Nathan and Eppy have talked about every episode of Season Two, and celebrate with a draft of our favorites! Both a retrospective of the season and a walk down memory lane for our own show, we really had a great time assembling this list of ten great episodes of The Rockford Files. We borrowed this format from The Incomparable (https://www.theincomparable.com/theincomparable/) (a recommended listen for geeky pop culture fans!) Spoiler Alert: Here's our final "teams" from our draft: Nathan picked:...
Jul 11, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep 87•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy finish out Season 2 of The Rockford Files with s2e7 The Real Easy Red Dog. Jim is hired to look into an apparent suicide, and indeed discovers some evidence of murder - but he was hired under false pretenses in the first place! Tina, also a PI, just needed Jim to throw the cops off from her own case, but now they have to work together to solve a murder before the killer comes after them. It's a tight episode with great plotting and some wonderful visual flairs, we really liked th...
Jun 27, 2021•2 hr 31 min•Ep 86•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy cover the penultimate episode (for us) of Season 2, Ep17 Joey Blue Eyes. Beth has an ex-con friend who's running into trouble with their straight restaurant business, and despite initial friction, Jim finally agrees to help out. Between loan sharks, Beth, Angel, quick cons and sparkling dialogue, this episode just exudes Rockfordishness. It's also the first appearance of James Luisi on the show, as villain Burt Stryker, and he's just as entertaining as his later recurring role as...
Jun 13, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep 85•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy continue the second season tour with S2E20 Where's Houston? One of Rocky's old buddies comes to Jim for help after receiving a ransom demand for his granddaughter Houston - but it shortly becomes clear that, not only did he not have any money, she wasn't even kidnapped! Unfortunately, he turns up dead, sending Jim on the hunt not only for who killed him, but what the whole fake kidnapping was about, all while handling Houston's building emotions. A great character episode! We men...
May 30, 2021•2 hr 30 min•Ep 84•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy explore the origin episode of one of our favorite guest characters in S2E21 Foul on the First Play. Louis Gossett Jr. plays Marcus Hayes, a fast talking PI who needs Jim's help to untangle a sticky situation concerning the purchase of a new basketball franchise. Marcus was at one time Jim's parole officer and they didn't part on good terms... but once Hayes tricks Jim into taking a beating on his behalf, they need to work together to come out the other side in one piece. A satisf...
May 16, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep 83•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy start wrapping up Season 2 with S2E5 The Deep Blue Sleep. Beth needs Jim's help to find out what happened to a model friend, and the search leads to a fashion designer, a shady business deal and, of course, the mob. One of the few creative contributions from producer Chas. Floyd Johnson, we enjoyed the twists and character business in this one a whole lot! We have another podcast: Plus Expenses. Covering our non-Rockford media, games and life chatter, Plus Expenses is available v...
Apr 30, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep 82•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to Twenty Dollars a Day, the podcast where we explore our favorite fictional characters in the Star Trek universe! Nathan and Eppy discuss the adventures of Captain Proton in Voyager S5E12 Bride of Chaotica! Tom Paris and Harry Kim just want to have a nice time playing out the latest chapter of the Captain Proton holonovel, but the ship runs afoul of photonic beings that think the black-and-white pulp is real. Of course, the only way to solve this mess is for Captain Janeway to take on t...
Apr 01, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep 81•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy join Jim in S5E6 A Good Clean Bust with Sequel Rights, as he's hired to babysit the celebrity cop Frank Falcone (Hector Elizondo) in advance of a big toy line opening. Falcone isn't exactly the role model he's being advertised as, and after he beats up his ex-partner, Jim gets fired - but now they're both being followed by goons from Calumet City, IL. Jim and Frank need to work together to figure out who's in danger and stop a hit before it's too late! We found the plot of this e...
Mar 21, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep 80•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy complete the Richie Brockelman duology with S5E19-20, Never Send a Boy King to Do a Man's Job. Richie's dad has been muscled out of the family printing business by an unscrupulous villain. The only way he can see to get it back is to run a con game on the mark... and that's where Jim comes in. Split into two episodes for syndication, this is another 2-hour-timeslot episode which gives us plenty of breathing room to appreciate all of the work that goes into a "big store" con game....
Feb 21, 2021•2 hr 52 min•Ep 79•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy finally tackle a long-anticipated long episode, S4E21 The House on Willis Avenue. Split into two episodes for syndication, this episode is both a pilot for a spinoff show about young investigator Richie Brockelman, and an issue episode tackling the growing use of private data by unscrupulous private entities (in this instance, a technophile villain played to great effect by Jackie Cooper). Still relevant today, we found this episode to be a well-told story that blended all of its...
