Question: Tony Petrocelli vs. Frank Cannon vs. Jim Rockford

Which seventies crime-solver would you rely on?

  • Total voters
    15
Motorik

Motorik

Kick Henry Jackassowski
I know most of you prefer not to entertain hypotheticals because the world as it is is vexing enough, but indulge me. If you were accused of a crime, which of the three celebrated seventies crime-solvers would you want on your case, and why?

Petrocelli

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Cannon

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Rockford

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I am not saying I am in trouble with the law, mind you. It's a hypothetical question.
 
sunvalleylaw said:
Dude. James Rockford. Not even a question. And don’t forget Rocky.
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I would certainly trust Rockford if it came to charming the ladies or using fake namecards to get info, but I am a bit concerned about his track record of getting beaten up. If it came to rough stuff would he be up to it, or would I be better going with rotund black-belt Cannon?
 
I know there's a nostalgia for these things now, but I really couldn't stand any of these shows in the seventies. The most original thing on television in that era was Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

But much like cheap Japanese guitars in the 60s, there is always a future generation to appreciate things that were understood as crap in their own time.

Sorry probably a bit extreme. Television in the seventies just epitomized for me everything wrong with American society in my teens. It literally depressed me back then.
 
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Motorik said:
I would certainly trust Rockford if it came to charming the ladies or using fake namecards to get info, but I am a bit concerned about his track record of getting beaten up. If it came to rough stuff would he be up to it, or would I be better going with rotund black-belt Cannon?
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Mannix!
Though he does get his ass kicked a lot.
 
rickenvox said:
I know there's a nostalgia for these things now, but I really couldn't stand any of these shows in the seventies. The most original thing on television in that era was Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

But much like cheap Japanese guitars in the 60s, there is always a future generation to appreciate things that were understood as crap in their own time.

Sorry probably a bit extreme. Television in the seventies just epitomized for me everything wrong with American society in my teens. It literally depressed me back then.
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Even Columbo? Columbo is my 'comfy pair of slippers' show. Some big-wig looking down their nose at the lieutenant, Columbo going off on non-linear speeches, the killer getting increasingly exasperated, and then the 'just one other thing' zinger. I find it so satisfying. Plus, you can fall asleep during it and it won't spoil the mystery, because you already saw at the beginning whodunnit.

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was good. I can see if you didn't like everything else then it would be the one show you did like, because it satirised the tv drama conventions.
 
Rockford always struck me as kind of an underdog who manages to stumble onto the solution through sheer dumb luck. Gets the job done, but the process doesn't inspire confidence.

I don't remember much about Cannon -- haven't watched it since I was a kid. If there's a foot chase involved, he's probably not your guy. Even Ironside would be swifter.

So I guess that leaves Petrocelli. However, there's an actual murderer grabbing his shoulder in that photo, and he's just sitting there like an idiot.
 
Tralfaz said:
Rockford always struck me as kind of an underdog who manages to stumble onto the solution through sheer dumb luck. Gets the job done, but the process doesn't inspire confidence.

I don't remember much about Cannon -- haven't watched it since I was a kid. If there's a foot chase involved, he's probably not your guy. Even Ironside would be swifter.

So I guess that leaves Petrocelli. However, there's an actual murderer grabbing his shoulder in that photo, and he's just sitting there like an idiot.
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Perfect take on Rockford! He did seem to bumble his way to the solution. Plus, he lived in a trailer, which didn't suggest success. Nice car though.

Frank Cannon appealed to the kind of viewer who likes seeing an obese middle-aged man beating the answer out of much younger, fitter men.



Plus, he had a phone in his car, whereas Jim Rockford had an answer machine. I guess Cannon would be easier to reach?

Good call on the actual real life murderer grabbing Petrocelli! Petrocelli spent his spare time building his house, and never seemed to get much of it done. I guess solving crime was his priority.
 
Jimbo all the way!!!

*He always got his guy and he's my favorite.
I'm assuming they all solved their cases.

We all know who's behind the wheel.
Pulling a 'Rockford'.
 
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Motorik said:
Perfect take on Rockford! He did seem to bumble his way to the solution. Plus, he lived in a trailer, which didn't suggest success. Nice car though.

Frank Cannon appealed to the kind of viewer who likes seeing an obese middle-aged man beating the answer out of much younger, fitter men.



Plus, he had a phone in his car, whereas Jim Rockford had an answer machine. I guess Cannon would be easier to reach?

Good call on the actual real life murderer grabbing Petrocelli! Petrocelli spent his spare time building his house, and never seemed to get much of it done. I guess solving crime was his priority.
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Oh yeah... I totally forgot about Petrocelli's never-ending homebuilding. He should've lived on a boat like Quincy.

I kinda sorta remember that Petrocelli was in the top of the ratings until he lost a case. The viewers peeled away after that, and then the show was cancelled.
 
Motorik said:
Even Columbo? Columbo is my 'comfy pair of slippers' show. Some big-wig looking down their nose at the lieutenant, Columbo going off on non-linear speeches, the killer getting increasingly exasperated, and then the 'just one other thing' zinger. I find it so satisfying. Plus, you can fall asleep during it and it won't spoil the mystery, because you already saw at the beginning whodunnit.

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was good. I can see if you didn't like everything else then it would be the one show you did like, because it satirised the tv drama conventions.
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Wow, your knowledge of 70s American television is impressive. You're right, Columbo was great and completely different from the others and I enjoyed it. What was the name of the Columbo movie? That was even funnier.
 
I don't remember the 1st guy, and I grew up in the '70s :shrug:

Always liked Rockford Files. Campy but fun whodonit.
 
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