Down Time

Down Time
Episode #	213
Air Date	December 16, 1978
Briefing	Put out an APB for blonde, beautiful burglars. Ponch's prized car is boosted by a cadre of female thieves.

Title screen

Brief Plot

Ponch's vacation plans are ruined when a gang of female car thieves steals his newly rebuilt Pontiac Firebird from his apartment complex parking garage. Ponch is unaware that his new neighbor, Kim Balford, is part of the gang that stole his and other vehicles from the Marina area. Jon's wallet is stolen as a relentless streak of bad luck afflicts the duo. Ponch breaks his pinky finger during a police chase. Getarer loses the duty roster. Sindy wants to go on a diet and get married.

Plot

Everyone follows Ponch outside to the parking lot for a big surprise.

It’s just another morning at the CHP where a motor officer is finally pulling out while Ponch and Jon pull into Central on their bikes, and a patrol car pulls out. While inside the building Ponch now wants Sindy, Baricza, and Grossie outside for a very special surprise in the parking lot. Ponch now sees Jon walking in the other direction, and manages just to stop him in time by getting him to turn around in the other direction. Ponch now finally takes his friends outside to show them a very special surprise in the parking lot which actually turns out to be his beautifully restored Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and it just been freshly repainted in the original color with a brand new bird decal on the hood. While Ponch’s friends are now finally starting to admire his beautifully restore car, and has to listen to their compliments which includes an insult about his beautiful restoration work. Sindy now makes a chauvinism remark towards Ponch about his beautifully restore car, and both get into a heated discussion about cars. Getraer now finally comes outside only to admire Ponch’s beautifully restore car for just about a minute, and wants all of his colleagues to hit the streets right now in order to do their jobs. While Sindy, Baricza, and Grossie now finally decide to hit the streets by leaving the parking lot. Jon now finally puts on his aviator sunglasses, and walks away actually leaving Ponch still standing there actually daydreaming about his beautifully restore car. Ponch will eventually quit his daydreaming, and decide to finally walk away from his beautifully restored car in order to go along with the rest of the program.

Great Quote

"That Baloney" - Ponch

Guest Stars

• Burr DeBenning as Bill Ross
• Randi Oakes as Kim Balford

Also Starring

• Brianne Leary as Sindy
• Brodie Greer as Baricza
• Paul Linke as Grossman
• Susan Kiger as Brandy
• Deborah Zon as Melodie Fisher
• Cynthia Brian as Teller

Featuring

• Barry Cahill as Max Kinneman
• John Hart as Boat Owner
• Alfred Dennis as Companion #1
• Art Lewis as Companion #2
• Norman Mont-Eton as Oscar

Crew

• Produced by: Cy Chermak
• Written by: Richard B. Mittleman
• Directed by: John Florea
• Executive Consultant: Rick Rosner
• Story Editors: William D. Gordon & James Doherty
• Associate Producers: Wm. L. Young and Paul Rabwin
• Developed for television by: Paul Playdon
• Music by: Alan Silvestri
• Theme by: John Parker
• Music Supervisor: Harry V. Lojewski
• Director of Photography: Robert F. Sparks
• Art Director: Joseph M. Altadonna
• Editor: William Neel
• Unit Production Manager: Thom Anable
• Assistant Director: Richard Schor
• 2nd Assistant Director: Mary Lou Maclaury
• Script Supervisor: Jack Gannon
• Set Decorator: W. Joseph Kroesser
• Production Consultant: Bob Hayden
• Technical Advisor: Dick Barton
• Sound: Robert Sheridan & Hal Watkins, C.A.S.
• Stunt Co-ordinator: Paul Nuckles
• Wardrobe Supervisor: Shelly Levine
• Makeup: John M. Norin
• Casting: Michael O. Hanks
• Locations by: Cinemobile Systems
• With Appreciation to Glen B. Craig, Commissioner California Highway Patrol
• Motorcycles Furnished by: Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
• Automobiles furnished by: Ford Motor Company
• Filmed in METROCOLOR / Titles and Opticals MGM
• Rosner Television in association with MGM Television

