User Reviews

Yes, it's a shame Bo Hopkins wasn't brought more permanently on the show, as I dig his character and his portrayal much better than Rockford's regular contacts, all of who (except maybe Beth) are there to inhibit him as much as help him.

A few of you mention this episode containing a glimpse of David Chase's work on Sopranos. I agree. But I think we have been seeing that on every episode he wrote since season 3. Maybe even season 2. All of the gangster, hoods and hit men are always very well realized and definitely not the normal TV clichés of those types. There is always a sense with Chase episodes that you could follow these guys home and see Sopranos 1970s style.

I notice David Chase also liked to add an awareness of youth culture in his episodes, many of which tend to incorporate something of youth concerns and climate back then, particularly one episode comes to mind when Jim helped the Hare Krishna girl. That episode was scathing of the "Me Decade," while again also giving the sense of characters who really live in that world. Other writers on the show seem more concerned with the mystery hat trick while Chase liked the subtle observation and comedy of his characters.

David Chase cut his teeth and learned much of his craft as a writer and producer on the Rockford files. No surprise then that "the Jersey Bounce" shows us some early hints of what we can expect in his later series "the Sopranos." The Jersey accents and mannerisms in this episode are the stereotypical New Jersey caricatures we would also later see in the Sopranos. The over-the-top Jerseyness displayed by the two guest actors is great and is an early indication that Mr Chase was busing on Jersey before busting on Jersey was considered cool! The scene where the two Jersey boys are explaining themselves and trying to curry favor with the local Southern California mob boss is pure Sopranos! Greg Antonacci would eventually go on to appear in at least a few Sopranos episode as would other Rockford regulars George Loros and Joe Santos. Those fans of the Sopranos might enjoy this early view of the what the future may bring.

Like any other original-gendered male I could never get enough of Rockford's lawyer Beth Davenport. Gretchen Corbett left big shoes to fill when she walked away from the series over a salary dispute.

But I gotta say, they scored big bringing in Bo Hopkins as disbarred lawyer John "Coop" Cooper. Not only does Hopkins cut a dashing figure in his own right, but he shows instant chemistry with James Garner. The producers must have known it, too, because the epilogue includes an exchange between Hopkins and Garner that sets up Coop to be Garner's legal advisor from there on out. Anybody in development at a studio who saw that episode the first night it aired must have been calling Hopkins' agent. His disbarred lawyer character should have been the lead on its own primetime series. He was decades ahead of Saul Goodman, or even Lionel Hutz.

David Chase wrote the episode. The plot involves a couple of Jersey transplants who set up Rockford for a murder. They have the patter down. Later put to full effect on Chase's Sopranos. At one point, one of the jabronis refers to the mob boss (Johnny Nodzak, or something) as ''Johnny Nutsack." Man, I laughed.

The most notable aspect for me in this episode is the introduction of Bo Hopkins as John Cooper, who plays Rockford's sidekick and potential attorney. Beth is mentioned a few times as leaving the firm, as Rockford is charged with a murder of someone he supposedly threatened, although he didn't commit, and he seems apprehensive of his appointed attorney, who's played by Sorrell Booke(you'll remember him as Boss Hogg), who has other cases and a monster movie on his mind. The 2 "Joisey" guys annoy both Rockford and Rocky with their noisy(rhymes with Joisey)parties and general annoyances, which include one of the bums tossing a rock at Rocky and bloodying his temple, for which I felt sorry for him as he did nothing but walk inside his house with his groceries. To make a long story short, the 2 guys murdered their party guest in order to impress a local mob boss; I believe this guy was assaulting his girlfriend, and she turns out being the sister of the mob boss. I can't say that's a motive I've ever heard anywhere else, so I give the 2 guys credit for at least trying.

A scene worth mentioning is when Rockford and Coop talk with this clearly abused woman, and as she tells her story about her late boyfriend, she also mentioned that he knew of someone who knew the Eagles(rock band), who were very popular during the run of the Rockford Files; I link this show and the band, because when they disbanded around 1980, this show ended too. Coincidence? I do like Coop and there's a cool scene where he and Jim share a beer at some bar discussing the case; even though he mumbles a bit when he speaks, I think they do share some chemistry. Lastly, when they talk to a girl impregnated by Conigliaro, she says something about when she saw him dancing, she knew he was Italian, which is funny because I'm Italian and I can't dance.