Black Mirror

Part two of the story in which Jim Rockford tries to find the psycho who has been stalking and threatening the pretty blind psychologist, Dr. Megan Daugherty (Kathryn Harrold), whom he met on the beach in part one. This is a rather dramatic and more serious episode than many in the Rockford Files. However, it is done well and gives James Garner a chance to play both dramatic and romantic scenes with Ms. Harrold. Although at times he seems to be playing it a little bit too goo-goo-eyed for a guy like Jim Rockford, all in all he carries it off. Twenty years later, Dr. Daugherty (and Kathyn Harrold) would return to Rockford's life in the TV movie Rockford Files: Crime and Punishment.

This double-length episode of The Rockford Files sees Jim fall in love with a sexy psychologist who happens to be blind. Kathryn Harrold plays the psychologists, four years before she appeared opposite Luciano Pavarotti in Yes, Georgio. This is Rockford Files at its peak, and it's a shame it ended the following season, way too soon.

Jim Rockford is walking on the beach with his friend and crony Angel Martin when he meets Dr. Megan Dougherty (Kathyn Harrold) on the beach. She resists Jim's efforts to pick her up but then calls on him when she finds herself being threatened by an unknown stalker. Dr. Megan is particularly vulnerable to attack in that she is blind. She doesn't help Jim much in his investigation by refusing to violate patient-doctor confidentiality, in looking for leads as to who might be after her. This is one of the more serious Rockford episodes and gives Garner a chance to do some straight dramatic acting as well as some love scenes. A two-parter.

The title of this fine 2-part episode doesn't have to do with the current BBC series of the same name, other than it involves a thoroughly creepy character stalking a blind woman. And like Jim Rockford, who initially doesn't even realize that the bathing beauty he meets at the beach near his mobile home is, in fact, blind, I thought the famous '80s actress Kathryn Harrold was really convincing in this role. She totally won't compromise her professionalism or her patients' privacy (HIPAA before it was even a thing!) by providing Jim with a lead. But some of her clients (a couple in particular) are, indeed, either psychotic or out-and-out sociopaths. Jim tries following her for her protection, but her stalker rearranges her apartment furniture to unnerve her and throw her off her game. What sort of a psycho does that to any other person, much less an independent, professional *blind* adult? Is he a psycho or just a too-clever conman/hitman looking for an insanity plea? David Chase of Sopranos fame wrote this 2-part installment, & actor Allan Arbus as Myron, the ex-con whom Jim uses to analyze handwriting, is a standout. I rate the episode as a strong 8 out of 10 stars!

Watched part one just yesterday evening. Quite a different tone, compared with the other episodes, but this is possibly one of the best to date. An almost John Carpenter style score, as well. Kathryn Harrold brings so much to her role.