‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘Taking Its Toll’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​It’s always nice to see a television show redeem itself when it does something incredibly awkward and I was hoping that redemption was going to be in the cards when it comes to my favorite police serial, CHiPs, since the last chapter in this saga, left a little bit to be desired. Granted, there was no public outcry when it comes to all the goofy and misogynistic antics that were present in the last episode since hey, season one was filmed in 1977, but seeing as to how the next episode in this series, ‘Taking Its Toll’, outright abandoned all that weird stuff to resurrect the always reliable Creep of the Week and deliver unto us some general Ponch and Jon shenanigans, I’m going to straight up pretend that this reverted approach was all part of the plan to apologize for the weird and make up for it by giving us more of what we love about this series.
 
Because there was plenty to enjoy in this tale, such as the fact that Jon decided that his tenure as Ponch’s probationary supervisor, offered up enough incredible moments that perhaps it was time for him to put those adventures on paper by way of a novel, and watching Jon try and write this book on the fly and try to keep it a secret, made for some serious entertainment. Because it was obvious from the get-go that Jon was assembling a story and despite the clues being right in front of Frank’s face, he never quite put two and two together until he saw Jon’s notecards. But what enhanced this plot thread further, was that Ponch actually loved the idea once he realized he was going to be the hero of the story. And watching him soak up Jon’s words and fully believe that he was a ‘roman solider’ firing up his steed to go into battle was classic Poncherello to say the least.
 
But alas, red tape and procedure prompted Jon to abandon his magnum opus, much to the chagrin of his partner. But this episode offered more than Jon’s desire to become a famous author, it also featured the trademark comedy we come to know and love thanks to some tear jerking shenanigans involving onions on the road, and we were even treated to the return of the absent minded Mrs. Downey, the elderly driver who believes she can do no wrong behind the wheel, and there was even some tense action to be found since our dynamic duo were forced to call out the bomb squad when an explosive device was discovered in a car shortly after a collision, prompting Ponch to stay with an accident victim in the hopes of keeping him calm while the experts diffused the bomb in question.
 
However, while all of this was entertaining in its own right, the true centerpiece of this episode was our nasty Creep(s) of the Week. Since this tale featured a pair of bold and aggressive thieves who followed every single move when it comes to their selected targets before surprising them and robbing them at a toll booth while they were distracted and well, I was quite impressed with the ferocity of these two bad dudes. Because up until now, the bad guys haven’t really invoked violence to get what they want, and seeing that on this family friendly show was a tad jarring, as was seeing them escape the ever vigilant Jon Baker, if only for a little while since eventually, they found themselves under arrest from Seven-Mary-Three and Four.
 
If anything, this was just a refreshing episode to say the least, one that really got back to basics in every sense of the phrase, and it was nice to not have to ponder upon and write about a weird 70s cliché, and I really did like that the villains in this one upped their game. Because it was nice to feel a little danger on a series where you know deep down the heroes are always going to be safe. Either way, this really was a fun episode when all is said and done, and I have to admit, I’m a little miffed that Jon didn’t keep up with the novel. It would have been cool to see him finish it and attempt to sell it as the series went on, but I also understand that this is the kind of weekly show that introduces and resolves new plot threads week in and week out, and with Jon’s flirtation with becoming a novelist now firmly in our rear view mirror, it’s on to a new adventure. Until next time. 

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