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Season 1 – CHiPs

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – CHiPs Sep 1977 Crime Drama Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
40% Tomatometer 20 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers Jon Baker and Frank "Ponch" Poncherello cruise the freeways of Los Angeles, solve crimes and help people in trouble in this cop show. The stakes usually weren't very high -- the better to highlight the personal lives of Ponch and Jon.
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CHiPs — Season 1

CHiPs — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

The lack of violence is refreshing and Erik Estrada proves himself adept at slapstick shenanigans, but more often than not CHiPs is about as entertaining as being stuck in Los Angeles traffic.

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Critics Reviews

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Kathy Kizilos The Age (Australia) 08/24/2021
This is successfully achieved. The photography (of the car chases) is particularly good, as are the aerial shots of the Los Angeles freeway system. Go to Full Review Garry Shelley Sydney Morning Herald 08/24/2021
The photography is undoubtedly the show's redeeming point. It's when Wilcox and Estrada engage in banal, high-camp verbal exchange that the program takes a turn for the worse. Go to Full Review Tom Shales Washington Post 08/24/2021
They're a likeable pair. They never fire a gun, or even draw one from a holster and they demonstrate that cops don't spend all their time pummeling pimps and junkies. Go to Full Review Bill Mandel San Francisco Examiner 08/24/2021
CHiPs is better written, directed and acted than we have any right to expect for a show with modest pretensions. While it's not for those who like Upstairs, Downstairs, it's a better-than-average cop training program and it's light on violence. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mike P @RT09890132 12/14/2024 This show was always too slight for me. Coming as it did right between the two big cop shows of that era; Starsky and Hutch; and Cagney and Lacey; which were both better than this. And the production values, even for the 70s, were cheap...The intro with all the close-ups of the guys boots; their guns; the wheels of their bikes: and their sun glasses; while the disco theme song churns away in the background... comes off as very campy now... It's almost like Dragnet with Stripper Cops or something. It's hard to see this as anything but a big joke at this point... See more Read all reviews
CHiPs — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Larry Wilcox

Officer Jon Baker

Erik Estrada

Officer Frank "Ponch" Poncherello

Robert Pine

Sgt. Joe Getraer

Brodie Greer

Officer Baricza

Lewis Saunders

Guest Star

Paul Linke

Officer Grossman

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 15, 1977 Pilot California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers Jon Baker and "Ponch" Poncherello go after an auto theft ring specializing in expensive sports cars. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 22, 1977 Undertow A tow-truck driver robs a woman then causes an accident that leaves leaking nitrous-oxide canisters on the highway. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 29, 1977 Dog Gone Jon takes care of a lost dog with an injured paw while contending with vindictive hippies, an erratic driver and a panicked biker. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 13, 1977 Moving Violation A motorist (Roosevelt Grier) takes his hostility out on his minicar; Ponch must attend traffic school. Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 20, 1977 Career Day Ponch tickets his high-school principal (Richard Deacon), who invites him to speak on career day. Details Episode 6 Aired Oct 27, 1977 Baby Food Ponch and Jon search for those who picked up cases of baby food contaminated with botulism; guest Reb Brown. Details Episode 7 Aired Nov 3, 1977 Taking Its Toll The officers contend with an onion spill, tollbooth bandits, a trapped chauffeur and a "wreckless" diamond-lane driver. Details Episode 8 Aired Nov 10, 1977 Green Thumb Burglar A thief strips plants and shrubs from the freeways of Los Angeles; guests H.R. Puf 'N Stuf, Jackie Vernon. Details Episode 9 Aired Nov 24, 1977 Hustle To prove bias, an irate driver (Marty Ingels) photographs officers issuing tickets; guests Broderick Crawford, Reb Brown. Details Episode 10 Aired Dec 1, 1977 Highway Robbery An elephant escapes and runs onto a freeway; Jon's old football teammate is a thief; guest Florence Halop. Details Episode 11 Aired Dec 8, 1977 Name Your Price Jon helps Ponch prepare to be on a game show; an accident victim doesn't speak English; guest Jaime Lyn Bauer. Details Episode 12 Aired Dec 22, 1977 Aweigh We Go Jon and Ponch chase truck thieves and help a woman and child trapped in a car hanging over a cliff. Details Episode 13 Aired Jan 5, 1978 One Two Many Untidy Ponch becomes Jon's temporary roommate, and a look-alike poses as a CHP officer. Details Episode 14 Aired Jan 12, 1978 Rustling The CHP sees a new angle on cattle rustling; Ponch tries to arrange a surprise party for Jon; guest Alice Ghostley. Details Episode 15 Aired Jan 19, 1978 Surf's Up Ponch and Jon accept a temporary transfer to Malibu Beach, hoping to enjoy a tranquil respite from their usual midtown traffic duties. Details Episode 16 Aired Jan 26, 1978 Vintage '54 Jon and Ponch aid a sky diver caught on a freeway overpass, look for a vintage-car thief and help find a misplaced baby; guest Jed Allan. Details Episode 17 Aired Feb 9, 1978 Hitch-Hiking Hitch A muscle-bound truck driver (Ben Davidson) has his own method of obtaining parking spaces; two teenage girls insist on hitchhiking. Details Episode 18 Aired Feb 16, 1978 Cry Wolf A rash of false-alarm calls ties up CHP officers, ambulances and fire engines; guest Ellen Travolta. Details Episode 19 Aired Feb 23, 1978 Crash Diet A solid trouncing by a girl's volleyball team caps a hectic week for the officers. Details Episode 20 Aired Mar 2, 1978 Rainy Day A compulsive gambler goes after the professionals he suspects cheated him in a floating poker game; guest David Spielberg. Details Episode 21 Aired Mar 9, 1978 Crack-up A patient (Phyllis Diller) cheers hospitalized Jon; the drivers will not leave their armored car after an accident. Details Episode 22 Aired Apr 1, 1978 Flashback A rookie (Joe Penny) with political connections receives a mixed response from his co-workers. Details

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CHiPs — Season 1

CHiPs CHiPs CHiPs CHiPs View more photos

Season Info

Director
Paul Krasny, Phil Bondelli, Georg Fenady, Ric Rondell, Chris Nyby, Michael Caffey, Gordon Hessler, Don McDougall, Nicholas Colasanto, Edward M. Abroms, Ivan Nagy, Barry Crane, John Florea
Executive Producer
Cy Chermak
Network
NBC
Rating
TV-G
Genre
Crime, Drama, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date
Sep 15, 1977