The Rockford Files (TV Series) The Return of the Black Shadow (1979) User Reviews

Wolf Pack

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 17 July 2012]

Toward the end of The Rockford Files I always felt that Bo Hopkins joined the group of semi-regulars with an eye for a television series based on his character of John Cooper. Hopkins played a disbarred attorney who offered his services to James Garner after Gretchen Corbett left the series. He's got an interesting past and among other things he was a biker in his misspent youth.

So when Garner is roughed up by a motorcycle gang and his sister Laurie Jefferson is gang raped by the same gang, Hopkins hauls out the old Harley and goes on the hunt for them.

They're not exactly hard to find and Paul Koslo is the psycho freak leading the wolf pack.

This is one of the few Rockford Files episodes where Garner is not the primary protagonists leading me to think this was a possible pilot for a series based around Hopkins character. Might have made an interesting series at that.

The Cooper Files

[zsenorsock · 6/10 · 30 August 2006]

This is the episode Bo Hopkins fans have been waiting for. Regular fans of "The Rockford Files" might skip it.

The episode begins with Rockford taking John Cooper's bookworm sister out for an afternoon of deep sea fishing. They encounter a motorcycle gang that puts both Rockford and Gail Cooper in the hospital (they don't beat up gas station attendant Jack Garner however). So John Cooper decides to bring them to justice himself. A former motorcycle gang member, he dusts off his old Black Shadow and goes in search of the bad guys. The gang includes an appearance by Denis Burkley as "Animal". Back in the '70's Burkley got a whole slew of these type roles. Probably his most notable one was a comic version on "Sanford & Son" which also aired on NBC on Friday nights. The crimes in this episode are particularly heinous (the gang "pulls a train" on Gail, two old members of the Rattler gang talk about how they killed a couple of kids in a forest)which makes the comedy play less funny (though the early stuff with Gail is pretty amusing) and uncomfortable. There's less Rockford in this episode than in most, which is never a good thing. This is mostly a Bo Hopkins showcase.

Was Jim injured?

[celebratemedia93 · 6/10 · 22 July 2014]

I have hugely enjoyed about 95% of all the episodes of all six seasons of The Rockford Files, but this is one of the very few that are slightly disappointing. The light touch of comedy that makes the show so appealing is much less evident here, as indeed is Jim Rockford himself. He spends virtually all his time either sitting down in his car, or laying down in a hospital bed. I think he only walks once, just a few feet across the gas station yard. Then he's lying down again (admittedly getting a kicking from the motorcycle gang). It's well documented that James Garner suffered with various injuries during filming of the whole show's run, 1974 to 1980, including knee repair operations. Was he really injured at this time? This episode certainly gives him a chance to still be in it but actually do very little. Just a thought...

Coop's coup

[stones78 · 16 February 2012]

This episode has a slightly different flavor than the usual formula, which normally has Jim working for a client, but this time around he and the sister of John Cooper, Gail, are both beaten by a ruthless motorcycle gang while heading out on a fishing date, and the latter is raped. Bo Hopkins gives a very solid performance as Cooper, who is very close with his sister, and is devastated upon hearing the news, and his scene in the hospital is very moving. It turns out that he was once in a motorcycle gang before becoming an attorney, and has the tattoo to prove it, as he goes undercover to join the Rattlers gang responsible for the assaults on Rockford and the bookish Gail, and against the wishes of Dennis, who has a few nice scenes; Rocky has a small appearance, and look for a familiar face in Dennis Burkley, who plays a gang member and really looks the part. As another reviewer mentioned on here, Rockford basically plays second fiddle to Cooper, but I didn't feel it detracts at all, and I even like the chemistry between he and Rockford, although it's not quite as evident as it is with Beth, but it worked for me. While watching this episode, you may be slightly disappointed by the lack of bravado or revenge against the gang, but I think it's more realistic that the police were the ones who handled everything officially, even though Cooper got a sucker punch in at the leader of the pack near the end of the episode. The final scene when Jim and Gail talk in the hospital is moving, especially the part where Jim agrees to take her out again, and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

Not for children

[safenoe · 8/10 · 29 September 2020]

This is Rockford Files after dark, not one for the kinder. Jim and a friend are brutally assaulted, and revenge is on the way to a motorcycle gang. I guess as the producers approached the end of the fifth season, they wanted to explore a new direction or a pilot featuring Bo Hopkins, who goes undercover to exact revenge on the culprit.

