Update on Beau Bridges: NBC Rejects "The Rockford Files"

NBC has decided not to pick up the remake of The Rockford Files as a new fall series. This announcement comes before their Upfronts, scheduled for Monday, May 17.

Stargate star Beau Bridges was cast as Rocky, the father and best friend of the lead character Jim Rockford, but even with a strong cast, the pilot did not meet expectations.

Columnist Nellie Andreeva of Deadline Hollywood made the announcement in her article “PRIMETIME PILOT PANIC: ‘Rockford Files’ Is Now Dead At NBC”. She reported, “The first signs of trouble came in the casting stage when it took a long time to cast the lead famously played by James Garner on the original series as several offers to A-list actors didn’t pan out. But feedback from the audition of Dermot Mulroney, who has strong improv background, was great, and the pilot, which co-starred Alan Tudyk and Beau Bridges, went underway with Michael Watkins at the helm. However, NBC was underwhelmed by the completed pilot. It then underwent major recutting, which was reportedly done by the editor of one of NBC’s top drama pilots this year, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced Chase. But, while an improvement vs. the original cut, the new version of the pilot still didn’t impress NBC brass enough to muster a series order.”

Even though she announced that the show was “now dead at NBC,” Andreeva closed with the somewhat encouraging note, “Still, a redevelopment of the concept is a possibility.” If that means recasting, several Stargate Atlantis fans and film, television, and video game producer Jace Hall may get to reopen their campaign to get Joe Flanigan in the Jim Rockford role. But of course, there’s no replacing Beau Bridges as Rocky!