NBC’s revival of ‘The Rockford Files’ is continuing to build out its ensemble, with Michaela McManus (One Tree Hill, Law & Order: SVU) joining the pilot opposite David Boreanaz (SEAL Team, Bones). The project will also see Superbad and Adventureland director Greg Mottola step behind the camera to helm the pilot.
The contemporary take on the classic 1970s detective drama follows James Rockford, newly paroled after serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. Returning to Los Angeles, he resumes life as a private investigator, relying on charm and a certain weary wit to solve cases. Naturally, his attempts at legitimacy quickly place him at odds with both the LAPD and organised crime.
McManus will play Kate, an East Hollywood detective whose history with Rockford is complicated, to put it mildly. Their romantic relationship imploded after Rockford publicly accused fellow officers of framing him, making for an awkward professional reunion. Kate is a new character created for this reboot, rather than one lifted from the original 1974 to 1980 series which starred James Garner as the iconic private eye.
For genre fans, there’s an added wrinkle here. The casting reunites Boreanaz and McManus following their time on ‘SEAL Team’, where McManus played Alana Hayes, the ill-fated wife of Boreanaz’s Jason Hayes. Given how that storyline ended, this new dynamic might feel like unfinished business with more badges and paperwork.
There’s also an off-screen connection. McManus is married in real life to series writer Mike Daniels (One Tree Hill, Vampire Diaries, The Village). She’s long established in her own right, so her casting stands on its own merits. Even so, in an industry where personal and professional worlds tend to blur, the connection is the sort that sparks a knowing smile.
McManus has been keeping busy on the small screen, recently appearing in arcs on Fox’s Memory of a Killer, which is currently airing in the UK on Prime Video, along with roles in 9-1-1: Lone Star, The Orville and Netflix’s You. She’s no stranger to procedural tension or morally grey characters, which feels very much on-brand for a Rockford update.
The pilot will shoot primarily in Atlanta with additional filming in Los Angeles. If the series gets picked up, production location is still to be determined, although a California tax credit bid is reportedly on the table. The project comes from writer Mike Daniels, producers Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly, and Universal Television.
‘The Rockford Files’ is currently classed as ‘in development’ so may, or may not, make it to series. We’ll let you know when we hear more!
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