Posted On: Saturday - March 14th 2026 9:35PM MST
In Topics: TV, aka Gov't Media Humor
No, see, that was my search query. Personally, no, I can’t explain episode 22 of Season 3 of the Peak Stupidity favorite old show The Rockford Files. I’ll be honest here - half of the episodes have plots that lose me about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through.
It’s such a great show though, and commenter Mr. Anon suggested this episode in the comments 2 posts ago, bringing me back to my love for the show from 3 1/2 years ago. If you look at posts from the Summer of ‘22 with the TV, aka Gov’t Media topic key, you’ll find 10 or so posts on the The Rockford Files.
DuckDuckGo’s AI, after sucking about a minute’s worth of full output power from a small nuclear reactor, didn’t even try to help me figure out the whole plot after my search for “Rockford Files Dirty Money Black Light explained”. I think most reviewers on the IMDB page didn’t want to spoil the ending… or also got lost at the end. I think I get why Jim borrowed the money from Electric Larry rather than use the marked bills to pay his Dad’s bail to the Feds, but what the heck was … wait, did he already plan to have the Vegas goons and Electric Larry and his boys shoot it out, or was he going to pay Larry back with the marked bills? Hell, I can’t even formulate the right questions.
OK, well, anyway, I really like those 1970s cars… though there were uncharacteristically no chase scenes in this one with those patented James Garner J-turns and VW bugs or AMC Pacers chasing land yachts.
As Mr. Anon noted, Stuart Margolin who plays the always loyal (not!) Angel Martin, directed this one. Nice job! (This actor died 3 years back.)
About the theme song now: Mike Post wrote about a dozen well known 1970s and ‘80s TV show theme songs. This very nice one, co-written by one Pete Carpenter, made it to the top 10 of the Billboard Magazine chart 50 years ago last summer, which was very important in that day. Mr. Post played the Minimoog synthesizer, while a session musician named Dan Furgeson played the excellent guitar solo. The song changed slightly over those years, but I like this version with that great string-bending at precisely 01:22 in the bitchute video below.
Here’s an interesting thing in this show intro. At 01:30, for 2 seconds, you see Jim at the grocery store looking at some piece of meat (no, not one of his non-paying clients). In other versions of the song, he has an annoyed/disgusted look at the price of it and tosses it back. This was a time of high inflation. To give you and idea, the price of round roast may have just gone up from 45¢/lb to 55! In the intro. of the Mary Tyler Moore show, from roughly the same years, Mary does the very same thing. This must have been some kind of TV screen-writers’ meme.
Here’s the whole episode -thank you, Mr. Anon. It’s a change from the heavy stuff. Next week, I’ll have watched Empire of Dust again, so I can write a proper review. Then, I’ll get to this piece of work they call Ron Neville Singham, and there are a bunch of small updates for old posts… the Stupidity stops for no man! Have a pleasant Sunday, Peakers!
Comments:
Possumman
Wednesday - March 18th 2026 1:11PM MST
PS. Have you watched the new RJ Decker show. It is very Rockford File-ish although of course they gayed it up with his ex-wife married to another lezzie. But he is an ex-con detective in FLA living in his ex-wifes pool house-he even has a disreputable bar owner buddy that helps him out. I bet they could take some old Rockford scripts and tweak them up with some Florida-man hijinks and just recycle them.Watch a couple episodes tell me what you think
Moderator
Tuesday - March 17th 2026 7:50PM MST
PS: Hey, it’s good to see that you’re still reading here, Sam J.!
I did have an explanation on how this all would peak, but the graph above doesn’t go high enough to match reality, does it?
I was going to write a post on “Empire of Dust” tonight, but it was all so tiresome…. I did just finish watching it again. Gotta go to sleep.
I did have an explanation on how this all would peak, but the graph above doesn’t go high enough to match reality, does it?
I was going to write a post on “Empire of Dust” tonight, but it was all so tiresome…. I did just finish watching it again. Gotta go to sleep.
Sam J.
Tuesday - March 17th 2026 3:24PM MST
PS
I think you are going to have to change the name of your site to "Super Peak Stupidity" or "Beyond Peak Stupidity" from "Peak Stupidity". Because the stupidity has gone far beyond peak. Though I don't believe you could name it "Max Stupidity" because the stupidity packed on top of stupidity seems to be a never ending exponential function.
