mwartoad

This episode was the second to last of the magnificent series the Rockford Files. At this time James Garner was in a phenomenal amount of physical pain from the toll that this show took on him. Garner was also deep into a lawsuit against NBC at this time. This probably explains why he makes really only a cursory appearance in this episode.

The real story revolves around two wanna be hoodlums trying to gain credibility and respect from Jersey Mobsters.

What is interesting is that this was written by David Chase who later went on to create the Sopranos. In this episode if you watch you can see the embryo of the Sopranos. Many themes that would become huge for the Sapranos:

• There is an old cranky, self-absorbed mob boss in it. This very similar to uncle Junior.

• With the young crooks trying gain cred you can see the beginnings of the Christopher Moltisanti narrative in the early season of the Spranoes. Do not for get that in season 1 Christopher had a partner named Brendan Filone.

• There is the younger mob boss who is very temperamental ala Tony.

• The Mob boss has a strong wife like Carmela.

• The younger mob boss is vying for leadership and control with the old mob boss. Is this not very like the relationship between Tony and Junior?

• The younger mob and his wife have son who is spoiled brat. This look a lot like AJ to me.

• The older mob boss has daughter who is a good girl who the mob boos wants to keep away from his life. We will see this story later in the Sopranos with Meadow.

• The real star of this episode, is not James Garner but, Greg Antonacci who would later figure prominently in the later season of the Sopranos as Butchie.

It is said of all great TV shows. How long did they last? At least one or two season longer than they should have. Maybe that is the case with the Rockford Files as seen through this episode. But it is it interesting that from the flames of the Rockford Files we can see the birth of and very early development of what would later become the Sopranos?

I was just listening to the radio this morning and found it to be an audio wasteland. Old recycled songs, babbling morning DJ's proving their stupidity to the world, homogenized-musical crustaceans, that were probably run through the marketing department. Basically the same crap as everyday.

So if it is the same crap as always then why would someone keep turning it on all the time? The reason is that when I was young radio was not like that. It was this freewheeling truly rebellious format with DJ's who really cared about the music. Sure many of these DJ's were bought off but not all. There was areal sense of excitement when a new band or artist came out. I remember one station had what was called side Sunday, where they would play one entire side about 4-7 songs from an album, uninterrupted.

This movie catches that spirit of the fight for the soul of radio. One side are there rebels lead by Jeff Dugan who are going to do it there way at all costs. On the other side are the corporate marketing types who just want more money.

It is not a very heavy movie and probably resembles a light Marx brother flick. But, it still has it's moments. I like who Dugan keeps on fighting the battle and finding funny ways to thwart his antagonist while having to deal with the insanity of his staff. Eileen Brennan is especially good as the burnt out and weary mother character.

I guess the real sad ending is that the force of the spirit of radio may win the battle but, in the long run they lose the war, the number crunchers win out and destroy the that goose that lays the golden egg.