‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap – ‘Roller Disco: Part 2’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​If there’s one hard lesson when it comes to television shows that continues to ring true after all these years, it’s that… closing out a cliffhanger in quality fashion is no easy task. Because not only does the ending need to satisfy and not feel rushed in the slightest, the meat and potatoes of the story need to enthrall and entertain the audience as well as they did in Part 1, and the pressure of delivering a perfect Part 2 is something that seems to overwhelm writers and directors since we’ve seen sub-par conclusions on T.V. time and time again. But as it turns out, the folks who worked behind the scenes at CHiPs clearly had no fear surging through their veins when the time came to craft the conclusion to the franchise’s first ever two-part arc.
 
Because ‘Roller Disco: Part 2’ was quite the quality episode, one that did a phenomenal job of tying up all the loose ends that ‘Part 1’ introduced, especially when it comes to the nasty Creeps of the Week that we first met in that prior tale. For dear Carlin’s vengeful ways came to a close once he ran into Ponch and Jon since they were able to outwit this nitwit and it was nice to see him and his do-nothing pal get placed into cuffs. Plus, our dynamic duo was also able to finally bring down Lita and her gang. Because she and her boys got greedy and they were predictable, so when they went after a big score at a bank, Ponch and Jon (with an assist from Bonnie) were able to put her and her accomplices into the back of a squad car and end their roller skating reign of madness.
 
But while there was plenty of action and adventure to be found in this particular story, one cannot forget that the last episode left Ponch and Jon with quite the set of conundrums on their hands. Because Ponch didn’t have a single celebrity for his ‘Skate with the Stars’ event and Jon had a rock star wreaking havoc in his home. Which meant that both of them needed to find a solution their problems and quick, and it turns out that getting Jimmy and his agent to make peace was the best way to make all of that happen. Because that would get Jimmy refocused on music and back where he belongs. And with a clear mind, he could make a few calls and get some big names to show up at the event, and it was nice to see a happy ending come to fruition since Jimmy and his long-time manager and friend reconciled their differences and were able to move forward, giving Jon his life back and Ponch, all the stars he could ask for.
 
Which basically brings us to the end of the storylines that needed wrapping up, making it seem as though this recap is going to come to a close in supremely brief fashion. But that’s simply not the case at all, because we need to take a minute and discuss the finale of this story since it was so… out there. I mean, ending a story about two motorcycle cops, with a super-sized disco-themed montage in a skating rink, that’s filled to the brim with celebrities galore is about as 70s as it gets. Oh, and so is throwing in a musical number from a 1970s teen heartthrob, and this was just, a weird trip down memory lane. Because I remember a bunch of shows having ‘special episodes’ or storylines where they did ‘everyday’ things like this back in the day, and it was wild to see this again, and it equally as strange to be reminded of how much people loved skating back then.
 
But, all nostalgia aside, this was an impressive wrap up episode. Because it was quick paced and full of heart. Case and point, the scene where Ponch goes to Balford’s office to have him reconsider the bad blood he’s indulging in with Jimmy and the fact that no plot thread was left unresolved, including the one involving young Mike, is impressive to say the least. Granted the ending is a tad awkward to watch in 2019, but it works, and it really does do a fine job of reminding us of a time where stuff like that was popular on television because of its wholesome nature and well, I definitely enjoyed this one when all is said and done. Because this was a big episode for this series, and it makes me wonder if everything is going to be a tad more epic this season, and the only way to find out; is to hop off of here and head back to the California highways to see what other storytelling wonders await us in season two. Until next time. 

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