I think you are going to have to change the name of your site to "Super Peak Stupidity" or "Beyond Peak Stupidity" from "Peak Stupidity". Because the stupidity has gone far beyond peak. Though I don't believe you could name it "Max Stupidity" because the stupidity packed on top of stupidity seems to be a never ending exponential function.
Moderator
Monday - March 16th 2026 8:31AM MST
PS: Hello again, Mr. Anderson. I had to look up a few things on this George Loros. Once I saw a picture of his face from “The Sopranos” I recognized him from that series - one of my favorite series.
I mentioned Anthony Boy in my old post “Rockford Files: Pizza, wine, and coffee - and a BIG THANKS to our commenters”.
https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=2341
**********************************
The first part of a 2-part episode named To Protect and Serve had these 2 New York City mobsters, who, as usual, beat up Jim Rockford in his trailer. Later on in the episode, they were having some discussion of what to tell the big bosses in Newark or somewhere, and one of them was eating a slice of pizza.
Anthony Boy: "Whadda they call this, a pizza?"
Syl: "It ain't so bad, Tony."
Anthony Boy' Gagglio: "Ain't so bad? How can you say that? You been eatin' New York pizza all your life, you gonna make a statement like that? Back in Sheepshead Bay they throw up on crust like this. It's all cheese. Where's the tomato sauce, hunh? It ain't a pizza, it's a grilled cheese sandwich. California!"
*********************************
I mentioned Anthony Boy in my old post “Rockford Files: Pizza, wine, and coffee - and a BIG THANKS to our commenters”.
https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=2341
**********************************
The first part of a 2-part episode named To Protect and Serve had these 2 New York City mobsters, who, as usual, beat up Jim Rockford in his trailer. Later on in the episode, they were having some discussion of what to tell the big bosses in Newark or somewhere, and one of them was eating a slice of pizza.
Anthony Boy: "Whadda they call this, a pizza?"
Syl: "It ain't so bad, Tony."
Anthony Boy' Gagglio: "Ain't so bad? How can you say that? You been eatin' New York pizza all your life, you gonna make a statement like that? Back in Sheepshead Bay they throw up on crust like this. It's all cheese. Where's the tomato sauce, hunh? It ain't a pizza, it's a grilled cheese sandwich. California!"
*********************************
Moderator
Monday - March 16th 2026 8:27AM MST
PS: I do remember that Angel spilling the beans scene. Hilarious, and I knew they’d switch to something like that right after Rocky had so much misplaced faith in him. (He didn’t do near enough in that haircut scene at the end!)
My favorite Angel scene is in the episode “Hotel of Fear”.
IMDB link.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0688011/
I wrote a post, a year later after the other RF posts about this:
https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=2679
Here’s Angel Martin at a police line-up, being a witness to the bad guy, who I don’t think was Anthony Boy per Mr. Anderson’s comment, but I’m bad with faces sometimes, and it’s been a while:
********************************
Lt. Chapman: [the cops have brought Angel down to have him look at a line-up] Do you recognise anyone?
Angel: [Angel - always nervous - is more-so than usual] You sure they can't see me?
Lt. Chapman: It's a one-way glass. You've got nothing to worry about.
[Angel - his cheap pants hiked-up past his pot-belly, and slouched over, looks, as Chapman begins to get impatient]
Lt. Chapman: Do you recognize anyone?
Angel: [Angel furiously waves his arms in front of the glass] Well, uh...
[pointing]
Angel: ... he dropped about 15, 20 pounds, but that's Marco. Used to be over at the Hollenbeck station.
[Angel turns and starts walking away]
Lt. Chapman: [Chapman grabs Angel's arm] Come here, c'mere, c'mere... so, you know Sgt. Marco. Now, is there anybody else you recognize?
Angel: That's Stein. [pointing at the glass]
Angel: He used to be a narc. What's he - in robbery/homicide now?
[Angel smiles, Chapman chuckles]
Lt. Chapman: Why don't I just give you a subscription to the precinct paper, that way you can keep tabs on everybody.