In the Top Tier of episodes

[daniel-kyle · 10/10 · 23 February 2022]

Rockford has been my favorite show since 1974. But as with all episodic series (incl. Star Trek!), there is a spectrum: 1/3rd are each excellent, good, and "average" or less. This is an excellent one. But it is probably the most atypical episode of the whole run.

I won't rehash the story, but it is an excellent showcase for Bo Hopkins who replaced Gretchen Corbett as Rockford's attorney, but only appeared in this and 2 other episodes (one also excellent).

Some of the subject matter is very dark, even for the 70s, and I was 12 when I first watched it. TV violence was under fire and that would soon change late prime time shows such as Starsky & Hutch dramatically into more family friendly viewing.

Despite the grimness, there are some touching moments and all characters have the actors involved giving very deep performances.

Still, though I would not want to view this along with my mother, it was in the top 1/3rd of the Rockfords.

Cooper okay. Heavy stuff.

[DrSivana · 7/10 · 14 January 2012]

Bad things happen to both bad and good people in crime dramas.

This one gets really disturbing quickly, and adds weight to the entire episode.

The acting by all of the major players was very good. This episode does seem to be a showcase for the Cooper character, who performs a convincing transformation to get the job done.

Because of the nature of the activity in the first few minutes, the conclusion isn't as satisfactory as one comes to expect from a Rockford Files episode.

Also, the behavior of Dennis is a little bit too close to that of Perry Mason's Hamilton Burger for my taste.

Jim has a smaller role but I still like this episode.

[mm-39 · 8/10 · 28 March 2019]

The Return of the Black Shadow is a mix of a biker movie with Rockford. Jim takes Cooper's sis out for a date, and some very bad things happens. Beating up Jim is in hospital and Cooper is out for revenges. A compelling episode, as Cooper pulls an undercover, while the head biker has a beef with some ex members. What works here is Coopers is believable as an ex biker. The feel, grit and actions of Coop with the gang creates realism for The Return of the Black Shadow. Of course the formulate ending with a smart Becker ties up an entertaining episode. Bit of a surprise ending, and Jim ends everything on a positive not as likable and charming with Coop's socially awkward Sis; Well written, directed and acted The Return of the Black Shadow is one of season 5 best episodes. On my top 10 list.

Essential Rockford. Not one for the kids though.

[kindofblue-78221 · 10/10 · 15 July 2022]

This is a very adult episode. Rockford was primarily a family show but occasionally one popped up that was deadly serious and one for adults only.

This is such an episode.

The serious themes are handled sensitively and delicately.

As an experienced professional who started working with victims of abuse I can assure you that survivors do recover and manage to live meaningful lives.

Humans don't get to choose what we can remember or forget. But we do have a choice what we do with our memories and how we deal with them.

That's where the key to recovery is.

A great rockford episodes. Ignore the negative reviews as they just don't get it.

Where's the Vincent Black Shadow?

[allenhanford · 1/10 · 14 November 2023]

The Rockford Files was a great '70s show and unfortunately, like most '70s shows they didn't care about motorcycles.

I get that "Black Shadow" is a metaphor but it would have taken very little effort, especially in Los Angeles, to borrow a Vincent Black for a couple of shots. Plenty of owners that would be slobbering over the opportunity to have their bike on national TV.

For those who don't know the Vincent Black Shadow was the world's fastest production motorcycle for decades and long after they had ceased to be manufactured.

I need to go over to the Hogan Heroes page and trash them for using Harley's in place of BMWs...