they get around to issuing the telefilms, but this is for completists only.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo