The actual story in this episode is not impossible,but it definitely strains credibility as it is pretty unlikely. But let's put that aside for now.
The first year of Rockford Files was all over the map. There was a definite learning-curve,as many different tropes and generic characters seemingly fought for inclusion in the early episodes of the first year.
It seems like the series-creators tried just about everything,sifting through what did and did not work as they went along.
Among less-capable hands this might be a recipe for disaster,but this writing-team learned quickly. Long before the end of season 1 the show had the basic outlines of what would prove to be a winning formula for many years to come. In the second season the writing tightened-up,there was more proofreading apparently,because the cases were more believable,the characters and show seemed to hit their stride.
7 Reviews
Down for the Count-ess
zsenorsock10 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The first season of "The Rockford Files" is full of terrific episodes and this is no exception.
Rockford gets hired to protect a countess (Susan Strasberg) from a blackmailer (a theme that would be revisited with Lauren Bacall again in season six). The fetching Gretchen Corbett as Beth is shown at her most cantankerous, telling off Lt. Diehl and basically daring him to charge Rockford with Murder One or release him. She's great in this episode, as is James Garner. He shows the funny, tough, clever and sensitive sides of Rockford. There's a nice scene when Dennis Becker has to take him in and Rockford finds a way out of it. The final scene that begins with Rockford taking the car up to 90 on a winding mountain road is a great one.
Look for James Cromwell in a bit role as a boy toy tennis partner for the countess.
Rockford gets hired to protect a countess (Susan Strasberg) from a blackmailer (a theme that would be revisited with Lauren Bacall again in season six). The fetching Gretchen Corbett as Beth is shown at her most cantankerous, telling off Lt. Diehl and basically daring him to charge Rockford with Murder One or release him. She's great in this episode, as is James Garner. He shows the funny, tough, clever and sensitive sides of Rockford. There's a nice scene when Dennis Becker has to take him in and Rockford finds a way out of it. The final scene that begins with Rockford taking the car up to 90 on a winding mountain road is a great one.
Look for James Cromwell in a bit role as a boy toy tennis partner for the countess.
Okay episode.
mm-3916 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
What I learned from The Countess: Rockford deals with rich clients from the greater L A area! But why? Beverly Hills can afford 200 dollars a day plus expenses! Rich people have problems too and Jim has to fix many problems and put them under the rug. Stereotypes of rich people being demanding and getting their way mixed with the fear of people not wanting to pay a high detective bill gives The Countess and the series a real life feel. The scum bag extortionist gives a feeling of how good evil players are at their game, and is why Jim is such a good P I. Jimmy gets hit with new lows, frames, and cops throwing at the P I in a blitz, which Jimmy's quick street smarts like a great quarterback creates an awesome counter play. The usual quick wit, and bad luck makes Jimmy likable and balances out Jim's nasty street side . The Countess is well written, acted and directed. The on going themes in the The Countess makes for a solid mystery episode. 7 out of 10 stars.
big improvement
stones782 December 2010
I feel this episode was a big improvement over the preceding one, that one titled Dark and Bloody Ground, as Rockford seems to be more the guy we're used to and the story is more coherent than the former. Susan Strasburg co-stars as someone Jim knew back in Chicago, then she married into wealth and is now known as a countess(a word that is used too many times in this episode). She hires Rockford for a reason I can't quite recall, and he's plunged into a world of socialite snobs, including a character played by Richard Gauthier; he looks like he has a dead skunk covered with oil on his head, as he makes the women swoon for some odd reason. This is Tom Atkin's first appearance as Alex Diel, who despises Rockford, and is a good foil to Dennis, who calls Jim a pal. Beth makes her 2nd appearance as the attorney, and has a nice scene reading Diel the riot act in regards to Jim's supposed guilt. Another reason I liked this segment better than the last one I mentioned is there's more scenes with the trailer, the beach, the Firebird, and more interaction with the other main characters mentioned above.
Just about the only scene which I didn't totally buy was when Jim and the husband are tangling in a car, and when the car is heading down a big slope, Jim is already outside the car. It turns out the husband who had Jim at gunpoint dies from his injuries. I know Jim can't die, but it would've been extremely difficult for him to escape a car moving that quickly down a hill. Other than this scene, this is a fine episode in the 1st season of what was to become a terrific show.
Just about the only scene which I didn't totally buy was when Jim and the husband are tangling in a car, and when the car is heading down a big slope, Jim is already outside the car. It turns out the husband who had Jim at gunpoint dies from his injuries. I know Jim can't die, but it would've been extremely difficult for him to escape a car moving that quickly down a hill. Other than this scene, this is a fine episode in the 1st season of what was to become a terrific show.
"We're All Scared to Death"
jcappy4 January 2024
I think the "The Countess" episode is set apart a bit by its charged lines and characters. And I think it's very final ending, which this time is not about short-changed payments and expenses, which proves this--if nothing else does.
The most original character, apart from our man Jimbo, is Carl Brego (Dick Gautier). Carl has a way of filling the screen with his impressive physicality. I mean how many mobsters go bare-chested let alone while wearing very high-rise body pants. He kind of looks like a cross between a ballerina dancer and a west coast linebacker, or maybe like a bodybuilder version of Vince Edwards. Anyway, he puts on a good show and has great lines to boot. He says to the countess who is selling his blackmailing smarts a little short: "You keep this up, I'm just liable to plunge myself into analysis." He answers Rockford's intrusive inquiry before their beach showdown with "Have we met, sport."
Mike Ryder (Art Lund), the Countess' husband, and more than Carl's equal, exercises a similar kind of masculine presence. He's older and more mellow, in love with his wife, and serves as her faithful defender. But if he was supposed to back down in the scene in which Rockford suicidally accelerates his car, Ryder breaks the scrip--and outright shoots Rockford. Beth Davenport (Gretchen Corbett) is no pushover either. She states to Lieutenant Diel upon looking at Rocky's A. R. Report: "My name is Ms Davenport. You call me honey again and you'll hear about it from the Captain." And when Diel is later thinking plea deal, Rocky retorts: "C'mon Lieut. I didn't come down with yesterday's rain."
However, the endearing ending is the real winner in "The Countess." In the hospital where Rockford has survived and Mike not so fortunate, the Countess (Susan Strasberg) says to him: " You think everything's real but if you get close enough you see it's all made of plastic." She says that Mike is the only genuine article, but "he got hooked on a plastic countess. How do you deal with that?"
Rockford responds: "We're all scared to death. I guess that's the price we pay for living in a world where every price tag ends in.99. And they sell mortuary plots on billboards next to the freeway." He advises the Countess to see her act as one big practical joke and suggests laughter. "Is that what you do." "You bet."
The most original character, apart from our man Jimbo, is Carl Brego (Dick Gautier). Carl has a way of filling the screen with his impressive physicality. I mean how many mobsters go bare-chested let alone while wearing very high-rise body pants. He kind of looks like a cross between a ballerina dancer and a west coast linebacker, or maybe like a bodybuilder version of Vince Edwards. Anyway, he puts on a good show and has great lines to boot. He says to the countess who is selling his blackmailing smarts a little short: "You keep this up, I'm just liable to plunge myself into analysis." He answers Rockford's intrusive inquiry before their beach showdown with "Have we met, sport."
Mike Ryder (Art Lund), the Countess' husband, and more than Carl's equal, exercises a similar kind of masculine presence. He's older and more mellow, in love with his wife, and serves as her faithful defender. But if he was supposed to back down in the scene in which Rockford suicidally accelerates his car, Ryder breaks the scrip--and outright shoots Rockford. Beth Davenport (Gretchen Corbett) is no pushover either. She states to Lieutenant Diel upon looking at Rocky's A. R. Report: "My name is Ms Davenport. You call me honey again and you'll hear about it from the Captain." And when Diel is later thinking plea deal, Rocky retorts: "C'mon Lieut. I didn't come down with yesterday's rain."
However, the endearing ending is the real winner in "The Countess." In the hospital where Rockford has survived and Mike not so fortunate, the Countess (Susan Strasberg) says to him: " You think everything's real but if you get close enough you see it's all made of plastic." She says that Mike is the only genuine article, but "he got hooked on a plastic countess. How do you deal with that?"
Rockford responds: "We're all scared to death. I guess that's the price we pay for living in a world where every price tag ends in.99. And they sell mortuary plots on billboards next to the freeway." He advises the Countess to see her act as one big practical joke and suggests laughter. "Is that what you do." "You bet."
Rockford has nobility for a client
bkoganbing4 February 2013
I agree completely with the other reviewer that it would have been impossible for James Garner to have escaped from a speeding car with a new bullet wound in his arm, nevertheless he did it. If he hadn't this series would have come to a rapid conclusion after three episodes.
The Rockford client for this episode is Susan Strasberg otherwise known as the Countess as she married some minor nobility and inherited a title before marrying Art Lund her present husband. But before her first marriage she ran with a pretty bad crowd involved in organized crime and Dick Gauthier who knew her when is blackmailing her.
Ironically if she had gone to Lund and told the truth and then they both told Gauthier where he could stick his blackmail there also would have been no episode. Instead Strassberg is determined to protect her secret at all costs and she hires yet another old friend in Rockford.
Tom Atkins as Lieutenant Deal makes his bow as the cop who develops a real hard on for Rockford after this. But both Joe Santos as Sergeant Becker and Gretchen Corbett as attorney Beth Davenport have his back. Corbett has a real good scene with Atkins where she tells off this arrogant cop good and proper.
Still it was not one of the best Rockford Files episodes.
The Rockford client for this episode is Susan Strasberg otherwise known as the Countess as she married some minor nobility and inherited a title before marrying Art Lund her present husband. But before her first marriage she ran with a pretty bad crowd involved in organized crime and Dick Gauthier who knew her when is blackmailing her.
Ironically if she had gone to Lund and told the truth and then they both told Gauthier where he could stick his blackmail there also would have been no episode. Instead Strassberg is determined to protect her secret at all costs and she hires yet another old friend in Rockford.
Tom Atkins as Lieutenant Deal makes his bow as the cop who develops a real hard on for Rockford after this. But both Joe Santos as Sergeant Becker and Gretchen Corbett as attorney Beth Davenport have his back. Corbett has a real good scene with Atkins where she tells off this arrogant cop good and proper.
Still it was not one of the best Rockford Files episodes.
STILL using this line 20 yrs later !!
Furpho2 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
In the final scene of this episode, the countess asks Jim to stay, as a permanent companion. Jim responds, sadly, with, " it would never work out, you spend as much money on a hairdo as I earn in a week, (and THIS is the line) But, if I EVER hit the mother-lode, I'll be back at your door in a second" !!) I had the same situation (over 20 years later), fell in love with a lady lawyer, who was VERY wealthy!! she felt the same way, asked me to marry her, and I used the same line.............NOT quite to the level of acting as James Garner, ahhhhhhhh, Rockford was a realist, DAMN !! what a shame for both of us !!GREAT show !!
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