MovieChat Forums > Harry O (1973) Discussion > How's it possible he didn't carry a gun?

How's it possible he didn't carry a gun?

posted 11 years ago by shlubby_has_taste
9 replies | jump to latest

This just makes absolutely no sense. Was it possibly explained? I'm part way through Season 1.

I watch alotta TV...but that doesn't mean I don't have a job.

[–] The_Man_in_the_Planet 11 years ago

Because he kept getting knocked out, so of course then the bad guy took his gun? Sorry, I love this series, but I couldn't help myself.

I don't know right now if that was ever explained, and I could be wrong, but it seems like he did carry a gun in the second season. I'd have to watch more episodes and get back to you on that. I'm only recently re-watching this series after not seeing it for years.

Next time you see me, it won't be me

[–] mustang2006 11 years ago

It makes sense if you think of Harry as idiosyncratic, like Columbo (who didn't carry one either).

Norman Vincent Peale: "Stay Alive All Your Life".

[–] shlubby_has_taste 11 years ago

That's fair. I did see him use a gun once (so far), but I'm not sure where he got it. I was assuming since he was a retired police officer, that he naturally carried a gun. Your point could prove that wrong.

I've already ordered Season 2...maybe I'll figure it out by series' end.

I watch alotta TV...but that doesn't mean I don't have a job.

[–] The_Man_in_the_Planet 11 years ago

Now that I've re-watched more of S2, I have to admit I was wrong. It's Trench and Roberts running around waving guns, not Orwell.

EDIT: Nope, I was wrong with the above. Harry DOES sometimes carry a gun in S2.

Next time you see me, it won't be me

[–] pengel-1 10 years ago

Harry O was quirky. He didn't like guns. He also liked taking the bus.

Rockford often didn't carry his gun either because as an ex-con he couldn't get a license for it. He kept it in the cookie jar in the event of trouble. That wouldn't go over so well now.

[–] rogerscorpion 9 years ago

Harry took the bus, because his car wasn't running.

Carpe Noctem!

[–] tommary1962 9 years ago

Incorrect. He says in the second pilot film that it's a way of life.

[–] bpvalentine 9 years ago

I suspect it was a matter of back in the day one part politics with not wanting too much violence on TV and not limiting audience and another part not wanting Harry O to have too much of an upper hand. In some shows the good guys do have guns and they’re always missing until the plot needs them to get the bad guys between the eyes, you know? Maybe back then TV people weren’t ready to let their characters look like such lousy shots.

Harry O does have a bullet lodged near his spine. Maybe he had his gun taken away from him once and is afraid of it happening again. Or afraid of escalating the violence.

Keep in mind TV shows weren’t how they are today. Back then each episode was essentially taken on its own terms without much memory for what happened on other episodes. As audiences, yeah, Harry O should def be packing heat. For Harry O, he probably sees himself as trying to stay out of trouble even though that’s laughable.

This is one instance shows that Rockford File was a better written show -- Rockford was conceived as something of a coward, even if we never really buy that, it at least explains why he wouldn’t want to touch a gun.

[–] tommary1962 9 years ago

He didn't like guns. Contrary to TV today, most PI's do NOT carry guns.