Satanic, death-obsessed glam rocker Moloch (Donnie Most - 'Ralph Malph' from 'Happy Days) faces protests wherever he performs. It goes beyond the fact that his act is a bad rip-off of KISS with a bit of Ozzy Osbourne thrown in.
Family-values and religious fanatics think he is luring the youth of America into devil-worship via satanic messages hidden in his songs. As a result he receives more than the usual share of death threats celebrities get.
California Highway Patrol cops Frank 'Ponch' Poncharello (Erik Estrada) and Bobby 'Hot Dog' Nelson (Tom Reilly) are assigned to escort Moloch as he drives away from the concert arena after a show. Smoke fills the inside of the car and his brakes give out. He hears a voice from his tape player saying 'Moloch will die!'. After Ponch rescues him the startled musician gains big publicity. Himbo Ponch and his equally himbo partner feel taken advantage of and aren't amused.
But out of character and in civilian costume Mickey Nordhagen AKA Moloch seems genuinely scared. Ponch and Bobby begin to wonder if there is more to it all.
Those of us that think of the early episodes of CHiPs as prime exemplars of all that was vacuous and vapid about network TV saw our perceptions redefined when popular cast members Randi Oakes and Larry Wilcox were replaced. Ex Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Tina Gayle was no replacement for Oakes anymore than Tom Reilly could replace Larry Wilcox. By the sixth and final season the show had become a bad sitcom parody of itself.
This Halloween episode directed by John Astin (who played Gomez on the Addams Family) is a schlockfest of appalling acting particularly on the part of Donnie Most (they should've gotten Michael Des Barres).
Cassandra Petersen AKA Elvira, Mistress of the Dark has a fun cameo.
Family-values and religious fanatics think he is luring the youth of America into devil-worship via satanic messages hidden in his songs. As a result he receives more than the usual share of death threats celebrities get.
California Highway Patrol cops Frank 'Ponch' Poncharello (Erik Estrada) and Bobby 'Hot Dog' Nelson (Tom Reilly) are assigned to escort Moloch as he drives away from the concert arena after a show. Smoke fills the inside of the car and his brakes give out. He hears a voice from his tape player saying 'Moloch will die!'. After Ponch rescues him the startled musician gains big publicity. Himbo Ponch and his equally himbo partner feel taken advantage of and aren't amused.
But out of character and in civilian costume Mickey Nordhagen AKA Moloch seems genuinely scared. Ponch and Bobby begin to wonder if there is more to it all.
Those of us that think of the early episodes of CHiPs as prime exemplars of all that was vacuous and vapid about network TV saw our perceptions redefined when popular cast members Randi Oakes and Larry Wilcox were replaced. Ex Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Tina Gayle was no replacement for Oakes anymore than Tom Reilly could replace Larry Wilcox. By the sixth and final season the show had become a bad sitcom parody of itself.
This Halloween episode directed by John Astin (who played Gomez on the Addams Family) is a schlockfest of appalling acting particularly on the part of Donnie Most (they should've gotten Michael Des Barres).
Cassandra Petersen AKA Elvira, Mistress of the Dark has a fun cameo.
