Meet the New Guy

Meet the New Guy
Episode #	601
Air Date	Oct 10, 1982
Briefing	The health club thieves

Plot

Ponch (now a training officer known as "Mary 6") is out cruising the roads as "The Lone Ranger" when Getraer radios him and tells him that his new partner is coming to meet him. Within minutes, Bobby spots trouble. While Bobby chases the speeder, Ponch saves a baby and Kathy Linahan calls in the resulting accident. Unfortunately, Bobby lost the speeder. Ponch isn't happy with Bobby for chasing the speeder alone.

Soon, they notice that there's nobody in one of the cars and nobody claims the baby. After dropping the baby off at Valley General Hospital, Ponch and "Hot Dog" go back to Central. Getraer puts up a post card on the bulletin from Jon. He says he's thinking of them while he's working his father's ranch in Wyoming.

Out in Harlan's garage, Bobby takes off by peeling out. Ponch and Bobby head over to see the owners of the car. They claim they didn't even know it was gone and that they don't know who the baby belongs to. Ponch is suspicious.

The next morning, Richard Simmons is leading a workout that Ponch is attending. Richard gives Ponch special attention. It isn't long before some thieves rush in and make Richard give them everyone's belongings. Ponch runs out after them as Richard faints. Ponch gets on his motorcycle without his shirt. An LAPD patrol car chases the half-naked Ponch. When the thieves are cornered, they make a run for it. When Ponch tries to chase them, LAPD cuffs him. They don't believe he's a CHP. Lucky for Ponch, Bobby arrives and identifies him.

At the briefing, there's a picture of Ponch on Getraer's podium that reads "WANTED - Impersonating an Officer". After the briefing, Sarge tells Ponch and Bobby the identity of the unknown woman from the accident.

Meanwhile, the woman (Amy Kent) disguises herself as a nurse and steals the baby. Ponch goes live on TV urging people to turn in Amy Kent by calling the CHP at 555-4374.

Later that day, Ponch and Bobby pull over Tommy Lasorda. He says he's late for the World Series. Bobby gives him a hard time but Ponch identifies him and they let him go.

They respond to a call telling them where to find the thieves who terrorized Richard Simmons. The thieves split up on foot and Ponch and Bobby split up to go get them. Bobby almost runs over the thief he's after. When the other one falls in a pool, Ponch arrests him.

Back at Central, Bobby bitches at Ponch that he's not Jon and wants to be treated differently. Ponch and Bobby also find out that the baby belongs to the couple who claimed not to know their car was missing. They confess and we learn that they bought the baby from Amy for the $2000 that was in the car then she stole the baby back.

While Ponch and Bobby are out looking for Amy, she hitches a ride with a person drinking beer. Ponch and Bobby spot the car and chase it. It swerves to avoid construction equipment and jumps off a hill into quicksand. Ponch and Bobby get a ride in a backhoe and rescue Amy and the baby. Ponch tells Bobby he did a good job and they both celebrate by doing wheelies.

Great Quote

"Quality merchandise!" -Bobby commenting on Ponch's girlfriends

Guest Stars

• Dominique Dunne (as Amy Kent)
• Claire Malis (as Mrs. Russell)
• Tom Lasorda (L.A. Dodgers Manager)
• Richard Simmons (fitness "expert" and frequent Letterman guest)
• Thomas Havens (as Phil)
• Michael Catlin (as Horvath)
• Andrea Evans Massey (as Julie)
• Jim McKrell (as Russell)
• Karmin Murcelo (as Nurse Burke)
• Michele Russell (as Heather)
• Joel Zurlo (as Al)
• Debbie Bishop (as Paula)
• Susannah Darrow (as Exerciser)
• Kristi Ferrell (as Jenny)
• Rawn Hutchinson (as Cantrell)
• Jade McCall (as Lineman)
• Rocky Savage (as Hitchhiker)
• Keenen Ivory Wayans (as Roberts)

Crew

• Written by: Joseph Gunn and Paul Mason
• Directed by: John Astin

Fun Facts

• Jon went to Wyoming to work on his father's farm. Once, Baricza went to work crop-dusting for his father. (He's not in this season so we could assume he's back at it.) What is it with the CHP and quitting the force to work for their fathers?

Mistakes

• Bobby says his full name is "Robert Bobby Torvald Nelson". Robert Bobby? Isn't that redundant?
• As Ponch and Bobby pull Amy and the baby from the sinking car, Kathy and Grossie mysteriously appear to watch.
• While Ponch and Bobby help get Amy and the baby out, the car hardly sinks. When everyone's safe and the weight inside the car is reduced, the car plunges down below the surface. Shouldn't the car be less likely to sink after everyone's out?
• Kathy Linahan is a motor officer...but in one of the final scenes, she gives Amy a ride in a cruiser.