Episode Archive
143 episodes of Two Hundred A Day since the first episode, which aired on December 23rd, 2016.
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Episode 119: A Deadly Maze
June 11th, 2023 | 1 hr 26 mins
1970s, 70s, broken nose, james garner, jim rockford, p.i, pina colada, rockford files, tartar sauce, television, trans am, tv
Nathan and Eppy join Jim as he reluctantly takes on a missing persons case for an unemotional client in S4E13 A Deadly Maze. The money is good, but the case is just weird, and even after Jim finds the client's wife, he can't let go of the feeling that something else is going on. This is an episode with a meaningful reveal, which made the overall very fun story a little less scintillating than it might be going in cold. Certainly recommended, it's an off-beat script with a fantastic proportion of Rockfordishness. Piña Colada!
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Episode 118: The Fourth Man
May 21st, 2023 | 1 hr 32 mins
1970s, 70s, detroit, fishing buddies, james garner, jim rockford, p.i, read you your rights, rockford files, sharon gless, television, tv
Nathan and Eppy take a flight into the start of the third season with S3E1 The Fourth Man. Jim's friend Lori, an airline booking agent, can't figure out why she's being stalked by a seemingly up-and-up rare coin collector. The menace escalates as Jim calls on the expertise of everyone in the main cast to discover the secret he's willing to kill to conceal. This season opener features a fun blend of action, mystery and tradecraft as we re-enter Jim's world for a third year.
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Episode 117: Trouble in Chapter 17
April 23rd, 2023 | 1 hr 30 mins
1970s, 70s, ascot, feminism, james garner, jim rockford, marriage, p.i, publicity, rockford files, tacos, television, tv
Nathan and Eppy enter the publishing world in S4E2 Trouble in Chapter 17. "Feminity not feminism" author Ann Louise Clement wants to hire Jim as a bodyguard, which isn't his beat. But after witnessing an apparent attempt on her life, he can't not look into it. Unfortunately for Jim, Ann Louise is more interested in publicity than preservation, and he begins to suspect it's all a farce - until her agent is killed in an apparent case of mistaken identity. This snappy Juanita Bartlett episode isn't an "issue" episode, but we appreciate the chance to talk about how she uses the show to contrast progressive and retrograde ideas about feminism, as well as enjoy all of the Rockfordishness we know and love.
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Episode 116: Star Trek DS9: Our Man Bashir
April 1st, 2023 | 1 hr 24 mins
1970s, 5 million francs, 70s, bashir, bond, ds9, garak, intelligence agent, james garner, jim rockford, p.i, rockford files, star trek, television, tv
Welcome to Twenty Dollars a Day, the podcast where we explore our favorite holodeck adventures in the Star Trek universe! Nathan and Eppy join the crew of Deep Space 9 for some thrilling spy action in S4E9 Our Man Bashir. Doctor Bashir is enjoying his new holo-adventure as a Bond-esque superspy when Garak crashes the party. Unfortunately, a transporter accident puts the patterns of the bridge crew into the story, and suddenly Bashir and Garak have to contend with the possibility of their actions having real-life consequences. An homage to James Bond, of course, this episode features a refreshing twist on the "stuck on the holodeck" trope while also grounding the romp with nods to long-running DS9 storylines.
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Episode 115: Love Is the Word
March 26th, 2023 | 1 hr 28 mins
1970s, 70s, blind, james garner, jim rockford, kathryn harrold, megan, p.i, relationships, rockford files, roller disco, squish magazine, television, tv, wedding
Nathan and Eppy finish the Megan Dougherty cycle with S6E5 Love Is the Word. After a lengthy absence, Jim finally returns to Megan only to find that she's gotten engaged! Fair enough, but when her fiancé is accused of murder, of course Jim is going to help find out what's going on. This episode isn't really about the mystery, but it gives us an incredible look at the complicated relationship between Megan and Jim, and how they both process it coming to an end. We find this one a great, if bittersweet, way to say goodbye to Megan.
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Episode 114: Black Mirror
March 12th, 2023 | 1 hr 54 mins
1970s, 70s, anxiety music, blind, double-breasted suit, james garner, jim rockford, kathryn harrold, meet cute, megan dougherty, p.i, psychology, rockford files, television, tv
Nathan and Eppy go to the first appearance of Megan Dougherty (Kathryn Harrold) in S5E9 Black Mirror. This double-length episode, split into two for syndication, gives us plenty of time to learn about Megan and see exactly why she and Jim have such a unique connection. Despite the length, this one flys by as the story turns from discovering a mysterious stalker to handling a serious psychological case, all while showcasing one of the most memorable relationships we've seen on the show. The chemistry on screen, the tight script and the deft handling of complex characters gives us a lot to talk about!
