Guilt

I have to mention right off the bat that this isn't one of my favorite episodes of this great show, mainly because there wasn't that much action or many memorable scenes, but it had enough moments that I did enjoy for the most part. My favorite moments were the many scenes between father and son(Rocky and Rockford), as their solid chemistry is very evident, and one can really believe they are related. Rockford gets a call to help an old flame, played by Pat Crowley, as she thinks someone's out to kill her, and even though he's hesitant to take the case, Rocky urges his son to help her out; Rocky was very fond of Valerie, and she liked his chili also. Look for a few familiar faces in Ted Shackleford(Dallas)and Elisabeth Brooks(the Howling), as they're both involved in a plot to only scare Valerie because of something to do with her affair with a wealthy client, and because her daughter keeping Eric(Shackleford)away from their children. It seemed like the plot was put together on the fly, although I did like this episode as I said above. The Firebird, the trailer, Dennis, and some great shots of the beach all added, but I have a hard time being convinced of the plausibility and how easy Eric submitted to Rockford in order to turn himself in. Lastly, watch as a helicopter explodes soon after chasing Jim's car in an abandoned factory.

"Maverick" veteran Pat Crowley appears as Valerie Pointer, a woman Rockford almost married 20 years ago (something Rocky is of course quick to remind him of). Someone's shot at her and killed her dog and so of course she turns to her old flame for help. Despite his reluctance to cross paths with Valerie, (and the fact the series seems to have presented him with an endless parade of "old flames in trouble", Rockford volunteers to "nose around" and see if he can find out what's going on. Also featured in this episode is one of the rare appearances of Rocky's friend L.J. (Al Stevenson) who's often referenced, but doesn't show up much and the beautiful Elisabeth Brooks. This former "Days of Our Lives" hotty plays actress Jean Ludwig and is a real attention grabber. How they failed to put her in a bikini for this episode, I'll never know. In another rarity, the answering machine message left by Angel Martin at the opening of the show is referenced within the episode! Usually these stand alone and have nothing to do with the story. Angel himself (Stuart Margolin) does not appear in the show.

Pat Crowley who has some history with Jim Rockford hires him because now there's someone out there trying to kill her. In fact as it turns out there are two somebodies trying to kill her.

All of which makes no never mind to Noah Beery, Jr. Rocky thinks that Crowley is the girl that got away and the thought of her coming back for any reason has him practically salivating at the prospect of her being his daughter-in-law at last.

But as we well know Rocky believes in the best in everybody. James Garner takes a more cynical view of the human race. That's stood him good stead before. Garner says that he had Crowley mutually called it off and that may have been one real good move.

In the intervening years Crowley got married, had a daughter who got married and built a successful interior decorating business. She is subtly manipulative, but when Garner gets the truth out of her as he puts it, her life could be the subject of a Harold Robbins novel.

Garner both solves the case and glad he dodged a bullet both literally and figuratively.

...so I looked a her IMDB profile and saw that she sadly died of "brain cancer" at 46. And that she and Kristy McNichol "separated" but that Kristy came to Ms. Brooks "at the end". So there's a nice mental picture for me at least, as Kristy was my first crush when I was not even sure what attraction was! And Ms. Brooks is the very definition of hotness. When she's on the pay phone... Wow. AND she is an excellent actress unlike a lot of these TV actors. Last tidbit about her, she was the very naked star of "The Howling"; turn your 'safe search' off and you can see a lot more of her than in the Rockford Files!

Back to the show, there was a pretty good "practical effect" helicopter chase, and boy did they get the passive aggressive / "damsel in distress" ex-girlfriend right! Really "real" writing here. Nothing that would have been acceptable to the modern namby pambies.

Angel leaves the phone message but doesn't appear in person. Jim's bl#ck friend Al shows up for a poker game that doesn't happen. Rocky nags Jim about his ex-girlfriend like he's a J3wish mother. Old flame comes to Jim for help. They go out for dinner and talk about why it didn't work out.....zzzzzz....

I think they took the Rockford Files Writing Room Bingo Card and just selected random squares and pieced them together with mediocre car chases. Since I have no idea who the women in this episode are or were, I had no nostalgia about their feathered hair or being in love with them as a kid.

One of the weaker episodes in Season 5. They can't all be gems.