The desert town of Clarksberg is a notorious speed trap. In the last year, seven drivers have been killed in car wrecks while fleeing Sheriff Roy Childress (Vic Morrow). But only Roy knows how they really died: he deliberately ran them off the road. Michael McCord (Martin Sheen) drives into town to investigate the deaths.
The California Kid contains examples of:
- 20 Minutes into the Past: Aired in 1974, set in 1958.
- The Bad Guys Are Cops: Although Roy's the only one who's in on it - the deputy (Stuart Margolin) has no idea.
- Cool Car: Michael's souped-up car with flames painted on the sides. Almost everyone who sees it comments on how cool it is, and the local teenagers are delighted when Michael lets them drive it.
- Dead Man Honking: In the opening scene, Roy kills two men, then steps out of his car and looks down at the crash while their horn blares.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Speeders who try to drive away from Roy instead of letting him pull them over are killed.
- Freudian Excuse: Roy's murderous hatred of traffic violators comes from the deaths of his wife and child in a hit-and-run.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Roy tries to run Michael off the road, but Michael suddenly pulls ahead, causing Roy to lose control and drive off the bend to his death.
- Nobody Calls Me "Chicken"!: Lyle (Gary Morgan) asks out Sissy (Janit Baldwin), a girl who's more interested in cars than the boys who drive them. Sissy won't go out with him unless he's willing to drive her places, but Lyle isn't willing because he doesn't have his driver's license yet. Sissy says, "Me and Tom used to go out when he had his learner's. But if you're scared or something..." Lyle caves and agrees to take her out in his brother's car. While they're driving, she goads him to drive faster so they can spend more time at Make-Out Point. Roy runs them off the road, killing Lyle and badly injuring Sissy.
- You Killed My Father: Michael's little brother Don (Joe Estevez) was one of Roy's last victims.
