‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘Dog Gone’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​I find it funny how sometimes, we settle in to watch a particular show or movie with the expectation that it is going to provide us with a specific plot point or thematic concept to mull over, only to see that story take us in a wildly different direction. It’s a pleasant surprise to say the least, since it demonstrates the versatility of the story in question and it’s oddly enough something that happened to me when I settled in to watch the next episode of CHiPs. Because I was flat out expecting to see more of that perfect encapsulation of the 70s that the first two episodes have offered up thus far, but instead, I was treated to quite the lighthearted tale.
 
For ‘Dog Gone’, ended up being a fine reminder of how in many ways this series was viewed as family show through and through and that was reinforced in this tale by way of the introduction of a cute but mischievous puppy that was later dubbed Fido, who came into Ponch and Jon’s life shortly after causing a few accidents while running around on the freeway and well, this dog allowed for all kinds of hilarious moments to come forth. For both officers quickly fell in love with the little pooch, and seeing Jon do his best to hide him at his apartment, before dumping him off on his partner left me in stitches to be honest, since the comedy here was handled in smooth and natural fashion, and this is precisely what made this show a family favorite since this is the kind of warm and silly entertainment that anyone can enjoy.
 
Plus, having both of these guys care for the dog gives us insight early on in the series as to what kind of people they are and it’s good to know that neither Ponch or Jon are good with just leaving a dog at a shelter. But, while this part of the story was fun in its own right, this is of course a police serial, and what would it be without a Creep of the Week to cause trouble and well, the series introduced a different one of those for this episode as well. For while the past two episodes featured conniving and greasy thieves on the highway, this one featured a revenge plot involving a tough guy with an easily bruised ego named Boots, who couldn’t stand the fact that Ponch stood up to him and put him in his place.
 
That motivated him and his buddies to keep an eye on Ponch in order to figure out where he lives, so they could exact a little payback upon him, and unfortunately for Jon, a moment of distraction, put him in the sights of these egotistical bros who took the time to loosen a bolt on the front of his bike, setting the stage for some serious danger. For, at any moment, that bolt could fly off and take Jon out, and thankfully, a guilty conscience from one of the bros, prompted him to alert Sergeant Getraer as to what Boots and his boys had done, and thanks to that alert and Jon’s quick thinking, no one was harmed, the bros got a one way ticket to jail and Fido was reunited with his beloved owners.
 
So, yeah, this one wraps up pretty nicely and when all is said and done, I have to admit, I was quite impressed with the script for this one. Simply because, every plot thread in this episode was tied together seamlessly, and I really love how a simple moment on the freeway blossomed into so much more. But what I loved the most about this episode, is the sheer fact that it really allowed for us to get to know the characters a little better, especially the Sarge, since we were able to see him spring into action to keep Ponch and Jon safe, and that moment really allowed for us to see how much he cares about his officers. Plus, as an added bonus for me, this turned out to be an episode I’d actually never seen before, which made this lighthearted romp quite the treat, and I’m looking forward to seeing what other fun adventures await me as I continue through season one. Until next time.  

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