The Rockford Files backdrop
The Rockford Files S5E5 — Kill the Messenger
8.5
The Rockford Files•Season 5•Episode 5

Kill the Messenger

8.5/10 · 338 votesOct 27, 197843 min

Ranked #3 of 19 in Season 5•+0.6 vs season avg

Discussion

When an already overly stressed Dennis Becker is lumped with the unwelcome task of finding out who murdered Deputy Chief Towne's unfaithful wife, Jim decides to lend a hand in the investigation.

Directed byIvan Dixon
Written byJuanita Bartlett
Previous episodeE4 · White on White and Nearly PerfectNext episodeE6 · The Empty Frame
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons6

All123456

Season 5 Episodes21

Heartaches of a Fool stillE1 8.2

Heartaches of a Fool

Rosendahl and Gilda Stern Are Dead stillE2 7.7

Rosendahl and Gilda Stern Are Dead

The Jersey Bounce stillE3 8.1

The Jersey Bounce

White on White and Nearly Perfect stillE4 8.8

White on White and Nearly Perfect

Kill the Messenger stillE5 8.5Now viewing

Kill the Messenger

The Empty Frame stillE6 7.5

The Empty Frame

Three Day Affair with a Thirty Day Escrow stillE7 7.4

Three Day Affair with a Thirty Day Escrow

A Good Clean Bust with Sequel Rights stillE8 8.4

A Good Clean Bust with Sequel Rights

Black Mirror: Part 1 stillE9 8.1

Black Mirror: Part 1

Black Mirror: Part 2 stillE10 7.7

Black Mirror: Part 2

A Fast Count stillE11 7.2

A Fast Count

Local Man Eaten by Newspaper stillE12 7.3

Local Man Eaten by Newspaper

The Battle-Ax and the Exploding Cigar stillE14 7.2

The Battle-Ax and the Exploding Cigar

Guilt stillE15 7.8

Guilt

The Deuce stillE16 7.7

The Deuce

The Man Who Saw the Alligators stillE17 7.5

The Man Who Saw the Alligators

The Return of the Black Shadow stillE18 8.3

The Return of the Black Shadow

A Material Difference stillE19 8.7

A Material Difference

Never Send a Boy King to Do a Man's Job: Part 1 stillE20 7.7

Never Send a Boy King to Do a Man's Job: Part 1

Never Send a Boy King to Do a Man's Job: Part 2 stillE21

Never Send a Boy King to Do a Man's Job: Part 2

A Different Drummer stillE22

A Different Drummer

Cast2

James Garner

James Garner

Jim Rockford

Noah Beery Jr.

Noah Beery Jr.

Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford

Crew2

Ivan Dixon

Ivan Dixon

Director

J

Juanita Bartlett

Writer

Discussion

0 comments

Join the conversation

Share your take and reply to other fans.

No comments yet

Be the first to share your thoughts on this episode.

Episode Summary

"Kill the Messenger" is episode 5 of The Rockford Files season 5. It scored 8.5/10 from 338 votes, ranking #3 of 19 episodes this season (season average 7.9). Directed by Ivan Dixon and written by Juanita Bartlett, it aired on October 27, 1978.

Next: E6 · The Empty FrameBest of Season 5