Ep 18. In Hazard

Jim Rockford is a former convict turned private investigator who takes on an unusual case in season 2 episode 18 of The Rockford Files titled "In Hazard."

The episode opens with Jim driving his signature gold Pontiac Firebird to the office of Los Angeles attorney, Dennis Becker. Dennis asks Jim to help out a client of his, Joey Mauldin, who is facing a possible prison sentence for armed robbery.

Joey, a former firefighter, has fallen on hard times due to his heavy drinking and gambling addiction. Desperate for cash, he decided to rob a liquor store with a toy gun, only to be caught by the police soon after.

Initially, Jim is hesitant to take the case, given Joey's criminal history. But he agrees to investigate the matter when he learns that Joey's teenage daughter, Lisa, is in danger of being taken away by social services.

He starts by talking to Joey's estranged wife, Gail, who informs him that Joey's drinking problem began after he was injured on the job and had to retire from the fire department. She says that she wants to help Joey but is afraid of getting involved because of his violent outbursts.

Jim decides to pay a visit to the liquor store to see if he can find any leads. While there, he witnesses a group of men trying to rob the place. Jim successfully foils the attempted robbery, but the robbers get away.

It is soon revealed that the robbers are actually a group of firefighters who have formed a vigilante group to fight crime in their community. They become suspicious of Jim when they realize that he was at the liquor store during the attempted robbery.

As Jim delves deeper into the case, he discovers that the firefighters' vigilante group is not as noble as it seems. They have unwittingly become involved in some shady dealings with a crooked land developer who is trying to force out the residents of a trailer park in order to build a shopping mall.

Jim's investigation puts him in harm's way as the vigilante group and the land developer become more and more desperate to keep their secrets hidden. But with Becker's help, Jim is able to expose the truth and clear Joey's name.

The episode wraps up with Joey vowing to get his life back on track and win back his wife and daughter's trust.

"In Hazard" is a classic episode of The Rockford Files that highlights the show's unique blend of crime-solving action and character-driven storytelling. James Garner shines in his role as Jim Rockford, a man of questionable morals but unwavering loyalty to his clients. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats as Jim dives deeper into the case, unraveling a web of corruption and deceit while putting himself in danger to help those who need it most.