21 Jump Street: S3: EPS19 & 20: "Loc'd Out Parts 1 and 2 (Partners)

Written by Michelle Ashford and Eric Blakeney

Directed by James Whitmore Jr.

Airdate: May 14, 1989

In an ambitious 2-part season finale for season three of 21 Jump Street, the unit finds itself being used as a political tool for a crackdown on gang violence. Fuller impels everyone, "city hall wants arrests." 

Hanson reluctantly accepts the assignment to infiltrate one of the barrio gangs, he must pass himself Latino and quickly learns gang culture. Ioki is already ensconced with one of the Asian gangs, but he's already wearied of the assignment after witnessing a deadly drive-by. He tells Hoffs, "this reminds me of Saigon."

Depp, in a role that served as a precursor for Donnie Brasco, earns the respect of the gang, convincing them he's reliable gun dealer. The operation takes a tragic turn when Ioki gets shot several times and his life hangs in balance. Hanson, convinced a cop on the force is selling out undercover agents and running his own weapons trade, breaks into his house. The officer shows up and tries to kill Hanson, while fleeing Hanson fires back. The corrupt officer is down, but it's uncertain if the bullet came from Hanson's gun.

The episode evokes The Warriors and moves of the time like Colors and American Me. The script does a good jump of communicating the unit might be out of its element this time, ending with Ioki struggling to live and Hanson possibly guilty of murder.

Loc'd Out Part 2 (Partners)

Written by Eric Blakeney and Bill Nuss (Story by John Truby, Glen Morgan, and James Wong)

Directed by James Whitmore Jr.

Airdate: May 21, 1989

Hanson is now a murder suspect but maintains his cover to search for leads. He has limited contact with Penhall who urges him to come in. Booker is sent in to replace the cop that was killed, working with his partner as they pursue Hanson. Fuller and everyone in the unit begins to question what Hanson was trying to accomplish by breaking into the cop's house. Meanwhile, the forensic investigation finds possible evidence of a second shooter.

Hanson is eventually arrested and put on trial for murder. The trial goes poorly with for him due to all the circumstantial evidence aligned against him. He's found guilty, the episode ends with Hanson alone in his prison cell.

More plot-driven than was typical for Jump Street, the story moves along well. Hanson observes, "I let my life go down the tubes." The Law & Order template of the episode also provided a procedural mostly absent from the third season. Apparently, Booker was slated to be killed in this episode, but the character proved so popular he got his own series that aired for one season. 

21 Jump Street: S3E18: "Next Victim"

Written by Bruce Kirschbaum

Directed by James A. Contner

Airdate: May 7, 1989

The end of The Fairness Doctrine in 1987 opened the floodgates for talk radio, most of it reactionary. "Shock Jocks" also began to dominate the airwaves with edgy material. 

The episode begins with a college radio provocateur going on a racist diatribe, later he's the apparent victim of a car bombing.  Jump Street is called in to investigate, and Booker is chosen to replace the radio host, while Hoffs joins Students Against Racism and befriends the leader who's also a suspect in the bombing.

Greico does a great job in the episode, he's surprisingly good on the radio, almost too good. He gets into the role so much Hoffs starts to wonder if he's really acting. In an earlier episode, Booker mentioned he was a fan of the TV host Morton Downey Jr. and told Hanson he was proud of being white, suggesting Booker might harbor some racism. He's so good in fact, Dennis becomes a cult hero among the young conservatives on campus. 

The campus conservatives want to start having their people placed in high positions to further their agenda and they seek Booker's endorsement for an upcoming election. At a party, Booker notices the all-white party attendees freely dropping the n-word, so he gets a taste of real hate (I'm sure most of them found jobs in the Trump administration). In his final appearance on the radio, he makes a call for unity. It's also revealed the car bombing was staged by the former radio host.

The script did a good job of tapping into zeitgeist of American political tensions as the '80s were ending. Reportedly, Depp refused to participate in this episode believing it was racist. While the script does repeat some racist talking points, it clearly comes down on the side of anti-racism. The episode also deals with how polarizing politics was starting equal big money for media companies. 

Talk Radio, the Eric Bogosian play and film, clearly inspired the episode. The scenes at the radio station are filmed in a similar way with dim lighting and cigarette smoke creating a cinematic atmosphere for network television. 

Final Report: The episode stands as a highlight of season 3 - even prophetic on the future of discourse in media. 

21 Jump Street: S3E17: "Blinded by the Thousand Points of Light"

Written by Glen Morgan & James Wong

Directed by Jorge Montesi

Airdate: April 30, 1989

Guest Star: Bridget Fonda (Molly)

You may recall the phrase "thousand points of light" from Neil Young's rocker "Rockin in the Free World." It was also something of a campaign slogan for the 1988 George Bush campaign. 21 Jump Street remains an artifact of the Reagan era; but its willingness to provide nuance on issues affecting '80s youth makes the series useful for getting inside the psychic weather of the decade. This episode is a prime example. 

Homeless runaways are getting murdered, so the Jump Street unit goes undercover on the gritty streets of Metropolitan (Vancouver). It's a tough assignment for everyone as they see how street kids are being exploited by sex traffickers and drug dealers. Ironically, Penhall gains the nickname "Trump" for his skill at conning people out of money. Hoffs befriends Molly who is part of a runway gang surviving together. 

Bridget Fonda plays Molly, a rare example of a guest star carrying a Jump Street episode. In 1989 she was on the cusp of stardom and would appear in many mainstream hits like Single White Female and numerous indies. She brought a quiet strength and dignity to Molly.