Angel: Don't get sore, lieutenant. You asked me who I recognize. I said I recognized Stein and Marco. I don't know Harry's last name, but, uh... there's Whitbeck [camera moves from Whitbeck to the next man - Del Kane]
Angel: It's the man in blue.
Lt. Chapman: What about the guy in the blue blazer?
Angel: [Angel looks nervously around the room] He ain't a cop.
************************************
My favorite Angel scene is in the episode “Hotel of Fear”.
IMDB link.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0688011/
I wrote a post, a year later after the other RF posts about this:
https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=2679
Here’s Angel Martin at a police line-up, being a witness to the bad guy, who I don’t think was Anthony Boy per Mr. Anderson’s comment, but I’m bad with faces sometimes, and it’s been a while:
********************************
Lt. Chapman: [the cops have brought Angel down to have him look at a line-up] Do you recognise anyone?
Angel: [Angel - always nervous - is more-so than usual] You sure they can't see me?
Lt. Chapman: It's a one-way glass. You've got nothing to worry about.
[Angel - his cheap pants hiked-up past his pot-belly, and slouched over, looks, as Chapman begins to get impatient]
Lt. Chapman: Do you recognize anyone?
Angel: [Angel furiously waves his arms in front of the glass] Well, uh...
[pointing]
Angel: ... he dropped about 15, 20 pounds, but that's Marco. Used to be over at the Hollenbeck station.
[Angel turns and starts walking away]
Lt. Chapman: [Chapman grabs Angel's arm] Come here, c'mere, c'mere... so, you know Sgt. Marco. Now, is there anybody else you recognize?
Angel: That's Stein. [pointing at the glass]
Angel: He used to be a narc. What's he - in robbery/homicide now?
[Angel smiles, Chapman chuckles]
Lt. Chapman: Why don't I just give you a subscription to the precinct paper, that way you can keep tabs on everybody.
Angel: Don't get sore, lieutenant. You asked me who I recognize. I said I recognized Stein and Marco. I don't know Harry's last name, but, uh... there's Whitbeck [camera moves from Whitbeck to the next man - Del Kane]
Angel: It's the man in blue.
Lt. Chapman: What about the guy in the blue blazer?
Angel: [Angel looks nervously around the room] He ain't a cop.
************************************
Moderator
Monday - March 16th 2026 8:21AM MST
PS: Mr. Anon: Who marked the money? The casino? I don’t know this either. Another question of mine was what was the benefit of sending out this cash to the 4 “lucky winners” of Hawaiian vacations so that the mail could be intercepted. In what way did this launder money? Same with your questions - now, maybe some people who pay more attention CAN figure this out. Perhaps the plots (not just this one) are very tight, but you’ve really gotta pay attention.
Then, I’d like to see IMDB reviewers lay out the whole thing for us guys who really enjoy other things about the show. The cool retro cars were not, of course, a big feature, as they were just the normal cars of the era. However, the car chase scenes, Jim’s neat Firebird, and then the humor of all kinds is the best part of The Rockford Files. It would be nice to be able to really see how clever Rockford is, as in, it all made sense in the end, or at least to know that SOMEONE ELSE told me that it all makes sense in the end.
Yeah, they were great characters, the mob guys and Electric Larry. Angel too, of course…
Then, I’d like to see IMDB reviewers lay out the whole thing for us guys who really enjoy other things about the show. The cool retro cars were not, of course, a big feature, as they were just the normal cars of the era. However, the car chase scenes, Jim’s neat Firebird, and then the humor of all kinds is the best part of The Rockford Files. It would be nice to be able to really see how clever Rockford is, as in, it all made sense in the end, or at least to know that SOMEONE ELSE told me that it all makes sense in the end.
Yeah, they were great characters, the mob guys and Electric Larry. Angel too, of course…
Moderator
Monday - March 16th 2026 8:15AM MST
PS: I deleted your extra comments, Mr. Anderson. I think you told us something about his before, but I’m very sorry to hear of your health problem. I hope you can still do some of what you like to do.
Ganderson
Monday - March 16th 2026 6:35AM MST
PS. Sorry Parkinson’s!
