The Rockford Files (TV Series) A Deadly Maze (1977) User Reviews

Detective Under Glass

[zsenorsock · 8/10 · 19 January 2007]

Larry Linville of M*A*S*H* guest stars as the mysterious and unlikeable Dr. Eric Albach. He meets Rockford in the basement of a darkened and closed house and asks him to look for his missing wife Tracy (Coriine Michaels). At first Rockford hesitates--he doesn't do domestic cases--but when Albach tells him Tracy's story (and raises Rockford's fee), Jim agrees to take on the case.

As he investigates, Rockford gets more and more confused by what's going on. The mystery gets more and more convoluted. His client keeps changing his story. Jim eventually quits, but then is compelled to go back on the case because the loose ends and unsolved mystery keeps bothering him.

Unfortunately the ending of this episode is not nearly as good as its intriguing and mysterious opening. Finding out what Albach is doing is a good reveal but then solving Tracy's murder at the end is almost an afterthought. It's the ride there that's important in this one.

And the ride is a pretty good one. In addition to the mystery, we have the sight of Dennis with a broken nose (recieved when Chapman runs a red light while driving Dennis!) ; a rare mention of Jim's mom as Rocky remembers what she was like; a fine moment with beloved movie icon J. Pat O'Malley as movie star Billy Baines (O'Malley appeared with Garner in "Maverick" 20 years earlier) and Larry Linville's cold distant performance as Albach is pretty convincing. He's in a different world than Frank Burns.

What the story really is

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 29 January 2015]

The former Major Frank Burns of MASH guest stars in this Rockford Files episode. Larry Linville plays an eccentric man who hires James Garner to find a missing wife. But leads quickly turn this case into something else. Besides Jim Rockford suspects something dicey in the whole setup.

As well he should with a butcher who looks like he doubles as a Mafia leg breaker threatening to carve him up with a meat cleaver. Still Linville even offers big money for Garner to continue with the case.

After Garner finds the wife played by Corinne Camacho and she tells him that she wants to stay missing later on he finds her dead. After that it becomes a case for Dennis Becker.

I have to say I was surprised as all get out when I found out exactly who Larry Linville was and what his intentions were. If I were Jim Rockford I'd have slugged him.

Wait till you see what Linville's intentions were.

Something different !

[ronnybee2112 · 9/10 · 9 October 2021]

This Rockford files episode is rather convoluted and can be confusing but it does hold together. Apparently our favorite detective has accepted a job that is not quite what it seems. What it appears to be at first,is a simple case of a missing wife who may or may not be a psychiatric patient.

What happens ?

Jim Rockford is taken for a wild ride,all stemming from a university and/or government psychological study something like the real-life 'MK ULTRA'.

Our favorite detective is being led around on a wild-goose-chase while his reactions are being secretly observed,recorded, and studied by the University crew.

Our man Rockford knows something isn't right,but he cannot quite figure out just what it is.

Eventually, Rockford manages to find the office that the University study-group works from,and he somehow manages to overhear enough to bring him up to speed on most of the phony baloney experiments.

Confusing and farfetched as it may be,this episode is pretty interesting and engaging,I really liked it in fact.

9/10,very good!

Lab Rat Rockford

[Resurgum · 10/10 · 22 May 2013]

Basically, Jim becomes the unwitting subject of a behavioral psychology experiment conducted by Dr. Eric Albach played by the great Larry Linville. As an interesting aside, I'm pretty sure this is the first work Larry Linville did after leaving M*A*S*H.

Fortumately, Linville gets a lot of screen time and is really the costar in this episode. As was often the case, Linville plays the opposite of what he was like in real life. He plays a cold, unlikeable man to perfection. It's too bad Larry Linville never really got his due as an actor.

Some other highlights of this episode are two running gags. One of the gags is Rocky wants Jim to sit down and eat the fish dinner he prepared, but Jim is so preoccupied with the case he's on he keeps starting and stopping eating and eventually leaves to continue on the case. The other gag is Sgt. Becker wears a funny looking nose bandage throughout the episode.

This episode is another great example of the combo of humor and serious drama that is The Rockford Files. I like how this episode leads us one way, but then has a twist at the end.

Rockford the pawn

[stones78 · 21 March 2011]

I have to admit this quirky episode had me fooled a bit, as a stoic doctor,(as in doctorate, although for a while I thought a medical doctor)played convincingly by Larry Linville, hires a reluctant Rockford to find his "missing" wife. It's mentioned that he doesn't usually handle domestic cases, but something's odd about this one, plus a hefty raise by the doctor, convinces him otherwise. There's a hilarious moment for me, right after Rockford is threatened to hang in a meat freezer by goons, Rocky comes outside and says to Jim, "hey sonny, what was their beef?", to which Jim replies/yells "you trying to be funny, Rocky?". I never laughed harder for any Rockford Files episode. Long story short, it turns out that the whole "missing wife by bad goons angle" was in fact planned by the doctor, who specializes in behavior health, and was awarded a federal grant to conduct the study; Rockford was a participant, and he's not happy when he finds out. This leads to the second storyline, which has the same woman(a prostitute)murdered in a botched robbery scheme in which her male "friend?" tried to arrange; she had second thoughts, so he killed her. The manner in which he surrenders easily to Rockford was unrealistic and lame; I'd be fighting for my life to escape rather than be dragged by my collar while standing up. I know your tough, Jimbo, but I'm not going down without a fight, like this guy basically does. That being said, this is a fine episode in which a lot occurs under an hour, which signals great writing to me. Lastly, Dennis wears a bandage for a broken nose for the duration, and look for a cool shot of a late 70's model Trans Am(not Jim's) with the huge bird on the hood.

Highly original

[kindofblue-78221 · 10/10 · 8 July 2022]

This gem keeps you guessing all the way through and beyond.

No spoilers here though. You'll have to watch it unwind for yourself.

TRF maintained such a high standard throughout and its not easy maintaining that level of quality throughout.

Maybe the major problem with any series that runs for years is maintaining originality.

Believe me, this story is as original as they get.

Another essential rockford.

Different type of episode but it worked!

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 13 March 2019]

Different type of episode but it worked! Well we got Frank Burns from M A S H playing the annoying/weird prof, and Jim sent off on a mission. Well written, directed and acted. What I like was Jim's keen eye on details, like photography, story inconsistencies, and being able to apply the art of the con to figure out the episode. A surprise twist ending. Jim is part of a behavioral science project, with the professor trying to find out what morally, and personal drives Jim with monetary stimulus applied. The ending had a memorable twist. A Deadly Maze is the Rockford with the surprise ending episode. 7 stars.

Larry Linville guest stars

[safenoe · 7/10 · 13 August 2020]

Freshly moving on from M*A*S*H, Larry Linville ventured into The Rockford Files, who plays a malevolent character who pays bundles of money to hire Jim to find his wife, or so we think! Nice twists and turns in this episode.