Disaster Squad

Disaster Squad
Episode #	204
Air Date	Oct 7, 1978
Briefing	Courtesy

Plot

While Ponch, Jon, and Grossie check out women on the freeway, an old guy is driving recklessly in a truck. As Jon tries to calm the guy down, the Channel 3 news crew (aka the "Disaster Squad") shows up and provokes the guy. He climbs onto an overpass and the news crew try to get the guy to jump. Ponch accidentally knocks the guy over. After helping him up, he says, "It's a crime to assist a suicide, creep. Now you keep your mouth shut or I'll have you in the slammer." When the boss shows up, they make up and everything turns out fine.

Back at the Central garage, Ponch and Jon meet a lost kid named Chris. After following him home while he rides in a cruiser, Chris shows them his mini-motorbike. While Ponch, Jon, and Chris's mom watch him ride it, Jon hits on Chris's divorced mom.

After the briefing, Jon wants to date Ellen while Ponch rides with Chris.

On the freeway, a driver is driving in reverse. It distracts another truck which causes an accident. While Jon writes the ticket, the "Disaster Squad" reporter kicks a flare into a gas puddle and causes an explosion, where one of the cameramen suffered burns.

Back in business, Ponch and Jon are pulled over by Sindy. Chris is in her backseat. Ponch and Jon bring him home. While Ponch rides with Chris, Jon hits on Ellen again. Ponch suggests that Chris enter a race.

Soon we see Chris in a pee-wee dirt-bike race. Just before he's about to win, "Bobby" knocks him over. Chris is mad and wants to punch him. Ponch tells him it's not nice to punch people.

Meanwhile, Chris is home watching the news. He sees Regis Philbin's fake report on Ponch saying "I'll slam you in the mouth creep" and runs away. The report was actually forged by fancy editing.

Sindy finds Chris near the flood control channels. He rides his motorbike too close and falls in. Ponch and Jon try to rescue him, but can't reach. When Ponch tries again, he falls in. Jon tries again in another minute by throwing them a hose. They're all pulled to safety as the TV crew covers it. The reporter wants it to seem bad, but his crew turns the tables and makes him confess as to how he faked everything.

At the motorcross track, Ponch makes Chris swear never to ride alone. While they ride together, Ellen tells Jon that her ex-husband asked her to marry him again...but she doesn't want to marry him. Jon knows that she really loves him.

Great Quote

"A fist fight never proved nothin' except you're dumb." -Ponch to Chris Roberts

Guest Stars

• Harvey Jason (as Lee)
• Cliff Osmond (as Michael)
• Joshua Bryant (as Benson)
• Christian Zika (as Chris)
• Larry Gelman (as Becker)
• Marvin Kaplan (as Hilmer Nelson)
• Liberty Godshall (as Ellen Roberts)
• Nathan Jung (as Wrong-way Driver)
• Regis Philbin (from Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? as Newscaster)
• Lawrence L. Levine (as Gene)
• Hinton Pope (as Starter)
• Paul Smith (as Announcer)

Crew

• Written by: Max Hodge
• Directed by: Gordon Hessler

References

• You can also see Ellen and Chris Roberts in "Tow Truck Lady".

Mistakes

• When the reckless truck driver rolls over, you can see the jump ramp on the car he hit. You can even still see it when the guy he hit gets out of his car.