Release Date: 6/3/08

The Show

It’s funny how horrible shows can catch on because a star can captivate an audience. Okay, so maybe I’m being a bit harsh on Chips, but honestly, the show wasn’t exactly award winning material. However, with that said, the show had a charismatic actor named Erik Estrada leading the way as famed highway patrolman, Ponch. The Complete Second Season is now on DVD for everyone to relive those crazy 1970’s highway patrol moments.

California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers Jon (Larry Wilcox) and Ponch (Estrada) take on the colorful criminals and zany incidents of Los Angeles. The basic premise of the series saw the duo get in and out of jams each week where the line of thought that “it’s just so crazy that it might work” trumps all. We watch as the department is in disease quarantine and the duo runs into jewel thieves use a tricked out stunt car for their heists. For what it is, the series is most certainly satisfying in tying all the loose ends together by the end of each episode. And hey, who can say no to frat boys seeking revenge against Ponch and Jon for busting them on marijuana charges?

The 4 double-sided disc set comes with all 22 episodes from the second season with a Play All option found on each disc.
Disc 1 Side A
1. Peaks and Valleys
2. The Volunteers
3. Family Crisis
4. Disaster Squad
Disc 1 Side B
1. Neighborhood Watch
2. Trick of Treat
3. High Flyer
4. The Grudge
Disc 2 Side A
1. The Sheik
2. Return of the Turks
3. Supercycle
4. High Explosive
Disc 2 Side B
1. Down Time
2. Repo Man
3. Mait Team
4. Pressure Point
Disc 3 Side A
1. The Matchmakers
2. Rally ‘Round the Bank
3. Bio-Rhythms
4. Quarantine
Disc 3 Side B
1. CHP BMX
2. Ride the Whirlwhind

The DVD

The main menu is pretty standard with static backgrounds and music. Submenus include silent stills.

The video transfer is offered in 1.33:1 Full Frame. The series is 30 years old and the video transfer shows. The colors do look decent, but a bit dull at times. There is also a good amount of grain and flaws. Sure it’s watchable and it’s probably the source that is the cause of problem, but I hoped that it would have been cleaned up a little.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital Mono, Portuguese Dolby Digital Mono, and Spanish Dolby Digital Mono. The dialogue and voices are audible and with a show like this, that’s all that matters. Subtitles are available in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

The Extras

The 4-disc set comes in 2 slimline cases encased within a cardboard box. Episode guide, descriptions, and original airdates are on each case in a very nice and easy to read fashion. The bonus options are housed on their own single-sided disc.

The Real Chips runs a little over 15-minutes long and offers a new retrospective piece that includes interviews with Estrada and police officers.

The bonus options round out with The Greatest Adventures of Chips, a feature length episode recounting highlights from the first two seasons.

Final Thoughts

There isn’t much I can say that will sway fans from purchasing Chips – The Complete Second Season. The audio and video quality is only about average, but it’s the episodes that will reel in the fans. Those unfamiliar with the series will definitely want to check out this hit or miss show with a rental first though.

- Morris Tang