‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘Second Chance’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

A long time ago, a discussion with my stepmother about crime in the modern world brought forth quite the insightful saying on her part when she commented that, ‘locks keep honest people out’. And that particular phrase resonates with me to this day simply because it’s a phrase that carries a lot of truth and a lot of weight since it speaks volumes to the fact that in essence, committing a crime is a choice. And those that do choose to break the law, close their eyes to the fact that they will be hurting others and instilling fear into their fellow man, and while some are remorseful when it comes to their unfortunate decision; what makes criminal activity fascinating in its own morbid way is the sheer fact that there are people who commit heinous crimes, and have zero regrets about what they’re doing.
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If anything, such thoughts are on my mind today, simply due to the fact that remorseless criminals served as the focal point for the next episode of CHiPs. For ‘Second Chance’ introduced us to Danny and Chuck, a pair of brothers who were only concerned about enjoying a grandiose payday by ripping off the rich and they really didn’t care about others or who they would hurt in the process and that made them some of the most ruthless Creeps of the Week that I’ve ever seen on this series. Because I’m not kidding when I say nothing mattered to these guys since Chuck was quick to send a car over the side of an embankment in order to escape capture and he even put a kid in the hospital during another escape, and honestly, I thought death was going to become a focus in this tale yet again since it seemed as though Chuck would likely let someone die if it meant keeping his hide out of jail.

Thankfully though, Ponch and Jon and Bonnie recognized the danger here and that prompted them to come up with a supremely intelligent sting operation to bring him down before something that bad could happen. Because eventually, everyone was able to piece together that Chuck and his brother were working at a restaurant that featured a valet, something that would give them access to house keys. And while folks enjoyed a meal, they helped themselves to all the fine jewelry within someone’s home before getting away with ease. Which prompted our intrepid officers to set up a little trap to catch them in the act, and while that might be a significant bending of the rules, it did work and they were finally able to put these jerks away for likely a long time since uh, trying to kill people tends to be frowned upon in California and just about everywhere else.

But all snark aside, this manhunt really was quite thrilling and fascinating in its own right since these brothers were true scumbags, the kind with no redeemable value or depth and it’s always jarring when the show presents realistic criminals that fit that mold. Yet, while their actions made for some bleak moments for certain, this episode was not without the show’s trademark optimism and heart. For the girl that Chuck injured, who was named Keli Adams, became a focal point for Ponch since she was deeply depressed because of her injuries and believed that she would never walk again. And it was nice to see Frank take time out of his day to try and motivate her to do her exercises and it also added a sense of urgency to the tale since Keli saw this whole mess as a great injustice in the world and bringing down Chuck and his bro provided her with a genuine sense of hope for the future and of course, she eventually worked to get healthy again.

In the end however, I have to admit that I was supremely impressed with this particular tale. For it really was intense and dark and brooding, and it even built upon some of the more fascinating elements presented to us in ‘Destruction Derby’ since it allowed for Ponch and Jon to use their detective skills once again and boy did they shine when it comes to that, as did the rest of the team once they got involved. But truly, our COTWs were the highlight of this particular tale, since these guys were about as evil as they come and there really is something unwholesome and jarring about people who are willing to hurt kids without giving it a second thought. Either way, this was just another quality episode from a season that’s offered up more hits than misses and once again, I find myself hungry to see what other surprises await me in season three, so if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to report for duty. Until next time.

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