MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!
I get disgusted seeing some of my favorite TV shows downed for their quality, but at the same time, I can understand to a limited extent. In terms of technology, we've come a long way. But there are some things from the late 70's and early 80's that will always be priceless. Like Buddy shows, whether it be police or otherwise.
For me, I categorize three shows in particular, Starsky and Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard, and CHiPs. People down CHiPs for its quality, because you were guaranteed freeway chases and vehicular crashes and accidents in each episode, along with beautiful women who find CHP officers, Ponch and Jon in particular, attractive. And the 70's disco music soundtrack in each episode.
I compare police shows of the era to soft and hardcore sports, baseball and football. While most police shows are grim and gritty, not to mention violent crime dramas, henceforth like football games, I compare CHiPs to baseball. Both are light hearted and the violence level was at a minimum. I don't recall Ponch or Jon ever drawing their guns. And compared to the crap we call reality TV today, the realistic factor of CHiPs was similar to Emergency and Adam 12 in that we saw professionals doing their jobs and we even got to hang out with them off duty on these shows. Through CHiPs, when I applied for my driver's license as a teenager, I knew the documents to present a cop who pulls you over were your license and registration (thanks to Ponch and Jon). I knew that on my written test without studying that one factor.
Anyway, in a nutshell, CHiPs was the adventures of the CHP both at work and at play. The two main characters of this buddy cop show were Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada as officers Jon Baker and Francis "Frank Poncherello, best known to everyone as Ponch. Unlike most people, I love the 1970's, the styles, and especially the disco music, which I wish I had on CD. For most of the time, Jon and Ponch were the main characters as well as one of their commanding officers, Sgt. Joe Getraer, whose relationship with Ponch was similar to the relationship Captain Dobey had with both Starsky and Hutch. Other than that, the only other cop who was there almost from start to finish was this pudgy cop named Artie Grossman. Other cops were cruiser cops, like Barry Barikza, who was there for most of the series seasons except the last one. Black cops, Fritz, and Turner (future Klingon Michael Dorn) and some very hot Chippies like Sindy Cahill,Kathy Linahan (final season) and my personal favorite Bonnie Clark (Randi Oakes). My least favorite character was the arrogant mechanic, Harlan. I could have done without that pathetic guy.
The show's two worst moments. A few episodes in season 5 when Ponch was temporarily replaced by Bruce Jenner as Officer Steve McLeish, who was Jon's partner while Erik Estrada was tied up in a legal contract dispute, and worse than that, all of season 6 with Larry Wilcox's departure due to the fact that he and Estrada were not getting along, probably due to Estrada's massive ego during the series. Though try as they might, neither Tom Reilly nor Bruce Penhall as the Nelson Brothers Bobby and Bruce could cut it with Ponch like Jon could, though Bruce was more interesting as we seem go from Cadet in training to official CHP before the series ended.
In the end though, you still have a great series. Erik Estrada as Ponch was the character cop who stole the show, but I was always more of a Jon Baker fan. To me, Larry Wilcox represented the type of cop I'd prefer to be stopped by or cited by.
If you want a decent reality based show, I highly recommend CHiPs. And unlike most shows, it's perfectly safe for your kids to watch. I give 2 thumbs up!!
I get disgusted seeing some of my favorite TV shows downed for their quality, but at the same time, I can understand to a limited extent. In terms of technology, we've come a long way. But there are some things from the late 70's and early 80's that will always be priceless. Like Buddy shows, whether it be police or otherwise.
For me, I categorize three shows in particular, Starsky and Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard, and CHiPs. People down CHiPs for its quality, because you were guaranteed freeway chases and vehicular crashes and accidents in each episode, along with beautiful women who find CHP officers, Ponch and Jon in particular, attractive. And the 70's disco music soundtrack in each episode.
I compare police shows of the era to soft and hardcore sports, baseball and football. While most police shows are grim and gritty, not to mention violent crime dramas, henceforth like football games, I compare CHiPs to baseball. Both are light hearted and the violence level was at a minimum. I don't recall Ponch or Jon ever drawing their guns. And compared to the crap we call reality TV today, the realistic factor of CHiPs was similar to Emergency and Adam 12 in that we saw professionals doing their jobs and we even got to hang out with them off duty on these shows. Through CHiPs, when I applied for my driver's license as a teenager, I knew the documents to present a cop who pulls you over were your license and registration (thanks to Ponch and Jon). I knew that on my written test without studying that one factor.
Anyway, in a nutshell, CHiPs was the adventures of the CHP both at work and at play. The two main characters of this buddy cop show were Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada as officers Jon Baker and Francis "Frank Poncherello, best known to everyone as Ponch. Unlike most people, I love the 1970's, the styles, and especially the disco music, which I wish I had on CD. For most of the time, Jon and Ponch were the main characters as well as one of their commanding officers, Sgt. Joe Getraer, whose relationship with Ponch was similar to the relationship Captain Dobey had with both Starsky and Hutch. Other than that, the only other cop who was there almost from start to finish was this pudgy cop named Artie Grossman. Other cops were cruiser cops, like Barry Barikza, who was there for most of the series seasons except the last one. Black cops, Fritz, and Turner (future Klingon Michael Dorn) and some very hot Chippies like Sindy Cahill,Kathy Linahan (final season) and my personal favorite Bonnie Clark (Randi Oakes). My least favorite character was the arrogant mechanic, Harlan. I could have done without that pathetic guy.
The show's two worst moments. A few episodes in season 5 when Ponch was temporarily replaced by Bruce Jenner as Officer Steve McLeish, who was Jon's partner while Erik Estrada was tied up in a legal contract dispute, and worse than that, all of season 6 with Larry Wilcox's departure due to the fact that he and Estrada were not getting along, probably due to Estrada's massive ego during the series. Though try as they might, neither Tom Reilly nor Bruce Penhall as the Nelson Brothers Bobby and Bruce could cut it with Ponch like Jon could, though Bruce was more interesting as we seem go from Cadet in training to official CHP before the series ended.
In the end though, you still have a great series. Erik Estrada as Ponch was the character cop who stole the show, but I was always more of a Jon Baker fan. To me, Larry Wilcox represented the type of cop I'd prefer to be stopped by or cited by.
If you want a decent reality based show, I highly recommend CHiPs. And unlike most shows, it's perfectly safe for your kids to watch. I give 2 thumbs up!!