‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘Brat Patrol’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Something that is truly fascinating about our modern society, is how it tends to utilize a ‘one size fits all approach’, when it comes to how we should find our way in life. For it is a standing expectation that we get out of high school with an idea of what our career path should look like. So that we can pursue it right after leaving college, so that we quickly become a contributing member of society, before we settle down and have a couple of kids; that we inspire to follow the same path before we prepare to exit this life. And while that approach has definitely paid off for so many people throughout the years, this particular structure simply doesn’t work for everyone. Since some young adults need a little more care and direction when it comes to finding their path in the world.

Which is why it is paramount that we support youth groups and after school activities for teenagers, so that they find people with similar interests and likes, since that helps teens that are struggling to find a niche, feel as though they belong. Plus, it also helps them get a taste of what the world is all about, which in turn should motivate them to start to think about what their future is going to look like. But while those programs are important to helping those that are lost, find their way, there is one other key component that matters in regard to this particular equation; and that’s making sure that lost teens have a solid mentor as well. Because a good mentor keeps people grounded and motivates them to do more and be more, and really, all of this is relevant to our discussion today, simply because it was one of the focal points of the next episode of CHiPs.

For ‘Brat Patrol’ saw Officer Frank Poncherello take on special duty after suffering an ugly shoulder and arm injury. In that, he was tasked with taking command of the CHP Explorer Program. Which was an initiative that allowed for teens to get a taste of police work in order to see if that was something that they might be interested in pursuing later on in life and well, Ponch had to deal with quite the challenging group for certain. For the teens under his watch, were indeed struggling in life, since they were lost and didn’t have all that much confidence in themselves. But thanks to Frank’s tutelage, they found that confidence and came to realize they had potential and value, and they even came to learn that police work can be quite intriguing for certain and really, this was just a super feel-good plot line and the fluffy storytelling in this particular tale, didn’t end with the Brat Patrol’s growth. 

Because while Ponch was working hard to help these teens achieve more in life, Bruce and Kathy were working to arrest a real nasty drug dealer that was selling some PCP laced weed to kids on the street. And the fact that he hurt kids with his drugs and worked his territory without fear of reprisal, left the good people of this particular neighborhood in utter fear to go out of their homes. But Bruce and Kathy’s dedication to the good people that lived here, and to the letter of the law, allowed for them to narrow the net on this particular drug dealer and eventually bring him to justice. Which in turn brought joy and a sense of security to the neighborhood, one so strong that a young girl that was hospitalized by this guy's rotten and dangerous weed, was happy to return home and heal from her harrowing experience in a safe and peaceful manner.

But what truly allows for this episode to shine, is that the viewer doesn’t at all become annoyed with the fact, that this is a super-sugary episode. Because it really is filled to the brim with souped-up feel-good moments and fluffy concepts that don’t totally align with reality. But believe it or not, all of these concepts work in this particular tale, largely due to the fact that they are presented in an earnest manner to the audience and also because, uplifting storytelling really is a core element of the series. For every single character in this series has been focused upon making the world a better place since day one and let's be honest, it would be super cynical and weird to sit here and knock a show for offering up excess positivity. Especially in this day and age when the world keeps making the struggle quite real, every single day. So, this one gets a pass and praise for doing its best to make us feel good about ourselves and the world. Until next time.

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