Well, if you are one of those people who can’t stand remakes of classic TV shows, this story should make you happy. The proposed remake of The Rockford Files is dead — at least for the moment.
You may recall that a pilot script was written by House’s David Shore and was filmed for NBC last year starring Dermot Mulroney with Alan Tudyk, Beau Bridges, Alex Fernandez, and Melissa Sagemiller in supporting roles. The network wasn’t thrilled with the finished product and opted not to greenlight it to series. (Perhaps they still feeling singed by the failed attempts to resurrect Bionic Woman and Knight Rider?) NBC entertainment president Angela Bromstad maintained however that they wanted to give the project another try.
While that may happen one day, a Rockford Files remake won’t be on the Fall 2011 schedule. Shore instead has to focus his attention on FOX’s House. Reportedly, a multi-episode arc was being planned in which cranky Dr. House went on the road. After lots of planning, that storyline’s now been scrapped and Shore must help rework the story plans for much of the season. The network also recently ordered one more episode of House for this season.
The Rockford Files remake may not be completely dead however. If Bob Greenblatt, NBC’s new programming exec, wants to explore the idea next year, it could well be resurrected.
What do you think? Will this remake ever get made or should the idea just be dropped?
I’ve said for a number of years now, whoever will listen, I think Nathan Fillion is the best person to be the next Jim Rockford and fill Jim Garner’s shoes. Josh Holloway wouldn’t be bad. I really like Dermot Mulroney, but he’s just not the essence of Rockford. Wait til “Castle’ finishes, and then do a reboot of Rockford with Fillion in the role. 🙂
Now the fools at MeTV cancelled the classic Rockford Files and replaced it with Ironside. Talk about clueless? E-mail them and demand it be changed back!
Allright, I grew up watching the original Rockford Files, still watch it on ME-TV-KDOC 52.2. Living in L.A. one gets to see many cool things, One of the things that I loved about this show was all of the background footage of places like Pershing Square with Googies in the background. So much filming in the San Fernando Valley as well as Paradise Cove. One day I’m cruising on over to Hollywood via the 101 fwy. Well I look over to my right and on a trailer is a Gold 1977 Firebird Espirt. It didn’t have a plate, but it… Read more »
the only actor who could successfully reprise the role of jim rockford is nathan filion of castle.
Ok this will tick people off, so sorry for that. The Rockford Files was my favorite TV shows growing up as a kid in the 70’s. I have no problem with board uninspired TV producers remaking old shows or movies, as long as they do it right. Don’t try to be or copy the old one, make it right for today. The new Jim Rockford does not have to live in a trailer by the shore and drive and old gold bird. No the new Jim Rockford should live funky loft and drive a new Camaro, Mustang or Challenger. Remake… Read more »
i just love dermot mulroney .. he is an excellent choice and really hope the shows remake of rockford files is aired s oon .he is great in any show he is in
I just watched the original seasons 1-6 on DVD; I was in high school when it aired originally and I still LOVE the series!!! I can’t help but wonder: What would Jim Rockord be like in present time (& what would he drive)?? David Shore is the natural choice to create what should be a character written drama with comedic over-tones. Come on nay-sayers!! Investigaters are hot; how about one in private practice?
Let sleeping dogs lie, and let the past be the past. It was good then for that time, now it’s another era. Here’s an ides: instead of despearately trying to recreate past successes, why don’T executives give shows a chance to build a viewership. Killing a show after 6-8 shows or even (2-3!) isn’t really giving it a chance. All the long running shows weren’T ne cessarily huge success at their very beginning and they all experienced some better and not so great years. But the studios stuck behing them and it paid of. Now there’s a lesson there don’t… Read more »
QUARK! That would be a good one. Because the show failed. Reboot failed series and see if you can wring something new out of them. Worked with Battlestar. Then try Hello Larry, Out of the Blue, and Richie Brockleman, PI. Remaking Rockford is a failure waiting to happen. To reboot it, you’d have to change the formula. You change the formula and it’s some other guy pretending to be Rockford. The down at the heels PI thing has shown to be a failure recently as “Terriers” was ALMOST the Rockford Files and died a sad and ignoble death. Also, there… Read more »
First off, I only wish the original Holly had thought to neaten up her red corduroys like Anna Friel did in the movie. It truly improves the sense of danger and immediacy for her character in a Land Of The Lost…*ahem*. As a James Garner fan I like everything he has ever done for TV, and that includes Man Of The People (who hissed? Somebody hissed) That being said, I must not be a *rabid* James Garner fan because they all seem to *hate* The Rockford Files. The hardcore zealots prefer him in Maverick and deride Rockford as lazily written… Read more »
I am all for NOT remaking the classics and successful shows of yesteryear. Although I do give CBS credit for some success with H50 but it is still missing good writing and depending to much on Style (and hopefully Character development). The way CBS messed up my altime favorite “The Fugitive” a few years ago, I do not anybody (especially NBC) to mess with “The Rockford Files.” My thought is if they need the ideas of yesteryear. Then take the good ideas that did not work and rework them. Show like Eastside-Westside, The Immortal, Aaron’s Way, Nowhere Man, Now and… Read more »
Drop it. The Rockford Files was a Emmy-winning, Top Ten show, Jim is, arguably, America’s most beloved private eye, and James Garner one of the nation’s favorite actors.
Sure, there’s some good talent behind this bad idea, but remaking this series would be like pissing on a whole country.
PLEASE JUST DROP IT ENOUGH OF THE REMAKES TELL THOSE MORONS TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING NEW
I wish all the networks would stop making remakes. They should leave the classsics alone and be produceing new classics like CSI, The Goodwife, Desperate Houswives, Castle, and Vampire Diaries will be.
This has great potential for colossal failure written all over it. After Bionic Woman and my beloved Knight Rider being transformed into WB wannabe skin-vision-entertainment, NBC can count me out.
I’ve lost count of how many NBC shows I have fallen for over the last 4 years only to have the big bucks ding dongs pull the rug out from under me.
Sorry, NBC! I’m not going to come running for “wolf” anymore.