Two Hundred A Day

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E1, The Aaron Ironwood School of Success. When Jim's former foster brother turns up in L.A., it's not just to promote his business empire; he has a problem and he needs help. It turns out that Jim may trust Aaron just a little too much as he's brought into a swindle, and has to figure out the angle before it's too late! The chemistry on screen elevates this episode over a...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S1E20 The Four Pound Brick. An old friend of Rocky's is convinced that her cop son's death was no accident, and Rocky hires Jim to look into it! A straight-forward detective mystery written by pulp author and screenwriter Leigh Brackett, we find the combination of genre conventions and iconic Rockford Files characterization to be well worth the watch, and it gives us a lot...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S4E10 Hotel of Fear. Angel gets into serious trouble when he witnesses a murder, and Jim needs to look sharp to keep him out of the literal line of fire! This episode deftly handles multiple mysteries while showcasing all of the things we love about both Jim and Angel, giving us a lot to talk about in our second half about crafting characters in fiction. A solid recommendat...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S4E7 Quickie Nirvana. Rockford's hippie acquaintance Sky Aquarian draws him into a serious problem with a former employer, a blackmail scheme and a bunch of money. A wonderful David Chase script gives us all of juicy characters, good gags and fun mystery-solving action we love so much in the show, and much fodder for talking about how to demonstrate character through action...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E15 The No-Cut Contact. Rob Reiner guest-stars as a "second rate quarterback on a third-rate team" who nevertheless drags Jim into trouble, caught between the Mob and the Feds. Can Jim figure out what's going on before "King" Sturdevan pins the whole deal on him? We break down how the chemistry of the leads and our beloved tight writing make this a great episode to watch,...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S1E21 Just By Accident. This episode keeps the action moving along as Rockford investigates the death of a friends son, a Demolition Derby driver, in a mysterious accident - unfortunately, the writing overall and the treatment of Rockford in particular doesn't meet our generally high expectations! We break down the missed opportunities in the second half, as this episode le...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S3E12 There's One in Every Port. Rockford thought he was helping out a friend, but it turns out he was conned! Now he has to assemble a crew, turn the mark and con his "old friend" Eddy in order to pay back the mob - before time runs out. This is a wonderful con game romp of an episode! Support the podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/twohundredaday . Big thanks to our Gum...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S3E2 The Oracle Wore a Cashmere Suit. A self-proclaimed psychic is assisting the police with a missing persons case, and takes a keen interest in what Jim has to do with it. A wonderful performance from Robert Webber as "psychic" Roman Clementi adds to a fast-paced story of mystery, mixed motives and murder. It's a great episode! Support the podcast by subscribing at patreo...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E10 2 Into 5.56 Won't Go. Jim's old commander from the Korean war has been killed - but not before leaving a mysterious message on Jim's answering machine that leads the Colonel's daughter to Jim's door. This episode leans a little harder on some generic tropes than we generally expect, but does feature great dialogue and a lot of fodder for our second-half discussion abo...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E11 Pastoria Prime Pick. Jim's car break down in New Pastoria, and a series of coincidences quickly turn into a plot to charge him with a serious array of crimes - and the whole town is in on it! This episode features great pacing and Rockford character moments as the plot unfolds, revealing an all-too-relevant tale of government corruption. Support the podcast by subscri...

To celebrate going to a two-episode-a-month format, Nathan and Eppy take on some listener questions and comments about the show so far! We consider questions about some of our favorite episodes, including The Farnsworth Strategem and Chicken Little Is A Little Chicken, and then tackle an existential question: what is a "typical" episode of The Rockford Files? Support the podcast by subscribing at...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E13 The Girl in the Bay City Boys Club. Jim goes to Bay City to investigate a crooked poker game, but quickly gets caught up with a rogue DA, his idealistic assistant Kate, and the mob. The only episode directed by James Garner, this one surprised us with subtleties as it delighted us with dynamic chases! Support the podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/twohundredaday ....

