That first line by Rockford, as he discovers mail has been erroneously been sent to his trailer under a different name, sorta defines the quality episode that follows. It's a big shrug of an episode that sorta limps along, simply existing and bidding its time.
And soon enough Federal agents whisk Jim down to South America, along with a phony passport for him, to make contact with a heiress, who is being sequestered by her poor, domineering husband. The setup is contrived - especially as the second consecutive episode with this story entry point - and Rockford never straight up says, "I'm not who you think I am," before the situation escalates outside his trailer and he is on the private jet.
A riff on spies mixed with cases of mistaken identity, ala North By Northwest, should be a slam dunk at this point in the run when it was a dependable story engine for much of the episodes. So why does this feel so dire? Garner delivers and has great chemistry with Dorrie Kavanaugh. But, it never rises to the scale as it should for such a story.
Mexico is represented as an abandoned building off a airstrip, the Mexican street set on the Universal Backlot and a derelict bus that inexplicably picks up Jim and Christine and a few watering holes. The great Juanita Bartlett does what she can here, but it is clearly a rush job, defined by end of season budget restrictions, and the resources ready and available (and possibly by the upcoming feature-length season finale).
I'm imagining this episode taking place at the beginning of a season when it could have been finely tuned and it's all the more revealing and disappointing.
And soon enough Federal agents whisk Jim down to South America, along with a phony passport for him, to make contact with a heiress, who is being sequestered by her poor, domineering husband. The setup is contrived - especially as the second consecutive episode with this story entry point - and Rockford never straight up says, "I'm not who you think I am," before the situation escalates outside his trailer and he is on the private jet.
A riff on spies mixed with cases of mistaken identity, ala North By Northwest, should be a slam dunk at this point in the run when it was a dependable story engine for much of the episodes. So why does this feel so dire? Garner delivers and has great chemistry with Dorrie Kavanaugh. But, it never rises to the scale as it should for such a story.
Mexico is represented as an abandoned building off a airstrip, the Mexican street set on the Universal Backlot and a derelict bus that inexplicably picks up Jim and Christine and a few watering holes. The great Juanita Bartlett does what she can here, but it is clearly a rush job, defined by end of season budget restrictions, and the resources ready and available (and possibly by the upcoming feature-length season finale).
I'm imagining this episode taking place at the beginning of a season when it could have been finely tuned and it's all the more revealing and disappointing.