Maybe it's not as evident in the first season, but in Ghost of General Lee and several episodes after that, you can really see a caring side to Rosco that you don't see often...his face when the General is jumping into the pond in Ghost of General Lee (although it wasn't Bo and Luke) but you can really see he actually does like the Duke Boys, he enjoys the chase, he wouldn't actually want to hurt them at all.

 

Does anyone like this side to Rosco? I really do. 

Oh yes. As he says, it wasn't personal. He really enjoyed the chase. It was a game to him and to the boys too.

Oh yes. As he says, it wasn't personal. He really enjoyed the chase. It was a game to him and to the boys too.

Today I watched Too Many Rosco's, now I'm not much of an emotional guy, but I felt quite sad when the boys thought Rosco was dead,  you can see how much they also care in return, and Rosco's ''funeral'' was generally really sad. and when Flash was crying as well, emotions are always best portrayed in the show. 

How about when Rosco became a millionare and he put that bounty hunter on the boys and then he didn't really want to see them in jail?

   

 

Rosco and Jesse seems so sad, 

a very good proof of they talent of actor.

 

Rosco need to chase the dukes, this guy have not other goal in his life!!!

Every once in a while you get a little of the backstory of the characters- specifically that they have all known each other all their lives in a small town and for whatever reason have ended up in the adult roles that they are in (law enforcement, etc.).  Despite rivalries, different moral codes, or being on opposite sides of the law, everybody care about each other on some level whether they want to or not.  Its a very 'small town' dynamic.

 

Mark

When the series first started Rosco didn't seem to like the Dukes too much but his attitude softened later. I suspect the writers knew that the fans liked Rosco getting softer but didn't want him to take it too easy on them or that would ruin everything. I always liked the soft side of Rosco. I also liked it when Boss showed his soft side toward Rosco. I just watched "10 Million Dollar Sheriff" on CMT and I loved the scene at the very end where Boss was gentle on Rosco when he found out that his life really was in danger. Of course seconds later he wouldn't lend Rosco 10 dollars!

Yea that one was good! He was going to loan him every dollar he had....or ever HOPED to have.....until he found out he wasn't in any real danger....then it was the same ol' Boss...." See some other sucker!"  

at the opposite on "granny anny" story Rosco was prisoner, and Boss was kidnapped, so he ask to the duke to help him for saving Boss.

at this moment we can touch the complicity between them during a short time.

Rosco had a lot different behavior, he can be funny, sadly, choleric and appealing.

 

Yes, James Best was one of the better actors there ever was!