Dec 27, 2020•2 hr 5 min•Ep 78•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy spend some quality family time with Jim, Beth and her annoying cousin in S3E11 The Trouble with Warren. When Warren is framed for murder, Beth turns to Jim for help. Despite his best efforts Jim ends up investigating the case, and then once another body surfaces he needs to solve it in order to save both their hides. We found this one to be a "meaty middle" episode, with a lot of things to like but nothing in particular to recommend it. That's the problem with this show, the epis...
Nov 29, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Ep 77•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy go under cover to talk about S5E19 A Material Difference. Angel has the perfect scam - pretend to be a hit man, take the half up front and move on. Unfortunately his first gig involves international espionage, and a chance meeting with Jim draws Rockford in against his will. This is a wild romp of an episode! We found it to not be totally solid around the edges but a joy to watch, especially for the focus on the Jim-Angel dynamic, one of our favorites! We have another podcast: Pl...
Oct 25, 2020•2 hr 30 min•Ep 76•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy join Jim and Angel in group therapy for S4E5 The Dog and Pony Show. In lieu of a jail sentence for something Angel stole and hid in Jim's car, this therapy group is a pretty good deal, until fellow participant Mary Jo has someone actually break into her house. Jim agrees to help, and a couple of goons and one Firebird chase later realizes that something Mary Jo knows is putting them all in danger. A listener suggestion, we really enjoyed this David Chase-written episode - it has ...
Sep 27, 2020•1 hr 28 min•Ep 75•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy take a road trip to S2E6: The Great Blue Lake Land and Development Company. After Jim is ripped off in a small town, he needs to get his 10 grand back - but nobody is talking. He brings in Rocky and a fast-talking con buddy, but everything changes before they can run the con! While it felt to us like it didn't have the full Rockfordishness that we see in later seasons, this is a fun episode with a lot of individual points to like! We now have a second, patron-exclusive, podcast -...
Aug 30, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep 74•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy talk about S2E8 Resurrection in Black & White. Jim is hired by a magazine reporter named Susan to help clear the name of a man who's been in jail for 6 years for a murder he says he didn't commit. The case is pretty cold, but with Jim and Susan's powers combined they manage to figure out what happened and track down the culprits - in a motorboat, no less! We really enjoyed this episode, especially the chemistry between Jim and Susan and the nuanced character work woven into their...
Jul 26, 2020•2 hr 30 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy get a look at the wild party scene of 70s LA in S4E17 Dwarf in a Helium Hat. Jim gets a threatening phone call, but to the wrong number! His conscience can't let this sit, and in trying to track down Jay Rockfelt to warn him of the impending danger, he gets dragged in to a life-and-death situation with a jersey mobster who just wants to be taken seriously. Though this one has a bit of a thing plot, it's a fun episode with some particularly amazing dialogue! We mention Gigi Garner...
Jun 28, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast Black Lives Matter. We support the ongoing uprisings against police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, and we wanted to both reflect on what this means for us and talk to our audience directly about how you can help. We start the conversation with our standard Plus Expenses-style check-in, and transition about half an hour in to talking about the protests and what we're currently grappling with as next steps towards a future without police. Ways to help: We are donating funds f...
Jun 14, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy go wildcatting with Jim and Rocky in S3E6 Coulter City Wildcat. Rocky is forced to sign over the mineral rights to a oil lease he won in a lottery he's been playing, and Jim is determined to find out why his dad was roughed up and what scam is at the heart of the matter. They take a road trip to Coulter City to unravel a stubborn mystery, and we have a great time riding along with them in their efforts. While we found the mechanics of the plot to be little obscure, this is a hell...
May 31, 2020•2 hr 34 min•Ep 70•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy take a sun-soaked trip to S6E8 The Hawaiian Headache. Jim and Rocky won a trip to Hawaii! Jim doesn't get to enjoy a minute of it before being brought into an issue of national security by an old Korean War sergeant. Things go from bad to worse as he juggles a missing agent, a briefcase with $10K, gangsters and a murder charge. A silly episode, without much mystery to speak of but a lot of good gags! We now have a second, patron-exclusive, podcast - Plus Expenses. Covering our no...
Apr 26, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to Twenty Dollars a Day, the podcast where we explore our favorite fictional characters in the Star Trek universe! Nathan and Eppy discuss the holodeck-hosted heist in S7E15 Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang. Vic Fontaine's lounge is suddenly taken over by a hidden variable in his always-on program, the bridge crew has to pull together to help out their holographic buddy. A loving homage to films like Ocean's Eleven, we really enjoyed both watching our friends make and execute on a plan, and the op...
