21 Jump Street: S5E22: "Second Chances"

Written by Jim Brown

Directed by Steven Williams

Airdate: April 27, 1991

Guest Star: Martin Cummins (Nick)

"Second Chances" was the final episode of 21 Jump Street. 

Hoffs volunteers for the "Second Chances" program which helps rehabilitate students with a record. When Nick, one of her former students, is suspected of leading a car theft ring, she takes a renewed interest in the case. She finds Nick's shop class is indeed involved in car theft (recalling a first season episode) but his involvement is peripheral. 

Hoffs begins to mentor Nick again, offering advice on school and jobs - he's unhappy working at the fast-food joint. Eventually, a scheme is hatched to break up the ring that's led by the "Auto Class" teacher. There's some decent action for the climax and Nick even saves Hoffs from a crowbar attack! Mac provided backup throughout the case, according to IMDB his brown jacket was worn by Hanson for an earlier episode.

Steven Williams directed the episode, providing a neo-noir flavor to the visual style. 

While the final season of the series lacked the ambition of previous ones, all the episodes were decent. Rehabilitation as a theme for the final episode seemed appropriate, ending the series on an understated, but graceful note. 

Thanks for reading these! I plan to keep making the occasional post that will reflect on 21 Jump Street and its place in television history. And I want to write the obligatory "Top Ten Episode" listicle. Star Tuned! 

21 Jump Street: S5E21: "Homegirls"

Written by Jeff Myrow

Directed by Brad Turner

Airdate: April 20, 1991

Guest Star: Jada Pinkett (Nicole)

Hoffs infiltrates a gang to investigate a drive-by shooting and to break up a gun running ring. There's almost a Hollywood vibe to the episode as Hoffs must convince the other girls in the gang she can handle the hard life. 

Jada Pinkett appears as one of the gang members in an early role. Some twists and turns punctuate the episode, and the dialogue is snappier than usual. The story's almost a retro throwback to the 1970s with its blaxploitation edge. It was a good script for Holly Robinson that provided Hoffs a compelling story for the penultimate entry in the series. 

21 Jump Street: S5E18: "Crossfire"

Written by Ann Donahue

Directed by Jorge Montesi

Airdate: March 30, 1991

Guest Star: Geoffery Thorne (Joshua Dorsett); Renee Jones (Yvonne Andrews); William B. David (Judge Harrison)

Only three principal members of the cast remain as 21 Jump Street enters its final stretch. "Crossfire" should be titled "Hoffs in Turmoil."

Hoffs and Mac are working the vice squad, setting up solicitors of sex workers. When a man propositions Hoffs and gets arrested - he later sues for entrapment. Meanwhile, Hoffs is dating Joshua, a shady businessman in the middle of a custody battle. 

More ambitious than previous episodes, and also more plot heavy. Hoffs discovers the prosecuting attorney in her entrapment case is the ex-wife of her new boyfriend. Mac and Fuller work behind the scenes to help Hoffs, including some questionable use of informants. 

Despite all the character machinations, this episode dragged a bit. But it did end on a humorous note. 

21 Jump Street: S5E5: "Just Say No! High"

Written by Sharon E. Doyle

Directed by Randy Bradshaw

Airdate: November 10, 1990

Guest Stars: Peter Outerbridge (Jeff); Garry Chalk (Coach Brandon)

A group of students are determined to remove drugs from their high school, supporting an extreme measure offering free drug tests so students to prove they are drug-free (they wear red bands around their arms). The measures are in response to an ecstasy epidemic that led to the death of a student.

Hoffs and Penhall are assigned to find out who's manufacturing the ecstasy. Things are complicated when Hoffs tests positive for speed, forcing Fuller to take away her badge. Internal Affairs also investigates Hoffs, putting her through borderline harassment. 

Penhall and McCann suspect Jeff, leader of the anti-drug cause and chemistry whiz, might be the culprit. As it turns out, it's the basketball coach! He gets arrested in his Winnebago (very Breaking Bad prescient). Hoffs also gets absolved when it's revealed her original test was a false reading, so all is well. She even takes revenge on the IA guy.

The episode does a suitable job of illustrating the anti-drug hysteria of the era, when schools began to implement things like the DARE program or the punk inspired straight edge movement. Slightly more adventurous than previous offerings from Season 5, the episode feels a bit passe but engaging. 

21 Jump Street: S4E23: "How I Saved the Senator"

Written by Gary Rosen

Directed by James Whitmore Jr.

Airdate: May 7, 1990

Guest Star: Ray Parker Jr. (as himself)

"How I Saved the Senator" opens with a news crew barging in on the chapel - sending everyone for cover. Earlier that day, the Jump Street Unit was working security for a senator and foiled a plot. The reporter confesses she's actually a screenwriter and wants to get everyone's account of what happened. It's a fun take on Rashomon and a showcase for the entire cast. Appropriately, it would the final time all the principals appeared together. 

Ioki's fantasy imagines himself in a Bruce Lee film with elements of the 1970s TV show Kung Fu. Hanson pictures himself in a silent film with Depp doing a dead-on Chaplin imitation. Hoffs is a 1930s nightclub singer, evocative of the Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. Even Sal gets into the act, I guess he's in a slasher film? Penhall spins a 007 yarn, and Fuller reveals himself a fan of Westerns. 

It's hard not to get a little sentimental about this episode. One thinks back to the Pilot when Hanson reluctantly joined the unit, Penhall and the rest believed him too square to make it as an undercover cop. Jenko was the still the captain, lecturing Hanson on the genius of Jimi Hendrix. Seeing them all together one last time four years later, laughing and joking after they've been through the ringer together makes this the closest the series ever came to a farewell episode. 

