‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘Moving Violation’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

I have to admit, that I have one chief complaint when it comes to modern police serials in that, they often forget about the importance of putting the human side of things into their stories. I mean, don’t get me wrong, they’re entertaining and gritty and exciting, but they often feel hollow, because of the fact that the officers working the case seem to have their emotions turned off for whatever reason and it’s always kept me from truly falling in love with most cop shows on television. But it would seem, there was a time where the humanity of every single character was important to shows that feature the men and women behind the badge and my disdain for the ultra-dark nature of police shows today has been strengthened by the last episode of CHiPs that I watched, ‘Moving Violation’.
 
For this particular tale found a way to steer the series clear of the traditional Creep of the Week that has always been essential to its format, allowing for the audience to truly enjoy a day in the life with Jon and Ponch, so that we can see what kind of general troubles they face on a regular basis, and well, this episode packed in all kinds of adventures and relatable challenges for them. For example, Ponch had to deal with the fact that the Sarge came down on him hard for not getting enough done on the job, to the point where he needed Jon’s help for a win when it came to a bus that kept going missing, and that kept happening due to the fact that there was a group of senior citizens who desperately wanted the picnic they were promised, so they took matters into their own hands and this turned out to be a case that was surprisingly dangerous when all is said and done.
 
Plus, the episode also found a way to go to darker places for a change, but for all the right reasons, since Jon was asked by Sergeant Getrear to travel to a woman’s home to deliver the bad news that her husband passed away in a violent car crash and this, this was some surprisingly powerful stuff. In part due to the fact that most police shows tend to shy away from moments such as these, opting instead to integrate them into the case, but also because this moment was presented to us in believable fashion, since the poor woman in question began to break down upon hearing the news, and both she and Jon were faced with the harsh reality that the son the father left behind was about to receive some devastating news that would change his life forever and really, credit is due to Larry Wilcox, who plays Jon, for giving us a magnificent performance that sold this heavy moment.
 
However, while all of this was fascinating to watch in its own right, this is a series grounded in fun and the story made sure to deliver on that as well, since a plot thread involving Ponch getting a ticket brought about some lovely laughs and awkward moments, and this little problem for Frank, also managed to tie into a seemingly unassociated, yet equally as awesome moment. Because truly, the hilarious highlight of this particular tale, was the traffic stop involving a giant man in a tiny car, who was so upset with his jalopy, that he tore it shreds with his bare hands in front of Ponch and Jon and it just so happens, that eventually, that man sat next to Ponch in traffic school and that’s just a magnificent way to tie those threads together.
 
But what matters most, is that I’m hard pressed to find anything wrong with this episode. In fact, the brief plot thread involving Ponch’s attempt to impress a female pilot who was forced to land on the highway ended up being handled in proper fashion, making this another episode free of the strangeness of the 1970s and well, I simply had a blast watching this one. Because it brought so much to the table storytelling wise, and it was a lovely break from a world of crooks and creeps and I love that I’m being surprised with so many different types of stories this early into the show’s initial run and well, I’m definitely ready for more. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to make a return to beautiful L.A. and see what other adventures away me in CHiP land. Until next time.

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