Fun Facts

• Kim Balford is played by Randi Oakes, who would later play Bonnie Clark in seasons 3 through 5 of the show. Randi choose to have a bowl haircut prior to filming this episode.
• Susan Kiger, who plays Brandy, was Playboy's Playmate of the Month for January 1977.
• Ponch's car is a 1971 Pontiac Firebird Formula, although it also sports some Trans Am parts. It's the same car that was driven by Niles in the first season episode Crack-Up. Ponch bought the car for $83 in Neighborhood Watch after its owner set it on fire.
• Ponch's car has a black leather interior with high back bucket seats. It's fitted with Cragar Series 610B G/T RWD - black 1-piece cast wheels. The license plate is 033 PCE.
• Ponch's Firebird was a leftover movie car from the 1978 film Corvette Summer.
• When Jon drives Ponch home, we see Jon's truck at the intersection of Adams Blvd. and Arlington Ave. View in Google Maps
• Kim lives in apartment 217.
• Al Dubowe's Auto Sales was at the intersection of La Cienega Ave. and Washington Blvd. in Culver City.
• The truck loaded with cars passes Davis Bros. Tires located at 5931 Washington Blvd. in Culver City.
• The ambulance is a 1968 Ford Econoline previously seen in the episode High Explosive.
• The Corvette chase leaves the Marina Freeway at the Centinela Avenue turnoff. View in Google Maps The chase moves to West Pico Boulevard where they enter the original car park for the Convention Center. Virtually all of the surrounding buildings were demolished around 1991 to make way for the extension to the Convention Center and additional parking. View in Google Maps
• This episode is mostly filmed during Season 1, and some office scenes were filmed during season 2.

Mistakes

The Lincoln is empty.

• Jon misidentifies the 1978 Chevrolet Corvette C3 in the early chase as a 1977 model.
• When Ponch introduces himself to Kim his pinky finger is broken, but this does not happen until later when he wrecks while they are chasing the Corvette.
• When the Corvette approaches the group in wheelchairs, the first guy in a wheelchair is nearly across the parking lot exit when we see the Corvette approach. When the shot cuts to the interior of the Corvette, he has just begun to cross the exit.
• When Kim runs into Ponch and Jon having lunch, she refers to him as 'Ponch' although he has only introduced himself as Frank Poncherello. Why wouldn't she call him Frank or Officer Poncherello?
• While sitting in the Lincoln, Kim refers to "the talkative one to the left, happens to be a cop looking for a stolen car, his stolen car", however, Jon was to their left, not Ponch.
• Before Grossman pursues Kim and Melodie in the Lincoln, we see traffic moving behind him in close-up shots, however, when he begins pursuit, there is no traffic - everyone is stopped at the light.
• When Kim and Melodie ditch the Lincoln, we never see them leave the car, however, the car is empty as it leaves the pier.

Melodie shows through her bikini top.

• A network censor apparently missed Melodie's bikini top.
• The car that Kim and Melodie are being chased by Grossman in changes license plates. They start out dark in colour with yellow lettering. As it plunges into the water, the plates change to yellow with dark lettering.
• Melodie's clothes change from a brown tight sweater and slacks to blouse and jeans in between stealing Ponch's car and delivering it.
• Whomever painted Ponch's Firebird did a fantastic job on it. They painted the grilles, headlight buckets, and all of the chrome window trim as well.
• When Jon is giving Ponch a ride home in his pick-up, he makes a right on red without making a full and complete stop. The cross traffic light has just gone to yellow.
• While pursuing the car transporter, Jon and Ponch signal to Grossman to stop so they can tell him that they need to double back as the transporter has turned off. They pull over at exactly the same spot as where they originally got Grossman's attention.
• When the Firebird rolls over during the final pursuit, the fuel tank has been removed. Also, the left rear tire appears to be completely bald (or a racing slick).

Buy this episode

• Down Time on DVD at Amazon.com

Preceded by: "High Explosive"

Down Time 213

Followed by: "Repo Man"