Apr 01, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast It's the second half of the Malibu Madness Tournament! We crown category winners, regional champions and then get to the big cheese, the inaugural Malibu Madness Champion! We had a lot of fun doing this, and hope you enjoy it too. Check out patreon.com/twohundredaday to see the brackets and follow along! We now have a second, patron-exclusive, podcast - Plus Expenses. Covering our non-Rockford media, games and life chatter, Plus Expenses is available via our Patreon at ALL levels of support . Wa...
Mar 29, 2020•2 hr 12 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast We're taking the occasion of being about half-way through the series to talk about what makes this show so great - through the lens of a March-Madness-style bracketed tournament! There's a lot to talk about, as we go through 64 of our favorite villains, car chases, pieces of dialogue, episodes, and more. Our next episode will feature the crowning of our inaugural Malibu Madness Champion! Enjoy! We now have a second, patron-exclusive, podcast - Plus Expenses. Covering our non-Rockford media, game...
Mar 19, 2020•3 hr 38 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy talk about the second "Anthony Boy" Gagglio episode, S05E17 The Man Who Saw the Alligators. Last seen with a police bullet in his gut at the end of Season 3's To Protect and Serve, Anthony Boy is out of jail and seeking revenge on the man he blames for his problems: Jim Rockford. Jim, dealing with oral surgery and an IRS audit, doesn't know what's coming. This 90-minute episode is another compelling David Chase portrait of obsession, and we really have a lot to say both about the...
Feb 23, 2020•2 hr 37 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast Time for a state of the podcast episode! We're using the first half of the episode to update our listeners on some of our life events before going back in time to talk about those events before they happened on the Plus Expenses episode that goes out to all of our Patreon backers. This includes Eppy's visit to Chicago, Nathan's post-mortem on a recent Kickstarter project, and our thoughts on the show Banacek. Plus, we introduce an upcoming March event: MALIBU MADNESS! We now have a second, patro...
Feb 09, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy talk about a remarkable two-parter from Season 3, To Protect and Serve. Jim is hired to find a run-away bride from New York, but that quickly becomes the background to the drama stemming from the interference of a police "buff" named Lianne who's fallen for Dennis. Ultimately a character study of the obsessive Lianne, this David Chase-written story balances all of our familiar characters with the her narrative focus, as well as introducing a new foe for Jim in the character of hi...
Jan 26, 2020•2 hr 42 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy talk about the long-titled S3E13 Sticks and Stones Will Break Your Bones, But Waterbury Will Bury You. Jim comes back from vacation to learn that fellow PIs are losing their licenses through a series of set-ups. He teams up with a crack squad of motormouths to figure out what's going on, who's behind it, and why the private security firm Waterbury wants to do this in the first place. It's a fun David Chase-penned romp with that lovely Rockford Files stiffening of fantastic charac...
Dec 29, 2019•1 hr 27 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy talk about S2E19 The Italian Bird Fiasco. Jim takes a seemingly easy job bidding for a Cormorant statue at an art auction, but once it's broken in an assault by goons it quickly becomes clear that there's more to this job than it seems! A very funny episode with a great supporting cast, we enjoyed the ride even though the story itself was a little under (or over?) explained for our taste. We now have a second, patron-exclusive, podcast - Plus Expenses. Covering our non-Rockford m...
Nov 24, 2019•1 hr 26 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast To celebrate our 60th episode, Nathan and Eppy are joined again by Emily Care Boss to talk about the fourth 90s Rockford Files Movie - Godfather Knows Best. But that's not all! We recorded this episode live as we watched the movie, all together in the same place! You can hear us hypothesize the twists and turns of this David Chase-penned script as Jim tries to help his godson, Becker's son Scott, out of trouble. We really had a great time, and came away feeling that this was the strongest of the...
Nov 10, 2019•2 hr•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy discuss the second appearance of Rita Moreno on the show, in S5E2 Rosendahl and Gilda Stern Are Dead. Jim's friend Rita is witness to a murder, and quickly blamed for it just because she's a prostitute! Jim, of course, wants to help clear her name - but things turn more serious as they uncover evidence of a string of murders, all connected to a mobster played by Abe Vigota. It's a great character study in a villain who thinks he's a victim, and as always the Rita-Jim chemistry is...
Oct 27, 2019•2 hr 30 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast Nathan and Eppy talk about S5E14 The Battle-Ax and the Exploding Cigar. In some ways a parody of spy thrillers, Jim gets accidentally drawn into a plot by a national security operative that involves illegal gun-running - and in short order the FBI and ATF are also involved. Jim teams up with the no-nonsense Mrs. Bateman, head of the Federal Building steno pool, to figure out what happened to one of her secretaries, and in the process unravel this covert operation. It's a fun romp! We now have a ...
Oct 13, 2019•2 hr 35 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast 
