Flashback!

Flashback!
Episode #	122
Air Date	Apr 1, 1978
Briefing	Welcome Brent Delaney & stolen police motors / Update on missing motors

Plot

While a motorcycle is being stolen, Ponch beats Jon at the tight maneuver drill at Central.

After the theme, Ponch agrees to try the tight maneuver drill with Officer Brent Delaney. As Brent gets his helmet, Ponch has a flashback to working in a garage. After Brent beats Ponch, he admits he's two days out of motor school.

At the briefing, Ponch has a flashback to getting chewed out by Getraer his first briefing. Ponch and Jon are assigned to alternate being partners with Delaney and neither seems pleased.

Outside, Jon has a flashback to driving in a cruiser and responding to a dirt bike call. The dirt biker is Ponch! Jon chases Ponch with his cruiser.

Back in reality, Ponch and Brent pull over a car. While Brent talks with the handcuffed driver, the hitchhiker runs away. Ponch catches him and searches the car. He finds a gun.

After the situation is resolved, Ponch has a flashback to dirt bike riding with Jon. We learn that Ponch taught Jon how to ride and that Jon gave Ponch the application for the CHP.

Back in reality at Central, Grossie and Baricza blame Delaney for his mistake and he gets upset. Ponch has another flashback to crashing on his 8th day as an officer after hitting an oil slick. In the flashback, a car drives into a swimming pool and Ponch takes action. He jumps in with Jon and helps save the two occupants.

In reality, Brent finds a screaming woman who says someone needs help. He leaves looking for trouble and gets his motor stolen.

In one of Jon's flashbacks, Ponch meets Getraer for the first time to have him look over his application to join the CHP. In another flashback, a girl is at Central looking for Ponch and Getraer gets upset. In yet another flashback, Ponch is riding in a car with his friends and ends up being chased by Jon in his cruiser. When Jon corners them, they get out and face him 5 to 1. Ponch gets out and manages to make it a friendly encounter.

Back in reality, Delaney and Ponch spot the woman who set him up and go after them and are joined by Jon and Baricza. That night, they find the storage area for all the stolen motors and everyone compliments Delaney.

Guest Stars

• Joe Penny (from Riptide as Brent)
• Robert Sampson (as Atchinson)
• Edward James Olmos (from Battlestar Galactica (2004) as Henry)
• Chester Grimes (as Rex)
• John Furey (as Sonny)
• Jon Linton (as Artie)
• Maureen Marchini (as Ginger)
• Agneta Eckemyr (as 1st Woman in Car)
• Maggie Cooper (as 2nd Woman in Car)
• Meridith Baer (as Mindy)

Crew

• Written by: Bruce Shelly
• Directed by: Michael Caffey

Fun Facts

• In this episode, we finally learn how Ponch and Jon met and how Ponch became a CHP officer.

Mistakes

• When Ponch first goes on patrol with Delaney, note the weather. It alternates between foggy and clear in the next few shots.
• If Delaney turns out to be such a good officer, what happened to him? Did he get assigned to night patrol? Did he quit the CHP, change his name, and buy a boat with two friends and a robot?