NBC Orders Crime Series Reboot of ‘The Rockford Files’

NBC is moving forward with a reboot of the classic crime series The Rockford Files, having given a pilot order to a contemporary update of the long-running drama.

The pilot comes from writer and executive producer Mike Daniels. Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman are set to executive produce, with Chris Leanza serving as co-executive producer.

The new Rockford Files is described as a modern update on the classic series of the same name. It centers on James Rockford, newly paroled after serving time for a crime he did not commit. Rockford resumes work as a private investigator, using his charm and wit to solve cases across Los Angeles. His attempt to go straight quickly draws unwanted attention, placing him in conflict with both law enforcement and organized crime.

The original Rockford Files was created by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell and aired on NBC from 1974 to 1980, spanning six seasons and more than 120 episodes. The series starred James Garner as Jim Rockford, a private investigator who operated out of a mobile home parked near the beach in Malibu. During its run, the series won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 1978, and Garner won an Emmy in 1977 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

Following the show’s conclusion, Garner reprised his role in eight Rockford Files movies that aired on CBS from 1994 through 1999. Since then, the franchise has seen several revival attempts. In 2009, NBC tried to launch a new pilot starring Dermot Mulroney and produced by Steve Carell, but canceled it. Universal Pictures also explored a feature film adaptation with Vince Vaughn attached, though that project ultimately did not come to fruition.