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Episode 113: A Plus Expenses Special
March 5th, 2023 | 59 mins 50 secs
1970s, 70s, bunnies, james garner, jim rockford, merch, p.i, plus expenses, rockford files, sabbath, shirts, television, tv
In this Plus Expenses we talk about: We have Shirts! Plus, recordings and noise, sheep, deer, the Langley Bunnies, our public Plus Expenses, New Year's Fray 2022, fun trading cards, Epimas, buying and selling PDFs, holiday theming, publishing calendars, hype cycles, jgarf.org, the Two Hundred a Day audience, reflections on the show, detective fiction in general, and criticism as opposed to being critical.
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Episode 112: Punishment and Crime
February 26th, 2023 | 2 hrs 6 mins
1970s, 70s, 90s, assistive devices, bryan cranston, buddy the dog, family, james garner, jim rockford, kathryn harold, p.i, rockford files, russian ex-kgb, television, tv, tv movie
Nathan and Eppy return to the 90s for the sixth Rockford Files TV Movie, 1996's Punishment and Crime. A chance encounter with a woman from Jim's past, blind psychologist Megan Dougherty, leads to a reunion! However, Megan's cousin Patrick is in some trouble with Russian heavies, and Jim is, against his better judgement, drawn in. There's violence, romance and humor woven throughout this David Chase produced, directed and written effort. It definitely feels like one of the high points of the movies so far! As chance would have it, it's also our introduction to Megan, and we're looking forwards to going backwards to her original appearances.
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Episode 111: The Family Hour
January 29th, 2023 | 1 hr 33 mins
1970s, 70s, big mac, good goons, james garner, jim rockford, mastadons, p.i, rip stuart margolin, rockford files, television, tv
Nathan and Eppy learn a lot about family in S3E3 The Family Hour. Jim and Rocky find Marin, a young girl, seemingly abandoned on Jim's doorstep. They can't help but try to find her family, but are quickly drawn into some kind of scheme centering on Marin's father involving creeps, death threats, narcotics and a cattle prod. A patron suggestion, this episode also finishes our look at writer Gordon T. Dawson, who delivers another great script that is matched by compelling performances from both series regulars and guest stars. Not really a mystery, not really a whodunit, this episode really ramps up the tension while keeping a solid emotional backbeat. It's a good one!
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Episode 110: Crack Back
December 31st, 2022 | 1 hr 32 mins
1970s, 70s, bethisode, good moves, gretchen corbett, james garner, jim rockford, p.i, reza badiyi, rockford files, television, tv
Nathan and Eppy go to the courtroom in a "Bethisode", S3E21 Crack Back. Beth is defending a rising football star accused of murder during a violent robbery - but her defense is being compromised by someone stalking her. Jim wants to help her out with both, of course, but has to navigate what Beth wants (the best for her case) with what he wants (the best for her). It's our final wrap on prolific director Reza Badiyi, and with a great Juanita Bartlett script and wonderful performances from all of our favorites, it's a very strong episode!
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Episode 109: A Fast Count
November 27th, 2022 | 1 hr 49 mins
1970s, 70s, boxing, james garner, jim rockford, math, p.i, rockford files, squared circle, steiner math, television, tv
Nathan and Eppy get in the ring with S5E10 A Fast Count. Jim is invested in a promising young boxer, but when his manager Morry is pulled in by the feds for a bribery charge, Jim reluctantly agrees to protect his investment by figuring out who is framing Morry and why. It seems that a rival manager and Used Car Queen "Right On Ruth" is behind it, but the more Jim digs the weirder the whole thing gets. This was a really fun episode to go into detail on, and we go to town on the math involved in the boxing industry, among other asides. Highly recommended!
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Episode 108: The Jersey Bounce
October 30th, 2022 | 1 hr 30 mins
1970s, 70s, bo hopkins, coop, coupla guys, david chase, james garner, jim rockford, low tide, p.i, rockford files, television, tv
Nathan and Eppy take a trip to the first appearance of Eugene and Mickey in S5E3 The Jersey Bounce. Our "coupla guys" rent a house next to Rocky, and after some serious threats are made, a dead body shows up. Jim is implicated and needs legal counsel, finally hooking up with disbarred attorney John Cooper to turn the tables on our two dim-witted wannabes. Don't look for continuity, but this is a very Rockford-y episode that we enjoyed quite a bit!