Overview: The action and fun of CHiPs Season 3 continues in this wildly popular action-drama that stars Golden Globe nominated Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox returning as high-spirited California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers Francis "Ponch" Poncherello and Jon Baker.

DVD Verdict: Who out there could honestly say they disliked the TV show, 'CHiPs'?! Nobody, that's who! With 'CHiPs' the California Highway Patrol got the best PR they could ever hope for in this classic buddy cop show from the 1970s. Built on comedy and riveting freeway chases, Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada starred as officers Jon Baker and Frank "Ponch" Poncherrello.

The series immediately found an audience, especially with children because of it's fantastic car chases and entertaining action stunts. It was guaranteed that a car would flip over or someone got thrown off a bike or flopped face first into cement in every episode. It didn't matter if they were so obviously staged, no one else was doing such things back in those days so it was fun to see it on 'CHiPs.' There just had to be chase on the freeways in each episode, and they surprisingly hold up today. I guess a high speed chase at over 90 mph in 1977 is the same as one that happens in 2015!

That's another thing, watching this series it's amazing how little life in North America has changed in the past 35+ years. Only the fashions, music and obviously some media oriented (internet, fast computers, flat screen plasma and LCD TVs, palm pilots, etc) electronic technology has changed. Otherwise look at how life in 1977 is still so much the same as 2015. It's weird watching Ponch and Jon today and reflecting that I'm now around the *same age* (freaky!) as those guys were back then (late 20s-early 30s). I see them in an entirely different light today then when I viewed this show as a child, as I can relate to more of their life and understand their still relatively young adult problems.

Anyway, to catch you up, last season, Ponch and Jon were on the lookout for all sorts of criminal operations. That continues this season in the comedic melodrama fashion that only Ponch and Jon can provide as they continue to catch people who have been menacing the L.A Freeways. Whether it's staging an accident as part of an insurance scam, or punks breaking into cars, California Highway Patrol is there to stop them. Infused with the same light-hearted subplots of the past, 'CHiPs: The Complete Third Season' brings you entertaining action-drama at its finest!

In closing, sure 'CHiPs' had a tendency to be cheesy, especially with the way Erik Estrada hammed it up as Ponch. But who cared, Estrada and Wilcox had terrific on screen chemistry (even if they didn't get along in real life; which it's said they actually didn't!), that you just were glued to TV to watch these guys chase bad guys. Also, throughout this entire third season, as I'm pretty sure happened in the entire series run, our friendly cops never drew their guns and the violence was almost non-existent. This is a series that could never be made today. You got the day off from work and it's raining outside, time to watch an episode of 'CHiPs.'

24 One-Hour Episodes: Roller Disco, Part I, Roller Disco, Part II, Valley Go Home, High Octane, Death Watch, Counterfeit, Return of the Supercycle, Hot Wheels, Drive Lady Drive - Part I, Drive Lady Drive - Part II, The Watch Commander, Destruction Derby, Second Chance, Wheeling, Christmas Watch, Jailbirds, E.M.T. Kidnap, Off Road, Tow Truck Lady, The Strippers, Thrill Show, Nightingale, and Dynamite Alley.

BTW,did you know that the word "Chippie" as slang for CHP officer dates to the 1950s or earlier, but was rarely used until popularized by this show. The word "CHiP" was coined by the producers after the network balked at the name "Chippies". No, nor did I! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.