‘The Rockford Files’ And 4 Procedurals You Never Knew Were Remakes
As a TV fan, I’ve come to love the comfort of a procedural drama in a network’s line-up. For example, I look forward to Grey’s Anatomy (2005) every season. There’s always one on TV with reruns, too. There’s also the chance that a procedural will launch one—if not way more—spinoffs, creating an entire universe on the small screen. Over the years, there has been a tendency for procedurals to manifest as a way to bring back iconic, popular IP. These new versions of beloved or long-running procedural dramas are described as “reimaginings” of the original.
They evolve to put their own spin on the characters and stories. Usually, that means moving away from a steadfast lead to a bigger ensemble, which I prefer. It also means a more diverse cast to reflect the world more accurately. In all of that, the new procedurals have to walk the line of appealing to, but maybe not entirely satisfying, original fans and pulling in new audiences. There’s one premiering soon enough—NBC’s The Rockford Files—that will have to navigate all of this. It’s not the only one, though. You can watch these shows on Hulu, Netflix, and more.
The Rockford Files is the latest procedural remake on this list, and it’s also the one I know least about. More information is starting to come out about it as NBC plans for a mid-season premiere. The main thing to know is that this show is described as “a contemporary update on the classic series of the same name.” The Rockford Files (1974) aired for six seasons on NBC. That original series starred James Garner as James Rockford.
NBC’s new version of The Rockford Files describes the titular character as a charming private investigator who is newly paroled for a crime he didn’t commit. The new show stars David Boreanaz, who is no stranger to a procedural TV show. Many new fans may tune in after watching him as Seeley Booth in 12 seasons of Bones (2005) or after watching him as Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) and Angel (1999). Needless to say, TV fans will know that Boreanaz being attached could mean good things for The Rockford Files’ longevity.
As far as procedural remakes go, CBS’s new take on Matlock (1985) may be my favorite. The original legal procedural starred Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock. He’s an approachable and charming criminal defense attorney. The show ran for nine seasons on NBC until 1995.
Nearly 30 years later, the incomparable Kathy Bates stepped into the courtroom as Madeline “Matty” Matlock. I don’t even want to tell you too much about this character so as not to spoil the reason why she rejoins the workforce. Just know that Bates’s Matty is very much aware of the Ben Matlock comparisons and uses them to her advantage in this gender-flipped reimagining of the original series. It’s one of the only procedurals on this list that’s still airing, too. Matlock’s third season is expected to premiere as part of the network’s mid-season slate this year.
This is one of my personal favorite procedural remakes because of the slightest change in the title. Hawaii Five-O (1986) ran for an impressive twelve seasons. Its reboot dropped the “o” and replaced it with a “0” for Hawaii Five-0 when it debuted on CBS 30 years after the original. The reboot, like the original, is also set in Hawaii and had an impressive run—10 seasons.
Like the other original procedurals on this list, Hawaii Five-O had a white male lead who mostly operated on his own. In this case, that’s Detective Captain Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord), who received support from characters like Danny "Danno" Williams (James MacArthur). In the more fast-paced reboot, Alex O’Loughlin’s Steve McGarrett and Scott Caan’s Danny Williams are very much the heart of the show as a buddy-cop duo. For the better, this show also has a great ensemble, including Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) and Kono Kalakaua (Grace Park).
Walker is a reimagining of Walker, Texas Ranger (1993). The latter aired for eight seasons on CBS until 2001. It starred Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker, who is a complete lone wolf in the Western show. Also, as expected with Norris as the lead, Walker, Texas Ranger has an emphasis on action sequences and martial arts—sometimes at the expense of substantial storytelling.
So, when Walker debuted on The CW, it took a different approach. It has procedural elements but opts for a more serialized narrative structure. From the beginning, one of the biggest mysteries is about Cordell Walker’s (Jared Padalecki) wife’s murder. So, Walker works best as a family-driven, slower-paced show and does so for four seasons, even launching a one-season prequel series, Walker: Independence (2022).
The original MacGyver (1985) starred Richard Dean Anderson in the titular role. It ran for seven seasons on ABC until 1992. Dean Anderson’s Angus MacGyver has a supporting cast, of course, but the show mainly prioritizes him as the lead. Both because of the character and when it takes place, the ABC series also relies more on practical fixes and gadgets.
Meanwhile, the CBS reboot, which ran for five seasons, stars Lucas Till in the titular role. As a girl who grew up with him as Travis Brody in Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), I loved that Till would lead a procedural show. This MacGyver is a more ensemble-driven, high-tech, fast-paced take on the iconic character and his story. As it turns out, Peter M. Lenkov developed it, as well as the Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. (2018) reboots.
