It’s pilot season time, which means networks are casting new projects, hoping to win a place in the fall TV season. Among them is NBC’s upcoming reboot of The Rockford Files. The original 1970s series starred James Garner as Jim Rockford, an ex-con turned private eye. A long-running hit that earned Garner an Emmy award, the show was a template for every private eye series that followed.
This new version keeps the same plotline with David Boreanaz of Bones and SEAL Team fame as the new Rockford. Again, he’ll be a former con who was wrongfully imprisoned, now using his PI skills to help others wrongfully accused.
Per Deadline, the series has been adding new faces led by Felix Solis of The Rookie and Ozark. Joining him are Michela McManus (Law & Order: SVU) and Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver. According to the descriptions, Solis will play Rockford’s “best friend," Nitty, who turned his life around and became a successful South L.A. defense attorney. He stayed in the neighborhood to help effect change.”
Weaver plays Rockford’s trailer park neighbor, a “tough, outspoken activist and think-tank analyst.” McManus will play “Kate, an East Hollywood detective whose romantic relationship with Rockford got complicated after he publicly accused fellow officers of framing him.” It’s likely she’ll act as both Rockford’s contact on the LAPD and a romantic foil as well.
The cast is coming together nicely, and adding a veteran actor like Solis is a good move. However, fans of The Rookie may be worried his new show means less of one of the series' favorite recurring characters!
We could see less of Garza on The Rookie next season
Solis is well known to fans of The Rookie for his role as FBI agent Matt Garza on the short-lived spin-off, The Rookie: Feds. A veteran agent, Garza insisted on leading a ragtag group of misfit agents even with his various health problems.
After Feds was cancelled after one season, Solis would continue to appear on The Rookie as Garza, as he often aids the LAPD in special operations with the FBI (which includes cameos from other Feds characters). Solis has made appearances in other shows with The Rookie, such as The Recruit and Sirens, but those were recurring characters, not regular ones.
If Rockford is picked up, that makes it unlikely Solis could spare enough time for another Rookie appearance. Logically, Garza would be busy on another assignment or even finally retired. It’s possible Solis could work in an appearance here and there, depending on his schedule, as his Rookie roles wouldn’t require him to be in more than a scene or two with Garza explaining an operation.
Right now, this may be moot if Rockford isn’t picked up, but Rookie fans should be prepared to see a lot less of Garza if it goes ahead.
The Rookie airs Mondays at 10/9c on ABC.