I love The Rockford Files. It’s one of my favorite shows of all time. Not because of the car chases, the cases, or even the theme song—though that harmonica still hits just right—but because of James Garner. Jim Rockford wasn’t a character you could swap out like a light bulb. He was the show.
Now NBC is rebooting The Rockford Files, and I keep asking the same question: how do you replace James Garner? You don’t. You can copy the format, reuse the name, maybe even bring back the answering machine jokes, but you can’t recreate the effortless charm, the reluctant hero vibe, or the way Garner made cynicism feel warm and human at the same time.
I felt the same way about Hawaii Five-O. The original was appointment television for me. Jack Lord wasn’t just Steve McGarrett—he owned that role. The reboot ran ten seasons, which tells you plenty of people watched it. I wasn’t one of them. Not because it was bad, but because it wasn’t my show. When you grow up with something that defined a moment, a tone, a way of storytelling, a remake feels like someone borrowing your memories and repainting them.
This is the bigger issue with modern entertainment. There’s a real lack of fresh ideas. With a fragmented and limited viewing audience, networks don’t want to take risks. They go back to what worked. That’s how you end up with endless Law & Order variations and Chicago everything—Fire, PD, Med, probably Chicago Crossing Guard next.
I get it. Familiar names feel safer. But nostalgia isn’t innovation, and recycling isn’t creativity. You can reboot a title, but you can’t reboot lightning in a bottle. Some things are classics because they were perfect once. And that should be enough.
