Ep 6. The Great Blue Lake Land and Development Company

James Garner returns as Jim Rockford, the wisecracking private investigator with a penchant for getting in over his head. In season 2, episode 6, titled The Great Blue Lake Land and Development Company, Rockford is hired by a group of elderly homeowners who are being pressured into selling their lakefront properties to a real estate developer.

The developer, Gerald Eskith, is played with smarmy charm by guest star John Dehner. Eskith and his cronies are intent on bulldozing the homes and building a luxury hotel and marina on the lake. But the residents aren't willing to give up their peaceful way of life without a fight.

Rockford agrees to take on their case, despite the fact that his fee is a measly ten dollars and a turkey sandwich. He starts his investigation by gathering information on Eskith and his company, The Great Blue Lake Land and Development Company.

This leads him to the office of a crooked lawyer named Randolph Beamer, played perfectly by character actor William Smithers. Beamer is in cahoots with Eskith and is willing to do whatever it takes to make the real estate deal go through, including filing bogus lawsuits and threatening the residents with violence.

Rockford also meets a beautiful woman named Maria, played by Christina Hart, who has her own reasons for wanting to stop Eskith's development plans. Maria was once roommates with Eskith's wife and knows some damaging information about him that she's willing to share with Rockford.

As Rockford digs deeper, he uncovers a web of corruption and deceit involving not only Eskith and Beamer, but also a local politician and a group of shady investors. The stakes are raised when a resident is murdered and Rockford becomes a prime suspect.

The Great Blue Lake Land and Development Company is a classic example of the type of smart, engaging, and entertaining storytelling that made The Rockford Files a hit in the 1970s. Garner's performance as the affable yet tough-as-nails Rockford is as winning as ever, and the supporting cast is top-notch.

The episode is also notable for its beautiful location filming at the picturesque Lake Piru in California. The lake serves as the perfect setting for the conflict between the residents and the developers, and the stunning scenery is captured beautifully by director William Wiard.

Overall, The Great Blue Lake Land and Development Company is a standout episode in The Rockford Files' second season. It's a thrilling, funny, and suspenseful detective story that showcases the best of 70s television.