80s TV Shows

21 Jump Street (created and initially promoted before its premiere as Jump Street Chapel) is an hour-long police drama television series that aired on the Fox Network from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, with a total of 103 episodes. The crime drama focused on a squad of youthful-looking undercover police officers investigating crimes in high schools and other teenage venues.

Created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell, the series was produced by the studio Stephen J. Cannell Productions. The show was an early hit for the fledgling Fox Network, especially in the important teen demographic. The final season aired in first-run syndication on local Fox affiliates. It was later completed in rerun syndication on Fox’s FX cable network from 1996 to 1998 and produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television.

The series provided a spark to Johnny Depp’s nascent acting career, garnering him national recognition as a teen idol. Depp found this status an irritant, but he continued on the series under his contract, from which he was released after the fourth season.

A spin-off, Booker, was produced for the character of Dennis Booker (Richard Grieco); it ran one season, from September 1989 to June 1990.

Plot

The show is about a group of young cops whose youthful appearances enabled them to work undercover in both high schools and sometimes colleges to catch troubled youths. The show’s plots covered typical issues of its time, including alcoholism, hate crimes, drug abuse, racism, homophobia, AIDS, drinking, child abuse, and sexual promiscuity. Similarly, each problem was often solved by the end of the hour long show, giving an implicit moral about the impact of a particular activity. When the show originally aired, some episodes were followed immediately by public service announcements featuring cast members.

Cast

Johnny Depp as Officer Thomas “Tom” Hanson, Jr. (1987-1990)
Holly Robinson as Officer (later Detective) Judith “Judy” Hoffs
Dustin Nguyen as Officer Harry Truman Ioki (1987-1990)
Peter DeLuise as Officer Douglas “Doug” Penhall (1987-1990)
Frederic Forrest as Captain Richard Jenko (1987)
Steven Williams as Captain Adam Fuller (1987-1991)
Richard Grieco as Officer Dennis Booker (1988-1989)
Michael DeLuise as Officer Joseph “Joey” Penhall (1990-1991)
Sal Jenco as Sal “Blowfish” Banducci (1987-1990)
Michael Bendetti as Officer Anthony “Mac” McCann (1990-1991)

Jeff Yagher was originally cast as Officer Tom Hanson in the Pilot. He was replaced after the original pilot episode was filmed, and his scenes were reshot with Johnny Depp.

Guest stars

Actors who guest-starred on the program include Bridget Fonda, Sherilyn Fenn, Jason Priestley, Josh Brolin, Maia Brewton, Mindy Cohn, David Paymer, Brad Pitt, Christina Applegate, Vince Vaughn, Pauly Shore, Blair Underwood, John Waters, Wallace Langham, Shannen Doherty, Rosie Perez, Gregory Itzin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Russ, and Thomas Haden Church

Inconsistencies and plot holes

Det. Judy Hoffs is given three different middle names over the course of the show. In “The Worst Night of Your Life” (Season 1), Cpt. Jenko calls her Judith Esther. In “In the Custody of a Clown” (Season 2), her mother calls her Judith Marie. In “What About Love” (Season 3) she tells her boyfriend that her middle name is Ann. The booklet in the first season DVD set lists Judy’s middle name as Marie.

In Season 1, Ioki is studying for the sergeant’s exam (”Don’t Pet the Teacher”), without ever having been promoted from the rank of officer. This was corrected in season four, when Ioki (along with Hoffs and Penhall) is studying to become a detective (”Say It Ain’t So, Pete”).

In Season 1, Penhall tells Hanson that his brother went to a state college (”My Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”). In Season 5, his brother (Joey Penhall) is shown to be a drifter-turned-cop.

In Season 5 (”Crossfire”), Hoffs is questioned on the stand by her boyfriend’s ex-wife, who is the attorney representing a person she and Mac had arrested for solicitation. She is asked about her sexual harassment case of two years ago and her rape of three years ago. These events are backward; Hoffs’ sexual harassment case happened first, in “What About Love?” (season three). The rape occurred in season four (”Stand By Your Man”).

Film adaptation

It has been recently announced that a film version is going to be developed. Jonah Hill will write and executive produce the film, though it remains unknown if he will star. The film would be more of a tongue-in-cheek version of the series in a modern day setting.