Tuesday, October 21, 2025

21 Jump Street: S1E11: "Low and Away"

Written by Bill Nuss and Paul Bernbaum

Directed by Bill Corcoran

Airdate: June 14, 1987

Guest Stars: Kurtwood Smith (Spencer Phillips); Michael Fairman (Frank Hoffman); Tom O'Brien (Jake); Patrick Breen (Johnny)

Penhall and Hoffs are assigned to keep tabs on a High School student, Johnny, star pitcher of the baseball team. The directive came from the FBI, who will not specify the bureau's interest in surveilling students. Kurtwood Smith plays Agent Phillips, the same year he starred in Robocop

Penhall joins the baseball team and lives out his athlete fantasy, while Hoffs befriends Johnny, who instantly marks her as a cop, adding to the intrigue. As it turns out, Johnny's father Frank was a mob informant, now in the Witness Protection. The FBI fears Johnny will be kidnapped on the eve of a mob trial in New York. Jake, another player on the team, also claims to be an undercover agent. 

A plot driven episode that includes shootouts and car chases, the story seemed like it belonged in another TV series. Perhaps not coincidentally, the mobster's name is Terranova, the same last name of the lead character in Wiseguy, another Stephen J. Cannel series. As a silver lining, everyone in the cast got involved in the action, and one can sense the series stretching its ambition. 

Final Report: B

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