When I reviewed the whole series, I said that The Rockford Files was what series television is all about. The show got off to a great start with James Woods a rather nasty rich boy whom the cops suspect of killing his parents wanting to find out who did it.
Even the rich and obnoxious are entitled to hire Jim Rockford for $200.00 a day plus expenses. So Rockford goes digging first into the lovers of the deceased parents, Julie Sommars and Roger Davis as possible suspects.
After that it's the business associates of the late father and it's here where James Garner makes an alliance of sorts with Sommars. Sommars makes no doubt that she's a gold digger and Garner kind of likes that up front honesty.
In the end both murders are solved and Garner and Sommars may have a fling before she goes looking for another rich prospect.
One of the great strengths of The Rockford Files as a series is the gathering of such wonderful characters who showed up a few times in shows over the series run. In this episode we meet the first one, Noah Beery, Jr., as John Rockford. Garner's father who thinks this private detective business can be dangerous. It sure proves to be over the next several years.
A nice kickoff opening story.