Zora, I agree with you that Season 3 had great chemistry & character development, and because of escalating production costs, the chase scenes were axed. Other Cannell shows such as "The A-Team" & "Hunter" were also scaling back, going for more character development, and in "The A-Team"'s case, actually 'darker' plot driven stories.
But the single one thing that would make Season 3 better... the Coyote. As much as I love the great scripts, Season 3 is at the bottom of my list, because of the lack of the Coyote.
I've said it before, and i'll say it again - Season 2 had the best formula, 10-fold. Great character-driven scripts with great character development between Milt & Mark. But each episode also ended with a cool chase sequences involving the Coyote, or at least Hardcastle's GMC Sierra.
Now don't think i'm just bagging on Season 3. I thin at times Season 1 could've seriously used more plot & character than 'the coolest jump'. At times Season 1 drags, because of the fact it's too action-oriented.
Now granted, I don't think any S3 episodes were majorly hurt because of the missing Coyote chases. However, it was still hurt.
Sometimes it didn't make sense, and keeping in mind they were trying to scale back, still...
Do Not Go Gentle (so much of this episode was a throwback... but where's the Coyote?)
Games People Play (this episode could've benefitted simply for the fact it sucked)
Strangle Hold (Coyote on the runway would've been cool)
You're Sixteen... (a Season 1-esque desert-dune chase with jump would've been a great cap for this episode)
Conventional Warfare (a good little chase with Milt's GMC would've been nice)
Duet For Two... (this was a good episode, but MAJORLY needed a Coyote chase. The whole episode was a throwback to Season 1. In alot of ways it seemed to be a ripoff of "Goin' Nowhere Fast")
Brother Can You Spare A Crime
The Day The Music Died (how 'bout Hardcastle's Vette ala "Rolling Thunder" for this one? The ending was a little anti-climatic)
A Chip Off The 'Ol Milt (a Coyote chase at the end would've been the icing on the cake)