Mr.Anon, The character in question is named “Anthony Boy “, played by the immortal George Loros. His character was in another episode in which Anthony Boy gets out of jail and comes after the guy who put him there, namely Rockford .
Loros was also on another episode , a two- parter he mutters the immortal phrase “Save your ‘ I’m sorries’ for Brenda Lee, Jimmy.”
Loros had a recurring role in “The Sopranos”..
Mr.Anon, The character in question is named “Anthony Boy “, played by the immortal George Loros. His character was in another episode in which Anthony Boy gets out of jail and comes after the guy who put him there, namely Rockford .
Loros was also on another episode , a two- parter he mutters the immortal phrase “Save your ‘ I’m sorries’ for Brenda Lee, Jimmy.”
Loros had a recurring role in “The Sopranos”..
Mr. Anon
Sunday - March 15th 2026 7:04PM MST
PS
Hello, Achmed. It's true that the plots of many of the RF episodes seem thin when looked at too closely. Regarding this episode, I think - I think - that Rockford borrowed the money from Electric Larry because those bills would not be marked. That way he could give them to the Feds and they would think that they were mistaken in thinking that Rocky had received the marked ones. Then realizing that they had made a mistake, they would let him go. Or something. And I guess he was counting on starting a confrontation between the marked-money guys and the loan-sharks hoping the police would just arrest them all.
And they never explained how the marked money figured into it all too. They said it was skimmed from a casino. So, obviously it was mob money. But who skimmed it? The real-estate guys? Did they work for the mob? Did they steal it from the mob? What. None of that was explained.
Yes, it doesn't necessarily all make sense. The plots were not the tightest stories. What I liked about this one was how it was filmed. The second person views of Angel as he, in a completely shameless cowardly way, rats out Jim and Rocky to the Feds. The Interview in the Feds office as the one harried agent talks to his unseen supervisor (seemingly hidden in the ceiling - obviously looking in on a TV camera).
And the villains were good in this one too. The lead marked-money / real-estate guy played by John P. Ryan with his slow-burn psycopath personnae. And Electric Larry was very entertaining as well.
All-in-all, an above average episode. There was another one from that season that also stood out: the two-part episode "To Protect and Serve". It featured one of the RF's creepier villains - mob hitman "Little Anthony". And it also had the always interesting actress Joan Van Patten as a crazy police groupie.
Hello, Achmed. It's true that the plots of many of the RF episodes seem thin when looked at too closely. Regarding this episode, I think - I think - that Rockford borrowed the money from Electric Larry because those bills would not be marked. That way he could give them to the Feds and they would think that they were mistaken in thinking that Rocky had received the marked ones. Then realizing that they had made a mistake, they would let him go. Or something. And I guess he was counting on starting a confrontation between the marked-money guys and the loan-sharks hoping the police would just arrest them all.
And they never explained how the marked money figured into it all too. They said it was skimmed from a casino. So, obviously it was mob money. But who skimmed it? The real-estate guys? Did they work for the mob? Did they steal it from the mob? What. None of that was explained.
Yes, it doesn't necessarily all make sense. The plots were not the tightest stories. What I liked about this one was how it was filmed. The second person views of Angel as he, in a completely shameless cowardly way, rats out Jim and Rocky to the Feds. The Interview in the Feds office as the one harried agent talks to his unseen supervisor (seemingly hidden in the ceiling - obviously looking in on a TV camera).
And the villains were good in this one too. The lead marked-money / real-estate guy played by John P. Ryan with his slow-burn psycopath personnae. And Electric Larry was very entertaining as well.
All-in-all, an above average episode. There was another one from that season that also stood out: the two-part episode "To Protect and Serve". It featured one of the RF's creepier villains - mob hitman "Little Anthony". And it also had the always interesting actress Joan Van Patten as a crazy police groupie.
I just checked out some previews and such on youtube. Your description was right on the money. I think I’d like this one - gotta find a good way to watch it consistently… although I really hope there’s not any more woke stuff in this than I can handle, it being modern and all, it being brand new. The now 20 yr old “The Office” show was amazingly not - it was quite the opposite of woke, till maybe near the end.
Thanks, Possumman.