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E16 A Portrait of Elizabeth. Beth brings a new client (and her new boyfriend) to Jim to get some help, but it turns out that Dave has a nefarious scheme of his own. This episode effortlessly weaves together the emotional connection of Beth and Jim, Jim's efforts to discover Dave's plot, and Beth's professional skills - it's truly a gem of an episode that's shot right to t...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E9 Chicken Little Is A Little Chicken. Angel asks Jim Rockford for a little help collecting some money - but before he knows it, Jim is orchestrating a way-too-complicated shell game to keep two rival mob bosses from planting both him and Angel at the bottom of the LA river. This episode has it all and we really highly recommend it! Thanks to: zencastr.com for helping us...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E4 Gearjammers, Part 2. Jim's car has exploded, Rocky is still being targeted for death and just why were those trucks hijacked anyway? It's a race against time for Jim and Dennis to figure out the mystery that started last episode and save Rocky's hide. This is the second in a two-parter, see our last episode (#8) for our discussion and analysis of Gearjammers, Part 1. T...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E3 Gearjammers, Part 1. Jim's dad Rocky sees something he shouldn't and makes himself a target of assassination - can Rockford track him down before the killers do? In addition to the mystery, the joy of this episode is the reveal of Joseph Rockford's personal life. Plus a great car chase! This is our first two-parter, our next episode will cover Gearjammers, Part 2. We r...

We hit our first goal on Patreon! Thank you backers! To celebrate, Nathan and Eppy discuss their experience doing the podcast so far, and how training our critical Rockford eye just keeps revealing more to enjoy. Plus, Eppy shares the benefits of what we've discussed in our narrative elements sections to his ongoing tabletop game of Urban Jungle! Thanks to: zencastr.com for helping us record fires...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S3E17, Just Another Polish Wedding. Gandalf Finch (Isaac Hayes) and Marcus Hayes (Louis Gossett Jr.) team up to race against Jim in an effort to be the first to find the heir to a buried fortune - but of course nothing is quite as it seems! This is a real gem of an episode on a number of levels, and we have a lot to say about the character dynamics in particular. Thanks to:...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S1E19, Charlie Harris at Large. Rockford's old prison buddy "Charming" Charlie Harris is in some deep trouble, and comes to Jim to help him find the mystery woman that can save his bacon. This episode features some great character writing as well as a classic Rockford-style nested mystery, both of which we really enjoyed! Thanks to: zencastr.com for helping us record firesi...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S2E2, The Farnsworth Strategem. This episode features Rockford running a confidence game on behalf of his friend Becker, and contains a number of recurring characters as well as an in-depth look at how he uses his okie oilman character Farnsworth to swindle the mob! Thanks to: zencastr.com for helping us record fireside.fm for hosting us thatericalper.com for the answering...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S1E15, Sleight of Hand. This episode stands out for being more personal to Jim Rockford and less of an "investigation of the week," and we talk about how this kind of departure-from-formula makes for a memorable episode. Thanks to: zencastr.com for helping us record fireside.fm for hosting us thatericalper.com for the answering machine audio clips spoileralerts.org for the...

Nathan and Eppy discuss S1E3: The Countess. Recommended for a first-time Rockford watcher! Thanks to: zencastr.com for helping us record fireside.fm for hosting us thatericalper.com for the answering machine audio clips spoileralerts.org for the adding machine audio clip Freesound.org for the dining audio clip Support the podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/twohundredaday Two Hundred a Day is a...

Nathan and Epidiah introduce the podcast, talk about why they love The Rockford Files so much, and discuss S1E5 "Tall Woman In Red Wagon." Thanks to: zencastr.com for helping us record fireside.fm for hosting us thatericalper.com for the answering machine audio clips spoileralerts.org for the adding machine audio clip Freesound.org for the dining audio clip Support the podcast by subscribing at pa...