Pilot

Pilot
Episode #	101
Air Date	Sep 15, 1977
Briefing	Sports car robberies

Brief Plot

Meet the street's elite: Ponch and Jon stop a car-theft ring. And Ponch's antics may keep him on probation.

Plot

The show opens with two California Highway Patrol motor officers chasing after a speeding Porsche. After speeding in and out between cars on the highway, the Porches speeds off the highway. One of the officers swerves to chase after the speeder, but falls over when his motor hits the curb. He immediately rights himself but loses the Porches somewhere in downtown LA. "Ponch" complains about how the speeder got away while his partner Jon tells him he's lucky to be alive.

After discussing the speeder, Ponch and Jon get on the highway as the "CHiPs" theme begins. As Ponch rides up next to a woman in a convertible, he directs Jon's attention to her...but Jon is more interested in the car. The theme continues as the officers ride along the highway.

As the officers arrive, they find the morning briefing already in progress. The sergeant tells the officers about a gang of sports car thieves. As "Frank" tries to leave the briefing, he asks him about riding his CHP motor in the dirt last night and warns him not to blow probation with only two days left.

Out on the highway, Ponch and Jon find a glue truck that spilled all over the highway. As Jon directs traffic, Ponch talks to the truck driver. A few minutes later, Jon pulls over a truck which was leaking oil. While he takes care of that, Ponch tries to get his motor out of the middle of a puddle of glue. As he revs up his motor, the wheel works itself loose. When he breaks free, he slips and falls over in the glue. All the people from the traffic jam applaud his maneuver. After dusting off his ego, he joins Jon and sends the truck with the oil leak on its way.

When Ponch returns to headquarters, he's riding in a CHP pickup with his motor in back. The sergeant is waiting for him on the steps. He brings Ponch and Jon into his office and shows them Ponch's huge file. After a lecture, Ponch storms out. As they head out to the garage to talk to the mechanic, Chuck, Jon tries to make the sarge realize that Ponch has been a good officer for the six months they've been partners while Ponch was on probation.

Out on the streets, Ponch is riding the sarge's motor. When a guy on a motorcycle speeds by, they chase after him. He causes a VW Bug to roll over. Ponch gives the cyclist a hard time until Jon tells him to take care of the driver. He can't get the woman out of the car so he keeps her company by explaining how his name is Poncherello (but everyone calls him "Ponch") and how he's been on the patrol for two years.

Later, Ponch and Jon play racquetball with the sergeant and another officer. As they play, Ponch and the sergeant argue over the citation of the truck.

After the game, Ponch hits on a woman who thinks he's a lawyer. Jon joins in and ruins his fun.

At Sunday morning's briefing, the sergeant informs everyone of more sports car thefts. As Ponch and Jon head out, they pull over a six year-old and tell him to keep to the right side of the road. When a truck that looks like the one that had the oil leak is spotted by another officer, Ponch and Jon head off to find it so they can get a picture of it to prove Ponch's argument.

As they try to pull over the truck, the passenger dumps his beer all over Ponch. After pulling them over, they make the driver and passenger get out. They realize the plate is wrong. Ponch and Jon put the facts together and realize that the car thieves were in the "Bushkin" van they stopped yesterday.

After the thieves spot a CHP cruiser, they abandon the trailer of their truck and take off. Ponch and Jon chase after them through the city and manage to lead them right into the Los Angeles County Jail parking lot to arrest them.

When Ponch and Jon return to headquarters, the sergeant says that they've earned commendations and that Ponch's probation is over.

During the closing credits, we see Ponch pull over a black Mercedes Benz. Comments made in a voice-over by the sergeant and Ponch reveal that he directed a relative of the captain into a ditch...and that he'll probably end up on probation again!

Great Quote

"You're gonna become a legend, Ponch." -Fritz

Guest Stars

• Brooke Bundy as Carol
• Paul Mantee as Eddie
• Michael Christian as Jerry
• Brodie Greer as Baricza
• Lew Saunders as Gene
• Thomas Huff as Mike
• Hoke Howell as Tex
• Eric Server as Greg
• Phillip Simms as Van Driver
• Darlene Duralia as Sherri
• Richard Cangey as Van Helper
• Charles Huskey as CHP Mechanic
• Mary Moon as CHP Clerk
• Jonathan Andrew Baker as Boy on Bike

Crew

• Written by: Paul Playdon
• Directed by: Paul Krasny
• Produced by: Rick Rosner
• Associate Producer: Ric Rondell
• Music by: Mike Post and Pete Carpenter
• Theme by: John Parker
• Director of Photography: Robert F. Sparks
• Art Director: Joseph M. Altadonna
• Assistant Director: Jerry Grandey
• 2nd Assistant Director: Cheryl Downey
• Script Supervisor: Barbara Hogan
• Film Editor: John A. Fegan, Jr.
• Sound: Darin Knight / Hal Watkins, C.A.S.
• Music Supervisor: Harry B. Lojewski
• Special Effects: Pat Elmendorf
• Stunt Co-ordinator: Alan R. Gibbs
• Men's Wardrobe: Bob Harris, Jr.
• Makeup: John Norin
• Transportation Captain: Tonna Borella, Sr.
• Casting: Gary Shaffer
• With Appreciation to the California Highway Patrol / Glen B. Craig, Commissioner
• Consultant: Bob Hayden
• Motorcycles Furnished by: Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
• Filmed in METROCOLOR / Titles and Opticals MGM
• Rosner Television in association with M-G-M TV

Fun Facts

• The boy on the bike was played by a kid named Jon Baker. Coincidence? No. The boy is the only nephew of Rick Rosner and the son of his younger sister, Sandy. Larry Wilcox's character was named after him.
• The pilot episode had no title.

Buy this episode

• Pilot on DVD at Amazon.com
• Pilot from Amazon Prime Video
• "CHiPs" Season 1 from iTunes Store

Preceded by: "''' NONE '''"

Pilot 101

Followed by: "Undertow"