Why NBC is Delaying Reboot of the ‘Greatest TV Series of All Time'
Fans of private detective Jim Rockford will have to wait a bit longer than expected for his return to screens.
The 1974 seriesThe Rockford Files has an upcoming reboot on NBC, but the release date is being pushed to midseason.
The original show aired for six seasons, from 1974 to 1980. It starred James Garner as the titular character and was created by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell.
The show saw success with five Emmys and 18 nominations. It was ranked one of the "Best TV Series" byRolling Stone.
The Rockford Files followed Jim Rockford after he was falsely convicted of a crime. The private detective works to solve crimes, often with the help of his ex-con friends. For Rockford, investigating often involved a fight. The action drama was a huge hit.
On Monday, May 11, Variety reported NBC's fall schedule, announcing that The Rockford Files reboot will be pushed to January.
According to LisaKatz, president of scripted content at NBC & Peacock, the decision to hold the show is to give it the best chance to succeed.
"It's largely because of the time periods they're going into. We are putting TraitorsThursday at 8, and we also think that is a great time period for ‘Rockford,'" she said.
The network doesn't have any 8 p.m. slots available in the fall. By pushing the reboot to January, "it's an opportunity to put it where we think it'll get the biggest and best audience," said Katz.
The Rockford Files remake has seen quite a bit of buzz since it was announced as one of the first NBC pilots to be picked up. The new series will star DavidBoreanaz, Michaela McManus, FelixSolis, and JackiWeaver.
The detective drama isn't the only show to be delayed until midseason. Upcoming comedy series, Sunset PI, is now set to premiere in February. The show is from the Brooklyn Nine-Nine team and stars Jake Johnson.
Check out NBC's official fall 2026-2027 lineup here!
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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 3:53 PM.