21 Jump Street: S3E9: "Swallowed Alive"

Written by Eric Blakeney

Directed by James A. Contner

Airdate: February 5, 1989

Guest Stars: Michael Champion (Facility Director)

In an episode when the unit's been sent into a juvenile facility, Penhall observes "we send these kids to hell."

We also learn the unit was sent in without Fuller's permission to investigate a murder and drug trade going on inside. Booker and Ioki are pulled out quickly, while Penhall cracks up. Hanson is left going solo in the most dangerous environment yet. 

The episode is like a hybrid of Midnight Express and Bad Boys. Left alone, Hanson establishes himself as "the hammer" after he takes down one of the enforcers. He looks on with indifference during a bloody fistfight and even stays on longer to finish the case after Fuller offers to get him out. There's also a sex trade going with a girl's reform school nearby and he almost decides to partake but instead collapses in tears.

At the heart of the episode is the idea that incarcerating teens only makes their problems worse. The institution is a microcosm of a criminal underworld with violence, drug trade, and sadistic guards. By the end Hanson is seriously questioning his line of work. Fuller calmly tells Hanson their job is to enforce the law - and the reality of that can get ugly. 

Another strong episode because it interrogates the basis of the series. Penhall is pushed to the edges of sanity, while Hanson takes his undercover persona to its extremes. "Swallowed Alive" might've been the grittiest entry of 21 Jump Street.

21 Jump Street: S3E8: "The Blu Flu"

Written by Clifton Campbell

Directed by Bill Corcoran

Airdate: January 29, 1989

Guest Stars: Art Metrano (Larry Stubbs); Robert Romanus (Gary); Kevin Dunn (Reed)

More division hits the Jump Street Unit after the police union rejects the new contract. Hanson observes negotiations, while the others consider their options. Hoffs and Booker join the picket line, Penhall is under pressure from Dorothy to find a new job, while Ioki resents the work stoppage. Captain Fuller, being part of management, must keep working. The 1980s was a shaky era for labor unions, and the script deserves credit for not going corporate.

Penhall attends to household chores.

Booker bonds with veteran Officer Stubbs over baseball and even stepped in to deescalate a tense confrontation during the episode's climax, and even takes the blame for a tire slashing incident to prevent Stubbs from losing his job. Hanson is mostly absent this week, while Penhall deals with Dorothy being the only breadwinner. Ioki views the strike as more of a hinderance to his stock portfolio, he clashes with Booker. Eventually, both sides agree to a contract. 

Booker holds the line during the strike

If there's an all-star for this episode it would be Fuller, he keeps working and stays calm in a stressful situation, including being partnered with an incompetent rookie. As usual, Fuller exudes balanced leadership during a crisis. While Depp was the "star" of the series, Steven Williams was the glue that always held things together. I would point to this episode as a prime example. 

21 Jump Street: S3E7: "The Dragon and the Angel"

Written by E. Paul Edwards

Directed by Jefferson Kibbee

Airdate: January 15, 1989

Guest Stars: Russel Wong (Locke); Kelly Hu (Kim Van L); Danny Kamekona (Van Luy)

Ioki infiltrates a Vietnamese gang known as Pai Gow who are linked to several heists, creating moral dilemmas about his identity and line of work. He befriends the gang's leader Locke who wants to bring prosperity to his community and take advantage of the opportunities offered by American capitalism. In opposition to Locke is Van Luy, a businessman who also runs a newspaper that critiques American foreign policy. To add more intrigue, Locke is in love with Luy's daughter Kim.

The script does a great job of cross-examining notions of American identity. As of the 2020s around 1.3 million Vietnamese refugees live in the United States. The episode draws on tensions of assimilation and the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Nguyen's performance expresses his ambivalence on going undercover within a culture he's a part of and shares many common experiences. He understands Locke is trying to do good for the community, but also realizes his job requires him to enforce the law. In a discussion with Fuller, Ioki opens about his conflicted feelings about the case.

Ioki leads a sting operation on Locke, despite his conflict. He visits him in prison, and they have a bitter confrontation. Much of season three has dealt with the moral certainties of previous seasons coming under more pressure. The episode also deserves credit for dealing with the Vietnamese American community and its complexities. 

A subplot with Hanson getting shot in the behind in a friendly fire incident allowed for some strained comic relief. Penhall goes to outrageous lengths to compensate for his guilt, following a long tradition of TV tropes with a comical "b" story. 

Final Report: Another strong episode, dealing with identity and moral dilemmas.