‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘Go-Cart Terror’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​You know, when it comes critiques of pop culture, a lot of us out there, myself included, focus heavily on the importance and the gravity of the season finale. Because fans as a whole really do expect the ending of the story to blow us away with quality and powerful storytelling. But you know what needs the same kind of scrutiny? Season premieres. Because in all honesty, they set the tone for the year ahead, especially if it is a show that doesn’t feature story arcs and if those start off in rough fashion, well it means the season could feature problems of its own. And this is on my mind today, simply because I have to admit that I really wasn’t a huge fan of the season four premiere of CHiPs.
 
Which is strange because ‘Go-Cart Terror’ has all the makings of a great CHiPs story. After all, it makes an attempt to provide the audience with a noble morality tale. The kind designed to remind us that honesty and integrity matter above all things, and that was handled by way of a rowdy neighborhood kid who doesn’t always use his go-cart skills for good or fun, and he’s joined by a bunch of go-cart buddies that want nothing more than to see their skills be put to good use. Plus, it features some quality and clever Creeps of the Week since these guys figure out a sneaky way to rob various stores in peril. But rather than wow us with a tale that took full advantage of those elements, the story just straight up fell flat and well, let’s take a moment and examine what went wrong in this episode and discuss why this particular premiere makes a little bit nervous for what is ahead.
 
So, first and foremost, my biggest issue with this premiere is the sheer fact that it offers nothing special when it comes to the go-cart kids. I mean sure, they need some guidance into how to use them, and seeing the CHP get involved with them is a wonderful thing to see, as is their ability to win the competition that hangs heavy over a fair chunk of this tale. But a grand opportunity to dive into the importance of honesty and integrity is wasted here, and that’s a shame because the kid in crisis in this tale, Wayne, really needs to learn this. Because he lies often and does his best to save his own hide. But when he causes a major accident because of his ‘whatever’ attitude, rather than learn a valuable lesson, his parents fly home and he just disappears from the story and that’s just lazy. I’m not saying Ponch and Jon need to save this kid but come on… he forces a car to crash in a lake, this shouldn’t get glossed over.
 
As for the problems involving our bad guys, well… they simply don’t get enough screen time. They’re oft forgotten in favor of the go-cart storyline and anything pertinent when it comes to them is also rushed and lazy in its own right. For the reasons as to why these guys are stealing is shoehorned in and the finale chase scene, one that should pay off in epic fashion wraps up in a couple of minutes and well, I feel like this episode was just sanitized when all is said and done. Because the prior three seasons of the show, pushed the envelope and really tried to explore the toughest parts of being a cop in lighthearted but honest fashion. And it almost seems as though, someone behind the scenes really wanted the series to make its content way more wholesome and that would explain the polished and bland feel of this particular tale.
 
Plus, it was also a little weird to see Ponch take the center stage here. Granted, he was always regarded as the star of this series, but the writer’s room always found a way to ensure that he and Jon shared screen time and worked together as a team. So, to see Frank handle a rescue on his own without an ounce of backup from his longtime partner is just a little off putting and well, I suppose that’s nothing more than a harbinger for the infamous season six. But I digress. Because I have yet to answer an important question in that, is this episode worth one’s while? And the answer to that question is yes. Because it is still CHiPs, there’s still a thrilling chase scene and fun to be had. But make no mistake about it, this premiere really did have a different vibe to it, and that’s my worry, that this sanitized version of the show is going to become commonplace and it should be interesting to see if this is an aberration, or the norm for season four going forward. Until next time. 

---