Glen Morgan and James Wong's script was both cinematic in design and rich in characterization. Depp only appears in a few scenes, but he gets to nab the killer who tried to solicit him. 

The episode offers a gritty depiction of America as the '80s were coming to a close, a country where many were still left behind.

Final Report: Jump Street at its best, richly layered and nuanced. 

21 Jump Street: S3E16: "High High"

Written by Eric Blakeney and Bill Nuss

Directed by Mario Van Peebles

Airdate: April 23, 1989

Guest Stars: Michael Des Barres (Mr. Karst); Phillip Linton (Jimmy); Mario Van Peebles (Dana)

The Jump Street unit crashes art school in the fan favorite episode, "High High." Drugs at rampant at a local performing arts school so Hanson, Penhall, Ioki, and Booker are sent in to mix with art students (Hoffs as well, but she's not been given much to do recently).

Everyone manages to find their niche at the school. Hanson joins the rock band class allowing Depp to whale on his guitar for the entire episode. Penhall takes acting class but struggles until he finds his way through by reinterpreting Jackie Gleason. Booker has the most fun of all by joining the performance art troupe, he spews punk poetry and smashes televisions, considered one of his iconic moments from the series. 

Mario Van Peebles directed the episode with style and appears in one scene as a film professor. British rocker Michael des Barres is also memorable as the acting teacher who pushed Penhall to greatness on the stage. 

Wake up Penhall!

The only drawback to the script is the exhausted trope of drugs in schools. Apparently, everyone is getting high. Booker befriends Jimmy, a proto–David Foster Wallace type harboring a symbiotic relationship with substances. In a staged assembly, the entire school is arrested by the county judge! That was sort of awesome. Who's up for some community service?

21 Jump Street: S3E15: "Fathers and Sons"

Written by John Truby

Directed by Jefferson Kibbee

Airdate: April 9, 1989

Guest Stars: Michael Laskin (Mayor Michael Davis); Ricky Paull Goldin (Tad Davis)

Hanson and Penhall are investigating yet another drug ring at a High School and discover the mayor's son is involved and also a coke junkie. 

"Fathers and Sons" is filled with bizarre moments and then takes a jarring moralistic towards the end. The Unit is all abuzz over Ioki's beautiful new girlfriend, but the plot thread never goes anywhere. Penhall still stays with Ioki but is told to leave - and ends up passed out at his old house where he has a surreal conversation with a coded gay man who now resides there. Can Penhall not afford a new place?

Meanwhile, the mayor calls of the Jump Street investigation to avoid scandal, but Hanson and Penhall continue anyway, then Captain Fuller gets suspended for letting it continue. Hanson's main squeeze Jackie takes a heel turn, informing the mayor Fuller disobeyed his order. 

Then the mayor's son Tad dies of an overdose, so Fuller is reinstated to track down the dealers responsible. You with me? Hanson drops Jackie cold even after she apologizes, proving his loyalty is first and foremost with the unit.

The "let's get these awful drug dealers" climax felt out of synch with the series, which always worked best when walking a fine line on moral issues. There's a bit of everything in the episode, both compelling and oddly off tone. 

21 Jump Street: S3E14: "Nemesis"

Written by John Truby

Directed by Ken Wiederhorn

Airdate: March 26, 1989

Guest Stars: Krista Errickson (Christine); Linda Darlow (Joyce Booker)

"Nemesis" is more psychological thriller than cop drama as Booker blames himself for the killing of a student who was mistaken for a NARC. He's infiltrated a gang of drug dealing teens at a high school who call themselves "the wastoids."

Booker's guilt leads him to question himself as a cop. He visits his mom and tries to connect with his girlfriend. As he struggles not to blow his cover, the tensions heighten

The best part of the episode is the intro, editing like a late '80s horror film Wes Craven style. Greico was allowed to show off his acting skills here, the episode would become a template for his own series Booker to air the next season.

Reportedly, the episode was originally written for Johnny Depp, who objected to the script having Hanson cover-up a murder. Hanson appears only briefly. More of an outlier episode, slightly out of tune with the season, but still good. 

21 Jump Street: S3E13: "A.W.O.L"

Written by Glen Morgan & James Wong (Story by Peter Dixon)

Directed by Michael Robinson

Airdate: March 19, 1989

Guest Stars: Harrison Page (Sgt. Larry Wilcox); Patrick Labyorteaux (Pvt. Jack Weaver)

After a former army buddy of Captain Fuller's asks him to help locate a recruit that's gone AWOL, Hanson and Penhall are assigned to find the Private and return him to his base. 

They find Private Weaver at a local High School and then must drive him back to his base. Along the way the three of them bond, but Weaver runs away at a rest stop, then Hanson and Penhall get lost looking for him in the woods, Penhall injures his leg, but they eventually realize they were on the base all long.

An episode of missed opportunities. Recruitment efforts during the Reagan era escalated, especially at High Schools. A story about a kid who enlisted, was mistreated, and tried to leave had potential to comment on 1980s militarism. But the story avoids the issues, devoting most of the episode to being lost in the woods. Sgt. Wilcox promises to treat Weaver right - and that's that. At times, this felt like an homage to The Last Detail, but the script focused more on action.

It should be mentioned this was the first episode written by Glen Morgan and James Wong who would write many more for Jump Street. They would play a big part in 1990s pop culture, working on The X-Files, Space: Above and Beyond, and Millennium. You can read my Millennium Blog here.

Final Report: Malaise continues to afflict the third season.