‘CHiPs’ Retro Recap: ‘Wheeling’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Truth be told, I got into these Retro Recap of CHiPs for one reason and one reason alone; to see how a classic series from a vastly different era would hold up when one applies modern thinking to the storylines of yesteryear. Because I really believed that this series would fail the more tolerant standards of the 21st Century and that would lead to some fascinating discussions with all of you. But this series continues to impress me by offering up positive and thoughtful messages and storylines at every single turn, and while it definitely stumbles and accomplishes my initial criteria from time to time, the good continues to outweigh the bad. Yet despite constantly encountering stories that amaze me more often than not, I still find myself bracing for the worst when I see that the series is going to tackle a particularly hot or unique topic from that era, because this could be the one that the show gets wrong.
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Which is why there was definite worry on my mind when I settled in to watch the next episode of this storied saga. Because it was evident early on that ‘Wheeling’ was going to tackle the plight of the handicapped in modern America at the time, and while that’s not a bad thing by any means, the fact that the characters central to this exploration were incredible jerks, is what rang some alarm bells in the back of my mind. Because going that particular route would have made disabled people in wheelchairs look supremely bad and lost, defeating the whole point of assembling an episode designed to raise awareness about something most people don’t understand. But thankfully, this was apparently all part of a grandiose storytelling plan, one designed to offer up some serious misdirection and give the audience genuine pause.

Because in essence, presenting the characters in this brash manner, prompts the audience to judge them immediately and that’s precisely what the show wants to get across; we shouldn’t judge those that are different from us, we should take the time to understand them and what makes them tick. Which is precisely what Ponch and Jon did as the episode rolled along to understand why these guys, Artie in particular, were so gung ho and fiery and that allowed for the audience to dive into a world where it isn’t as easy for folks in wheelchairs to get around and while the technological part of the tale was definitely outdated, the message of how we should treat others is not. But what truly blew me away when it comes to this tale, is the surprising moral lesson present within the framework of the story.

For in many ways, Artie was bitter about his situation and his bravado stemmed from the fact that he wanted to stick it to others for ever doubting his abilities as a man in a wheelchair and the lesson inherent here is that we cannot be upset or vengeful when it comes to the hand we’ve been dealt because what’s done is done. It’s all about how we move forward and that message was hammered home further by way of the side story in this tale involving a man Harry Saunders, who had to bear witness to his son being struck and injured by a hit and run driver. And rather than thank his stars that his son survived to see another day and let the police do their job, he felt the need to control everything and try and right wrongs that he was incapable of fixing and for his troubles, he ended up with a bruised ego and a busted leg, and oddly enough, Artie suffered similar injuries for letting his anger get the better of him, and that cautionary lesson and what we learn about Artie and his friends is what definitely gives the audience the pause I mentioned a moment ago.

If anything, all of these elements made this episode supremely philosophical and special to say the least.  Because these were some fascinating concepts to chew upon and I love that the story handled every last element we’ve discussed here in subtle and unique fashion, and it was refreshing to see a police serial weave this kind of thoughtfulness into the fabric of its story and in the end, I really loved this episode through and through. Because this episode really did surprise me when it comes to its overall quality, and really it’s just wonderful to see season three find new ways to excel at storytelling and push the envelope in an era where we were a touch more close minded, and all this does is motivate me to press on further to see what other surprises await me as the season rolls on. Until next time.   

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