Not often that "Rockford" falls on its face but this appalling two- parter is one such occasion. The script is a preposterous mishmash of sentimental melodrama right from the start and the second half is worse than the first. In the story's one ironic touch, Rockford's police buddy Dennis Becker recaps for him early on just how idiotic the plot is. It seems every hand is turned against geezer Strother Martin in an attempt to further urban sprawl and convert his small suburban holding into apartments. The evil mastermind, a real estate developer, is built up into such a monster he'd give Simon LeGree a run for his money, and he's given a lot of help by a chorus line of corrupt doctors, bankers, lawyers, pharmacists, police and sundry other parties. Then there's some maudlin interplay between Martin and Garner and Noah Beery and an attempted suicide, and a dragged out eulogy, and on and on. Rockford fans can skip this fiasco with a clear conscience.