‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘E.M.T’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​The more I dive into season three of CHiPs, the more impressed I am with this particular police serial. Because this back half of the season has offered up some fascinating stories, the kind that are outright fresh and original, and they have also managed to challenge our intrepid heroes like never before. All while offering up everything that we know and love about this series and I am proud to report that the next episode in this wondrous season of storytelling, is another one that meets these particular criteria. And it accomplished such a feat, all by having Ponch and Jon add a new wrinkle to their already long list of qualifications as California Highway Patrolmen.
 
For ‘E.M.T.’ saw the dynamic duo take advantage of a unique opportunity, wherein they could save more lives by training to be Emergency Medical Technicians at a special course at U.C.L.A., since they’re often the first on the scene and helpless to do anything until the paramedics arrive. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a little break from the everyday grind and at first glance this seemed like it was going to be a smooth run for our dynamic duo, that is until they met their instructor. For Michael Adams was a certified E.M.T. that Ponch and Jon pulled over for some reckless moments on the road, and he was quick to ride them and push them in negative fashion, but for reasons outside of a mere vendetta.
 
Because Michael was a bitter man at this point in his life, for a few years ago his son was involved in a car wreck that badly damaged his legs, legs that could have been saved had someone known an ounce of Mister Allen’s skill set. Which prompted Michael to take his job extremely seriously, to the point where he was spending less time at home in order to teach others, creating a rift within his family and his belief that no one cared enough, combined with Ponch and Jon’s overall confidence and bravado is what drove him to such fury and anger and overall need to be proven right. But as is often the case in the universe, when someone gets that sour in their soul, karma finds a way to teach them a valuable lesson.
 
That came about by way of a subplot that was building to a dangerous crescendo throughout the episode, one that featured a pair of kids who built their clubhouse in a tiny cave beneath the overpass and day by day, the stability of that hideout became quite questionable, and it took a nasty accident to bring the worst case scenario to fruition, trapping the kids in a scary situation. Thankfully of course, Ponch and Jon and Michael were on the scene, and they worked hard to free the kids. But another shift in the dirt hurt Michael badly, to the point where he was just ready to surrender. But Ponch knew what buttons to press to get him to snap him out of his funk, and it worked, and he made peace with his emotional pain and our dynamic duo, and of course… those kids were saved as well.
 
If anything, it was quite cool to see Ponch and Jon take the time to learn some new skills that would help them in the long run, and it was also wonderful to see them help out someone in emotional need. But while this episode was pretty darn awesome in its own right, there is one glaring issue that I have with it; the whole parasail rescue scene. It was just too perfect and too over the top to not roll your eyes at, and while I know what it was designed to do for the plot, silly is silly. However, it’s something that one can overlook because everything else this story featured was moving and strong and I’m not going to let a single wild moment ruin what is quickly becoming an incredible hot streak of storytelling for this series. Until next time. 

---