Being a Child of the Eighties with an especially strong focus on television from when I was younger, I bought the first two seasons of the classic television series CHiPs when they came out on DVD a few years back.
The show starred Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox as two officers in the California Highway Patrol, under the command of Sgt. Getraer, known to the younger generation as Chris Pine’s Dad. As a kid, I had CHiPs action figures and toys including motorcycles, assumed that all highways in California were a tan color rather than the dark pavement that we had in Maryland, and recall watching the series, but not any specific episodes.
The Episodes: Episodes in this set start with the famous two-part “Roller Disco” which features a who’s who of celebrities of the late 70’s, some in cameos and some with speaking parts. That 2-parter also guest stars Leif Garrett – basically the Justin Bieber in the day – not long before he had some real-life tragedy and drama. While there’s drama in CHiPs – spoiler warning: yes, some people even die – the show is relatively light. Even in an episode where Ponch and Jon are arrested for not giving up an informant, the good guys are generally all good, and there’s no anger or vendettas or anything like that going on. It’s a throwback, to be sure… I’m not sure if a series like CHiPs, with this kind of storytelling, would work in today’s environment, but I love it. It’s a good show that all family members could and still can enjoy together, and it’s easy to get yourself lost in the episodes. I found myself watching CHiPs more than I was watching some new things I needed to see, which is probably not a good thing, considering I write about television, but it was comfortable and it felt like a “treat.”
Being older I notice things that I wouldn’t have as a kid. For example, it looks like most of the series is all shot on the same stretch of freeway, which might not have been noticed to an out-of-towner, but it certainly is now, especially when a sequence starts in Santa Monica and you see a sign for “Forest Lawn” right after. Sometimes, though, you’ll see places that are familiar, as they looked circa 1980 or so, and that can be fun.
It might not always be reality but CHiPs also put forth the notion that “the cops are looking out for you, and they are your friends.” Some might disagree in certain situations, but for kids, I think it was a good lesson. Of course, it helps that the characters of the show are pretty straightforward and respectful to everyone.
The Extras: None. I guess I should be glad that we finally got another CHiPs DVD set, but it’s a shame that at least someone couldn’t do a commentary or something like that.
Graphics & Sound: The show looks good for a series that is 35 years old, but the sound – at least on my DVD player – seemed a little bit low and had to be turned up. I also cannot confirm if all of the original music is kept, as I was way too young to remember the original airings. As a viewer not versed with these things, I didn’t notice anything missing.
The Packaging: The DVD box art and interior booklet look great, though they could have given Robert Pine’s Sgt. Getraer a little more love, considering he’s a series regular and all.
Is It Worth It? For me? Yes. For you? It depends on what you think of comfortable, usually self-contained TV. I really enjoyed it, though.
CHiPs: The Complete Third Season is available March 3. Order the set from Amazon.com and support this site!
