‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘This Year’s Riot’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It is definitely safe to say that television fans are a bit spoiled in this day and age. Because not only are we able to watch a bevy of shows about topics that interest us, but they also often feature A-list names and have high production values. But what matters most in 2020/2021, is that the storytelling on television is simply top notch. For week in and week out, we are treated to engrossing, arc-based writing that takes the time to reward us with fulfilling and powerful endings when a show’s season has come to an end. And really, all of this is relevant to our discussion today, simply because the next episode of CHiPs takes the time to remind us of exactly how good we have it now. 

For ‘This Year’s Riot’ harkens back to a time when television executives and writers and producers, thought that audiences would be mortified if shows didn’t offer up something new and exciting and different every single week. To the point where shows would do ‘special episodes’ and vacation themed stories where our characters got away from the trappings of their usual environment, in order to keep things interesting, and oddly enough, both of those elements are present in this particular tale. Since Ponch and Bobby are assigned to work the streets of Ocean Island for the weekend, which of course allowed for them to let loose and party with their fellow CHP officers when they weren’t on patrol and well, it is definitely safe to declare this episode to be pedestrian at best, and that’s not a bad thing by any means.

Because it means that there are no horrible mistakes to be found in this particular tale, which definitely helps to ease the sting of sitting through ‘Something Special’. Instead, this episode features a bevy of run of the mill plot lines here for Ponch and Bobby to be involved in and they work because they’re so harmless and cliché. Such as the everyday dude who cannot stand the thought of sharing his beach with other people, to the socially awkward teenager that can’t get the girl, so he does something stupid to try and impress her. Which in this case involves doing drugs, Molly to be specific, but we’ll get into that in just a second. Since the big ‘wow’ plot line for this vacation themed tale involves someone that is breaking the law in a unique manner, by trying to make her private beach a nude one, forcing Bobby and Ponch to step in and make sure that the law and decency is upheld.

Which is a plot thread that definitely prompts an eye-roll in this day and age, since America is far more liberal now. But back in conservative 1982, that was undoubtedly a crowd pleaser, as was the whole drug thing. Because everything involving the sale of Molly on Ocean Island served as a visual time capsule of sorts. For the 1980s was an era where drugs were viewed in a supremely negative and fearful light, and that’s exactly why this plot thread is filled to the brim with anti-drug messaging and some over-the-top moments designed to show off the ‘dangers of drugs.’ All because that was the zeitgeist of the time and it was supremely fascinating to see ‘Just Say No’ in action again and be reminded of how much fear-mongering came into play in regard to hammering home the message. 

If anything, all of these elements make this particular episode quite the fascinating watch at times. Because it is pretty darn awesome to travel back in time in this manner and see how far we’ve come when it comes to how we view drugs in America and our attitudes toward our bodies. But outside of those elements, this is just an average episode of CHiPs and honestly, that’s just great. Because even a so-so episode of this series is ten times better than what season six is offering us thus far, so it is best we just sit back and bask in the wonder of this episode’s mediocrity while we can. For what comes next is another grand and manipulative mistake, one that really does remind us as to why this was the final season for this storied franchise. Until next time.  

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