planktonrules

When I was a kid, "Ultraman" was all the rage with boys my age. They adored the show...much like a later generation would enjoy "The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers". However, my father hated the show and I wasn't allowed to watch it at home. Strange, I know. However, now that I'm a semi-responsible adult, I decided to give the series a try. After all, I have Amazon Prime and the show is free to Prime members. However, I was surprised to see that it's NOT the same version I saw a few times as a kid (when I saw the show at my friends' houses). No, the Prime version is the Japanese non-dubbed version...one that kids would like less but adults would often prefer. I liked seeing them speaking Japanese and reading the subtitles.

So is the show any good? Well, for a kaiju show (one with giant Godzilla-like monsters), it's enjoyable and fun. Yes, it has the tiny models and guys in rubber monster suits which some would make some laugh...but I think it also adds to the show's charm. Quite enjoyable...even to an old goat like me!

Up until "Sleight of Hand", Jim Rockford often said he never wanted to get married and seemed averse to having a family. However, oddly, this episode finds him dating a divorcee and becoming VERY serious about her...and the woman has a daughter. Soon after a montage, Karen disappears after opening the door just ahead of Jim! She literally walked in the house and by the time Jim arrived less than a minute later, there is no sign of her! And, when Jim reports this to the police, they investigate and find a dead man in the yard! To make it worse, the cop investigating is a real jerk...which is pretty typical on this show. What is going on here?!

What follows is pretty much what you expect...even though Rockford begin THIS serious with a woman with a child sure isn't expected! While the police are investigating, Rockford also investigates the disappearance...despite the cops telling him to keep away.

This is a good episode. But I also felt it was a bit contrived...mostly as I pointed above because of the odd relationship. Had they worked on it for a few episodes and showed Rockford's attitude about women and marriage changed, it all would have worked so much better. Still, despite this it is well worth seeing.

By the way, in the brief scene with the hotel desk man, the guy is a very young (and not so recognizable) Gerald McRaney.

The show begins with a young hitchhiker getting picked up by an older man. Because that man is Robert Webber, who almost always played jerks or evil-doers, you figure that he has something nasty up his sleeves. Well, that's exactly what is the case...and soon you see the pair checking in to a motel together. Later, the pair are back on the road and the guy hits a drunk who practically jumps in front of his car. Now the driver is not at fault...but the hitchhiker is NOT his wife and the scene then cuts to some time in the future.

In the pilot movie for "The Rockford Files", Lindsay Wagner starred as Sara Butler. Now, a few episodes into the series, Sara is back and wants to hire Rockford to look into the overdose death of a friend...this same friend who was the hitchhiker who witnessed the accidental killing and slept with the driver...who turns out to be a senator!! What's next? See the episode.

This is an enjoyable episode and the repartee between Sara and Rockford is very enjoyable. A decent episode.