Undertow

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## Briefing

Women who call for help on the freeway are mugged by a man in a tow truck. Jon and Ponch deal with a canister spill of nitrous oxide, which effects Ponch's judgement. The precinct takes part in a basketball match against the Rams and are on the verge of losing since their star player, Ponch is incapacitated.

## Traffic Violations

* Tow truck/robbery - Escaped
* Robbery getaway - Arrested/hospitalised
* Speeding Camper Van - Citation Given.
* Speeding Tow Truck - Arrested.

## Report

The duo are looking forward to a basketball match later in the day. Dispatch relays an APB that a woman in a Mercedes is stranded on the freeway and requires assistance.

A man in a tow truck is tuned into the police radio and speeds off when he hears a woman is in need. Jon and Ponch respond to the call. As they arrive they notice the man in the tow truck causing distress to the woman and Ponch gives chase while Jon looks after the woman. To get away the tow truck serves in front of another lorry causing it to swerve and spill the contents across the freeway. Ponch ceases pursuit to take care of the spill.

Jon is taking down details of the man that robbed her.

The spill on the freeway are canisters of gas, some are leaking and spraying gas everywhere, Ponch checks on the driver. The door is stiff and takes a while before he can free the driver, all the while gas is sprayed in his direction. The driver doesn't know what's in the canisters, Ponch wants to know if it's explosive, the driver replies that he doesn't know and the people who loaded the truck were smoking and it didn't blow up then.

Jon arrives and comments on Ponch's new smell, he tells Ponch that the man who robbed her is known to them and it's his third robbery. They head back to Central to write a report. After they leave Fritz notices the name on the canister is nitrous oxide a chemical that can make you high and flip you out.

Ponch jumps off his bike like an excited teen, he then wets his face with a hose, when he looks at Jon he sees double and then skips inside the precinct. Jon notices Ponch acting a little strange and tells him to find out what's in the Ding Dong's he eats. Getraer walks out of a room and past Jon and Ponch but before he can take another step Ponch grabs him by the shoulder and calls him by his first name and that he's his favourite Sergeant. Getraer gives Ponch a look over and asks him if it's raining outside, Jon tells him only around the water hose.

Jon is writing up a report on the tow truck menace whilst Ponch is throwing screwed up balls of paper next to him. Ponch asks Jon how he's getting on but with all the interruptions from Ponch he's not written much. Ponch promises to behave. Ponch spots a phone nearby and pulls it towards him, he dials noisily and begins talking to Camille, Jon is irritated and tells Ponch off.

Back on the freeway, Jon and Ponch follow a car that swerves sharply, Jon reckons it's a Deuce. Whilst pursuing him Ponch sees double again. When he regains himself he rides up to the driver side and tells the driver to pull over. Ponch shouts at the driver to get on the sidewalk. The man clearly drunk tells Ponch he's a prominent lawyer for the LAPD, Ponch pokes his shoulder patch and tells the driver that he's CHP.

Jon attempts to help Ponch but another driver has pulled up behind them and she needs help with directions. Jon is hesitant at first but helps her anyway. Ponch asks his driver if he's "drunken" and then corrects himself, the driver slurs his words and tells Ponch he's stone cold sober. Ponch tells the man that he needs a urine test as well as a blood test, the man refuses and tells him that there's three on the spot sobriety tests, finger on the nose, walking in a straight line. Ponch interrupts him and tells him he's wrong and that they'll start with the alphabet and starts off "A, B, C, D, F, G..." The man tells Ponch it was wrong and he agrees and tells him they'll do another test, which is the finger to the nose test. Ponch gives the man an example but misses his nose and gives himself a finger mustache, they both laugh.

"You're higher than a kite."
Jon has finished dealing with the lost driver and tells Ponch he thinks there's something wrong with him. Jon begins recounting the cylinders accident earlier and points his finger whilst talking. Ponch stares at his finger following it which makes Jon chuckle. He tells Ponch it must have been because he's higher than a kite. Jon tells Ponch he needs to go to the hospital but Ponch doesn't want to due to the basketball match with the Rams and his date with Camille. Jon tells him they'll have to take a loss. Jon goes back to the driver who hands him his driving licence.

Ponch stares at the sun and soaks in the rays. Baricza arrives and Ponch waves at him, Jon tells Baricza that he's got two passengers for him. Whilst Jon is taking the drunk driver over to Baricza's patrol car, Ponch hears an APB regarding a disabled female requiring assistance. Ponch puts his helmet on and rides off, a worried Jon gives chase.

Ponch weaves in and out of traffic, he almost crashes his bike off road but continues his journey, Jon is trying to catch up to Ponch. A man is changing a tire on the lay by and Ponch seeing double almost hits the stationary car but swerves at the last minute. Jon finally catches up with Ponch and tells him to pull over. After stopping Ponch a tow truck on the upper lever passes by.

The tow truck driver is listening in to the police band and heads to the disabled female requiring assistance.

