I'm not one to give out the entire plot (that's for others, such as that idiot, 'h-gg-', who thinks a 'plot synapsis' means to write a long-winded, adjective-filled summary - and the longer it is, must make it 'better'. It isn't - ANY of those things), other than to set it up;
Jim's introduced to a 'fiend' of Beth's; Dave Delaroux. Dave asks Jim to do an investigation. After hearing Dave out, Jim politely declines, and privately tells Beth he gets a bad feeling from Dave (Jim describes Dave as someone who'd look perfect 'holding a racquet in a dept. store window').
But this man isn't just a 'friend', he's someone Beth's serious about.
The character of Beth was a series' regular for the first 3 years' of
The Rockford Files (1974), from link=tt0688058], through to midway in the 3rd year, when she was uncerimoniously dropped.
Her relation to Jim (and
James Garner) was one of his few 'touchstones', aside from his relationships with Rocky, Angel and Dennis, Jim and Beth were a couple who should've continued (in a touching conclusion to them, Beth returns in the latter Rockford films, and we learn the pair did get married, and even though they later divorced, they're emotional relationship's still close and mutually caring).
Beth's also one of the (then) 'new breed' of TV 'working women' (which started with the legendary
Mary Tyler Moore (1970), which showed a woman who worked AND had a social life, but having one didn't preclude the other).
Jim's relationship with women was never stronger than with Beth. Though they both had careers and moved in different circles, the pair have that undefinable 'something', which made them 'click'.
In this episode, we learn that Beth had felt Jim was 'the one' from the get-go, and for 2 years, she used her (words) 'larriat' to rope him in.
But Jim being Jim, he missed the obvious (strange, considering he's a PI).
When Dave DeLaroux (a non-practising lawyer) came along, Beth's taken with him as a seemingly 'good catch', and decided he (might) be 'the one'.
Gretchen Corbett had been a Universal contact player, first doing guest spots on a number of series, but this was her first series' regular role.
Though it's made clear Beth comes from money, she never was a clichéd 'princess'; instead, she works- and works hard. Beth's a champion of the 'underdog', and Jim's the quintessential one.
The scene which best encapsulates how Beth feels for Jim comes midway, when Jim's over at her apartment, and - ever the well-mannered hostess, Beth's made (and is serving, gueridon - btw; that's what it's called when the meal's cooked/prepared by the table), and they're discussing the problem Jim's (currently) in, and all the connections those problems have with Dave.
No episode in the series ever focused on Beth's life, as much as this episode focuses on her, and it features a moment when her emotions are their rawest.
Always soft-spoken, Beth's standing there - going through the motions, but as the discussion moves forward, you can see in her eyes she's putting the pieces together, and realising, bit-by-bit, that her 'Mr Right' is more than likely, a VERY 'Mr Wrong' - and the realisation that not only isn't he a good prospective catch, but that he'd been playing her is made brutally real by Ms Corbett.
Beth's not one to have 'fake friends'; she's a down-to-earth highly intelligent woman, who's cautious with her feelings, and who she lets into her life. She doesn't have 'fake friends' (she's definitely NOT someone who'd 'friend' every dummy, as people are apt to do on so-called 'social media'). For Beth to fall for such an obviously bad apple - and put on an affected air's out of charter for her, but as she explains in this scene, she felt pressured. Pressured to both meet a prospective mate and to have children.
I wouldn't go so far to call it either 'sexist' or 'cliché', but biology for a women who wants to have children is a fact (I don't think Beth's the type who'd opt for surrogate single-parenting. I think she sees 'marriage' and 'children' as a package-deal - one which she wants to have.
She's honest, and there's no one more honest than Jim (there's a funny flip-side to this scene; earlier, when Jim meets up with Beth and Dave at a swank restaurant, everything goes wrong. In an almost pantomimed bit, Jim tries to pour a glass of wine, but the bottle's empty. He tries to order a drink, but none of the staff pays attention to him. Whilst this is happening, Beth (who's still putting on airs) and Dave are taking to each other - practically ignoring Jim. When Dave turns to Jim, it's as if he's an errant schoolboy, and it quickly infuriates Jim so much, he jumps up from the table and heads quickly to the exit.
Beth runs to catch Jim - who'd told Beth right after first meeting Dave - there's something oily about him - tells Beth to make sure she gets his payment from Dave as quickly as possible.
This episode (written by
Stephen J. Cannell) is a 'love letter' to Beth Davenport - and to Ms Corbett, as well.
A fine supporting role is guest star,
John Saxon, as Dave DeLaroux. Mr Saxon, who's usually featured as an almost cartoon-like, granite-jawed character, is here doing a variation on this; he seems to be that 'heroic'-type, but beneath a very thin veneer's a person who follows no rules (typically in TV series,,a fight has both participants prepared to do battle. Here, Saxon's DeLaroux pretends to be a devotee of Queensbury rules, only as soon as the other party's guard is down, he violently attacks - throwing them off guard at the start, then he never lets up.
In a funny play on the predatory man is
Cynthia Sikes (a stunning woman, who looks somewhat like a cross between
Jaclyn Smith and
Connie Sellecca. I saw a recent photo and Ms Sikes is still quite a looker) as a real estate agent/man-trap. When Beth and Jim go to meet with her, it's clear she takes catching a man as seriously as she does selling real estate - and even asks Beth if Jim is 'hers'. When Beth intimates that Jim's 'hers', Ms Sikes (who has a killer smile) doesn't miss a beat and says since they've already had Dave DeLaroux in common, she wants to make Jim her next... 'trophy', and turns to Jim and says he can always find her at work, or - if he wants, she's in the phone book.
All-in-all a fine episode.
