After all the hype and promotion, red carpet previews for many Battle Creek residents, the dust settled a little Monday and I sat down to watch the premiere of Battle Creek.

As I expected from watching the trailers and previews, much of the dynamic of the show will center around characters Detective Milt Chamberlain (Josh Duhamel) and Detective Russ Agnew (Dean Winters). They're relationship - based on different perspectives on how to do their jobs - has potential, and their differences spark interest enough to make viewers want to keep watching.

I had to laugh out loud, though, in less than 15 minutes into the premiere. Why? Oh, because of the tribute Battle Creek payed to shows before it. Detective Chamberlain answers the phone in the squad room and learns about a double homicide. Agnew responds by, essentially, saying double homicides don't happen in Battle Creek.

"Magnum gets double homicides! Rockford gets double homicides," Agnew said, in reference to the 1980's detective show Magnum, P.I. starring Tom Selleck and the 1970's detective show The Rockford Files starring the late James Garner.

I'm a rabid Rockford fan. In fact, thanks to social media, I've met other rabid fans - and even some people who worked with Garner on the show. So, hearing the Rockford reference made right off the bat made Battle Creek AOK in my book.

I do look forward to the development of the characters on Battle Creek, which - with the influence of Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) and David Shore (House) - should be interesting. The DVR is set!

L-R: "The Rockford Files" set designer Robert Zilliox, film editor Diane Adler, Garner stunt double Roydon Clark and WBCK's Richard Piet in 2012.
L-R: "The Rockford Files" set designer Robert Zilliox, film editor Diane Adler, Garner stunt double Roydon Clark and WBCK's Richard Piet in 2012.
loading...

Hear The Richard Piet Show weekday mornings from 5:30-9 on WBCK.

 

More From WBCKFM