At the basketball match, CHiPs are losing badly to the Rams, the final score is 29 - 69.

Jon visits Ponch is hospital. Ponch is irritated because he doesn't want to stay and can't leave since his clothes are locking in the locker. His bed neighbour is snoring and Ponch doesn't think he'll last the night. Ponch gets up and heads for the door but a nurse arrives to administer his medication from behind. Ponch grimaces and so does Jon. When the nurse leaves Jon agrees that Ponch needs to get out of there and attempts to pick the lock. Another Nurse comes in and asks Ponch if he's ready for his sponge bath, he looks at her and she's very pretty. Jon says his goodbyes to Ponch whilst Ponch heads for his bed.

The next day Ponch meets up with Jon and Ponch declares he's going to have a good day today which is short lived since no sooner are they riding off a bird poops on his windshield. Ponch goes to the gas station to wash it off.

At the gas station the owner is being robbed. The owner manages to scream for help which Jon and Ponch hear. Ponch frees the owner while Jon chases after the robber.

After a long chase, a truck pulls out and the robber has to swerve but he swerves off-road and hits a tree and flies over the bonnet and on the ground. Jon calls it in. The driver attempts to move but Jon tells him not to. The driver blames Jon for the accident and reaches for his gun but Jon knocks his arm away.

The man complains that his back is on fire and that he never meant to rob the gas station. Jon asks why he did. The man tells him he's got kids and that he's not worked for six months. The man asks what he's going to tell his kids now, Jon starts having a go at him and then tells him to just tell his kids he made a mistake. The man tells Jon he's a different kind of cop, and Jon tells him he likes to think he's not. The ambulance arrives and Jon tells him he's going to be alright.

At the briefing, Getrear informs everyone that the tow truck driver has struck again, although this time the woman was roughed up as well and she spent time in a hospital. Getraer tells everyone as soon as a disabled woman call goes out to get there as fast as they can and get a vantage point and see what turns up.

Getraer tells everyone that the Rams have agreed to a rematch only this time their super jock is going to be with them and motions towards Ponch.

Ponch is asking questions about the Rams whilst out on patrol, a speeding camper van passes by. Jon and Ponch give chase and pull it over. The driver tells them he was speeding because the surfs-up. A squeaky voice repeats what he says. Ponch wants to know who he's got in the back. The driver calls the voice, Bubbaloo and tells Jon it won't be easy for him to step outside because he doesn't like strangers. A bird appears at the window. Jon and Ponch start smiling and when Jon looks over at Ponch he notices a disabled woman on the freeway. Ponch tells him that she's being sorted out and a tow truck pulls up. Jon tells Ponch that he has a full load and they should check it out. Jon tells the driver to leave a little earlier then he doesn't have to speed. They head to the woman needing assistance.

The tow truck driver sees them coming and makes a run for it, he nearly runs over the pair getting on the freeway. The car he's towing breaks free from the truck and rolls across the freeway. Jon and Ponch avoid it and continue the chase. Jon tells Ponch that he's overshot the off ramp and hits the barriers set in place. When the truck hits the barrier it sprays everywhere and hits Ponch bike, but not enough to unseat him. The truck runs off the new piece of freeway being built and drives into a ditch filled with water. Ponch goes in after him to apprehend him.

Baricza and Fritz arrive in their respective squad cars and take away the tow truck driver.

At first the CHiPs are losing to the Rams but a combined effort and Ponch's final basket nets them the win at 44 - 42.

## Notes

* Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows is a song sung by Lesley Gore.
* Jim Backus is the voice behind Mr Magoo.

### Quotes

* Ponch/[Jon]: You know, this is going to be what I call my day. [Oh yeah?] Yep. Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. I mean everything that happens to me today is going to be right on!
* Jon: Sunshine, lollipops and that, that doesn't look like rainbows, Ponch.
* Jon: Sunshine and lollipops, love it!

### Ponch's Bad luck.

* Breathes in nitrous oxide which makes him high.
* A bird poops on his windshield.
* Debris hits his bike.
* Uniform damage.

### Codes used

* 11-84 - Direct traffic
* 11-48 - Transportation request.
* Deuce - Drunk Driver
* 10-4 - Message Received
* 10-10 - End of Watch
* TC - Traffic Collision
* Code 4 - No Further Assistance Needed
* 2-11 - Armed Robbery

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Larry Wilcox: Jon Baker
* Erik Estrada: Frank Poncherello
* Robert Pine: Joe Getraer

### Recurring

* Brodie Greer: Baricza
* Lew Saunders: Fritz
* Reb Brown: Brouillette

### Others

* Jim Backus: Weitzman (Deuce)
* Bettye Ackerman: Mrs Burgess
* Paul Brinegar: Old Surfer
* William Espy: Vinne
* Barney McFadden: DeVito
* Delores Mann: Jag Lady
* Doreen Lang: Nurse Kremen