‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘Fox Trap’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

As we continue to barrel toward the series finale of the police serial, CHiPs, another fascinating pattern is beginning to emerge. In that, episodes are starting to offer up dueling plot threads, the kind that remind us why we love the show, alongside stories that quite frankly annoy and remind us why this series went off the air. And truly, it is the next episode in this storied franchise that puts this particular pattern on display. Since ‘Fox Trap’ is a tale that features a traditional and juicy, Creep of the Week story, one that is bookended by an underdeveloped one, that also just happens to feature one epic gimmick. The kind that likely motivated audiences to roll their eyes when this episode originally aired back in 1983, and now for that matter as well.

Simply because this particular plot thread revolves around some super cool rockers that are trying their best to get their big break at last and while that doesn’t seem all that gimmicky, the first problem inherent with this plot thread; is that the leader of the band is a real-life pop star. For Laura Branigan, who was best known for her hit song ‘Gloria’, plays Sarah in this tale, and the show was so eager to suck in viewers that the episode opens up with her and her band performing that very song, in its entirety before they run into the Creeps in question. Which in turn allows for Bobby and Ponch and Bruce to get to know and romance the ladies, after they handle police business of course, and that’s when their storyline takes an interesting turn.

Because they eventually get a contract with a slimy club promoter. One that is planning to straight up sell them into a human trafficking ring. Which means it is up to our titillating trio to save them from that fate, which they do, but as you can see… this storyline is pretty darn gimmicky and it features a missed opportunity as well. Because the show had the chance, once again, to dive into and address a taboo topic that we barely discuss in 2021, but instead it opted to stick with feel good vibes and creepy moments with the promoter, to hammer home the fact that he was a scumbag and that really is a shame. But it is also par for the course for season six and rather than continue to lament this missed opportunity and the decision to try and make a pop star a television star, it’s best we talk about this storyline’s outright foil.

For the whole plot thread involving our Creeps of the Week really was, vintage CHiPs through and through. Because it featured some intelligent and cunning jewel thieves. The kind that did their homework and went the extra mile to outsmart law enforcement in general and even though we don’t spend all that much time with them, both of these thieves are fleshed out characters for certain, as is their henchman. But what matters most when it comes to this particular storyline, is the sheer fact that it finds a way to offer up a thrilling chase sequence, one that involved some tiny little motorbikes and it really was nice to enjoy some classic elements once again and it was equally as fascinating to see this strange battle between dueling storylines play out. 

Because in a way, this whole back and forth between great plot lines and sloppy ones, leaves one to wonder if there was a struggle behind the scenes. Where some of the writers didn’t want to totally sensationalize the show and injected the stuff that fans love to keep them happy. But alas, we may never know and that’s okay. Because it is just nice to know that good storytelling was still a priority for some of the people involved with this series, and it was also comforting to see a quality guest star pop up in this particular tale, since Terry Kiser did a phenomenal job as the greasy promoter and well, just like that, another chapter in this final leg of the journey has come to a close. And it should be interesting to see if this particular back and forth pattern continues along as we close in on the final episode of CHiPs.

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