Written by Eric Blakeney
Directed by Neil Fearnley
Airdate: November 20, 1988
Guest Star: Perry Gilpin (Fitzgerald); Yvette Nipar (Jackie)
Midway through the episode, a desperate and disgraced Penhall consults Capt. Fuller for advice, and is told "reputation is the currency we trade in."
Still working with the intelligence unit, Penhall cracks a big case and was moved to the "major crimes" unit. There he finds the culture toxic and unfriendly. He and his new partner Fitzgerald are assigned to a case involving explosive accusations against a local celebrity. Convinced the suspect has sexually assaulted his own child, Penhall's aggressive interrogation technique backfires when it turns out the accusations were false.
Penhall receives verbal abuse for his mistake and must live with himself after destroying the suspect's career. It's clear he let emotions get in the way, not helped by his arrogant demeanor among more experienced detectives. We've never seen Penhall this desperate as he flails around trying to make amends. Ultimately, Penhall confides to Fuller "I want to come back" and "start over" because Jump Street was the only place where he ever made a difference.
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| Penhall confides with Fuller |
A subplot introduces a new love interest for Hanson, Assistant DA Jackie Garrett. Although their blind date at Penhall's went bad, they reconnected later at Hanson's favorite spot, the bowling alley. Hanson's love interests tend to be fleeting, but there's hints of real connection here.
Another hard-hitting episode, once again exploring themes of moral ambiguity and ethical roadblocks. Penhall learns the limits of his abilities and feels the wrath of the system after his screw-up; Jump Street seems to symbolize a space of moral certitude and refuge. The episode nicely juxtaposes Jump Street idealism with institutional reality. We're glad Penhall's back but also wonder whether he -and we, as the audience - are ready for failure and ideological pushback.
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