u/sirchutney

Saw this absolute belter today — Scott Dobson’s Larn Yersel’ Geordie with George House and Mike Neville front and centre. Proper slice of North East culture.

Anyone else remember this?

Tom Selleck’s Lance White Rockford Files episodes always feel like a stealth Rockford/Magnum crossover — the impossibly lucky, sunshine‑powered PI dropped straight into Rockford’s gritty world, driving Jim absolutely mad with his cosmic good fortune.

It’s basically Magnum in prototype form wandering into Rockford’s universe and accidentally stealing the spotlight.

Which version of Selleck do you relate to more? The hyper‑competent Lance White or the more grounded Thomas Magnum?

Anyone remember these?

A 1970s disability car — one of those wonderfully distinctive little vehicles that were once a familiar sight on British roads.

It looks almost comically tiny by today’s standards, but these cars gave disabled people a level of independence that simply wasn’t available otherwise.

Did anyone here actually drive or ride in one?

Who else had the nodding chicken tiles in their bathroom?

We had the pink ones covered in these weird veiny chicken-looking tiles? The green ones, the pink ones, the blue ones… I think they were EVERYWHERE.

I need to know I’m not alone in this.

My dad used to do all the home accounts from this old tin in the 70s — anyone else have one of these?

Growing up, this little metal cash box was basically the centre of our family finances. My dad kept everything in it — household accounts, receipts, the odd tenner tucked away “for emergencies”, and whatever paperwork he didn’t want us touching.

It lived in the same cupboard for decades, came out every Sunday evening, and you always heard the clunk of the latch before you saw him with his notebook and pen. It’s such a simple thing, but it carries a whole era of how families used to run their homes.

Did anyone else’s parents use one of these tins for the weekly accounts or budgeting?

Growing up in the 80s, I had this ridiculous habit: Space Dust in my mouth, Irn Bru in my hand, both at once. It felt like my head was fizzing from the inside out.

Did anyone else have weird kid concoctions that probably shouldn’t have existed?

When I was a kid, I genuinely thought she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Something about her whole presence in Dempsey and Makepeace just lodged itself in my young brain and stayed there.

Who was your TV crush and why?

I’ve been rewatching Richie Brockelman’s appearances in Rockford and I’m trying to get a sense of how people here see him. He’s such an odd fit in Jim’s world: bright, eager, slightly too clean, and somehow still convinced the system will reward him if he just tries hard enough. Watching him bounce off Rockford’s cynicism is half the fun.

From a UK viewer’s angle, Richie feels like a character who only really snaps into focus when he’s standing next to Jim. The contrast does all the work. I rewatched “The Brockelman Connection” last night and found myself liking him more than I expected, even though he still gives off that “kid detective who wandered into the wrong show” energy.

So I’m curious: for those who’ve watched the series for years, did Richie work for you inside Rockford’s universe? Or did he always feel like a guest star who was written to highlight what makes Jim… Jim?

Who remembers Tommy Vance’s Friday Night Rock Show — and what’s the closest thing today?

I’ve been thinking about the old Friday Night Rock Show on BBC Radio 1 with Tommy Vance. For a lot of us growing up, it was the gateway into heavy metal, hard rock and everything heavier — discovering new bands, hearing album tracks you’d never get on daytime radio, and that feeling of being part of a late-night underground community.

Those Friday nights were special: the anticipation, the opening theme, Tommy’s voice, and hearing bands that felt like they belonged to your own secret world.

Does anyone else still remember listening?

More importantly — what’s the closest modern-day equivalent? Is there anything today that captures that same sense of discovery and excitement for rock and metal fans?

Podcasts? YouTube channels? Radio shows? DJs? Online communities?

Or has the internet changed things so much that nothing can really recreate that Friday night feeling?

This is a recent shot of the actual screen‑used printing press Jim kept rattling around in the back of the Firebird. It wasn’t just a random set dressing piece — the production borrowed it directly from The Earl Hays Press, the same legendary Hollywood shop that handled Rockford’s custom paperwork, business cards, fake IDs, and even those distinctive California license plates the show used.

A tiny slice of behind‑the‑scenes ephemera from a time when Rockford’s whole world was built with real ink, real plates, and real prop‑makers who’d been doing it since the studio system days.

Who wants one?

Just finished Ed Robertson’s 45 Years of The Rockford Files and it’s honestly one of the best deep‑dives into a TV series I’ve ever read.

What really hits you is how much craft went into making Rockford feel effortless — the writing, the character work, the way James Garner could shift from charm to weariness in half a breath. The book pulls together behind‑the‑scenes stories, production notes, and all the little details that explain why the show still feels so sharp decades later.

It’s a reminder of how rare that blend of humour, grit, and humanity really is. Rockford wasn’t a superhero; he was just trying to get through the day without getting punched, sued, or conned — and that’s exactly why he’s still iconic.

Anyone else revisiting Rockford lately?

😨

Just look at the photo. That isn’t just an actor—that is a ruthless, Cold War-era James Bond staring right back at you.

If you grew up on classic 70s and 80s action television, you already know Collins as the absolute epitome of British cool: William Bodie in *The Professionals*. But his connection to 007 is one of cinema's biggest "what ifs."

In the early 80s, Collins auditioned to replace Roger Moore. He had a real-life military background (passing Territorial SAS selection) and brought a hard-edged, dangerous physicality to the screen. He was exactly the blunt instrument of the state that Ian Fleming wrote about in the original novels.

So, what happened?

"He was too aggressive."

That was allegedly the final verdict from legendary Bond producer Cubby Broccoli, who felt Collins leaned too heavily into a "thug" persona. The franchise still wanted raised-eyebrow sophistication and gadgets, not a cold-blooded brawler.

Looking back after the massive success of Daniel Craig’s gritty, unsentimental run, it’s painfully obvious: Lewis Collins wasn't wrong for the role. He was just 25 years too early.

What do you think?

* Would Collins have saved the franchise from the campiness of the late 80s, or did the producers make the right call?

* Who else from that era of television do you think missed their perfect shot at the Walther PPK?