21 Jump Street: S4E14: "A Change of Heart"

Written by Michelle Ashford

Directed by Jan Eliasberg

Airdate: January 15, 1990

Guest Star: Katy Boyer (Megan)

Fuller and Hoffs go undercover at a High School to investigate the murder of a popular teacher who was a lesbian. 21 Jump Street rarely explored sexuality, so this episode is a rare exception.

Hoffs befriends Megan, who she suspects of having a crush on the teacher who was murdered. In one scene, Megan kisses Hoffs, who reacts with guarded compassion. Megan's struggling with her sexuality, but the investigation leads to her mom.

TV would evolve a lot in the 90s and beyond in its handling of gay themes and characters. While the episode treats Megan's character with sympathy it does lean to its lesbian coded crime as taboo. To Fuller's credit he does express a progressive view for its time and avoids the obvious homophobic jokes that was common for TV of that era. 

A subplot involves Fuller considering a relationship with a younger teacher he meets at the school - even shaving off his beard for a mustache. When Fuller awkwardly asks Hoffs if she would date a guy like him, she's like "why is everyone trying to date me." 

"A Change of Heart" is more of a drama than a crime story, indicative of the series searching for new avenues in what would be its final season as a network show. 

21 Jump Street: S4E11: "Parental Guidance Suggested"

Written by Sam Bushwick, Glen Morgan, and James Wong

Directed by Jeffrey Auerbach

Airdate: December 4, 1989

Guest Star: Jay Underwood (Rob Daniels); Lenore Kasdorf (Pam Daniels); Paul Gleason (Mr. Daniels)

The Jump Street squad is on stakeout duty in the heart of suburbia trying to nail a theft ring. But during the stakeout, Hoffs notices some possible domestic violence at the house next door. The episode's a hybrid of Rear Window and Disturbia.

The story weaves between the hijinks of Penhall and Ioki trying to steal free cable to relieve their boredom, as Hoffs and Fuller agonize over what to do about the abuse. Paul Gleason (Breakfast Club, Die Hard) is the violent father, while his son Rob must deal with the brunt of his physical and verbal abuse. Hoffs befriends Rob at the school, and tries to persuade Fuller to do something, but ethically they cannot interfere.

After Mr. Daniels goes missing, Fuller decides to ger involved. They suspect Rob might've murdered his father, after he confessed to having such fantasies to Hoffs. When Mr. Daniels returns, the abuse starts again, but Hoffs and Fuller stop Rob when he attempts to drown his father after he passing out. 

The episode takes a turn into psychological melodrama, as Fuller reveals he grew up with an abusive father, leading to his distant relationship with his own son Kip. The script avoids getting into whether Hoffs and Fuller committed an ethical breach by getting involved in a case they were not assigned. But the Hitchcock influence on the episode makes this a curiosity in the 21 Jump Street canon.

21 Jump Street: S4E8: "Stand by your Man"

Written by Michelle Ashford

Directed by Daniel Attias

Airdate: November 13, 1989

Guest Star: Ken Olandt (Evan)

The episode begins with Hoffs being promoted to Detective as the unit is pursuing a designer drug lead at a prestigious medical school. When one of the male students sexually assaults Hoffs, her career is put into jeopardy.

Hoffs was always the most professional officer in the unit, and she had to deal with vulnerabilities her male colleagues never had to face. There were many episodes when she was working undercover and a student would develop a crush on her - usually played for laughs. 

When Hoffs develops chemistry with medical student Evan, they share a brief kiss, but she makes it clear she's only interested in being friends. At a party later that night he assaulted Hoffs, claiming she gave consent. But she did not. The issue of consent is at the center of the episode, rare for the 1980s. It also deals with the judgement and intrusive questions Hoffs faces, any woman faces, after making a rape accusation. Why did she wait so long? How did she conduct herself with Evan, giving him the wrong idea?  

Hanson proves himself to be a worthy ally in the episode, offering quiet emotional support. Fuller also tries to support Hoffs, but his fatherly manner towards alienates more than it helps. When word gets out about the rape accusation, everyone acts differently towards Hoffs, either patronizing or awkward. 

'Stand by your Man" refuses a neat conclusion. Evan gets a slap on the wrist for his sentence due to his wealthy connections. Neither does he seem to believe he did everything wrong. Holly Robinson gives a good performance, given a rare moment in the series which required a complex performance. Credit must also be given to the script written by Michelle Ashford. Most fans prefer Jump Street when it's a good time show, but the questions and themes in this episode remain relevant over 30 years later. 

21 Jump Street: S3E10: "What About Love?"

Written by Michelle Ashford

Directed by David Jackson

Airdate: February 12, 1989

Guest Star: Bobby Hosea (Marcus)

Hoffs is dating her co-worker Marcus but breaks it off when she discovers he's married. In response, he continues to corner her at work, repeatedly calls, and writes a negative report of her job performance. She wants to accuse him of sexual harassment, but fears revealing details about her personal life. In a desperate move, she tapes him trying to coerce her, and he gets removed from his job.

In other storylines, Dorothy and Penhall finally break up, forcing Penhall to find a new residence. Ioki reluctantly takes him in but is disgusted by Penhall's sloppy habits. They also must work a case to nab a flasher. Hanson and Jackie are still dating; she's pushing him to be more ambitious. 

Holly Robinson carries the episode, delivering both a strong and vulnerable performance. The sexual harassment theme is handled with subtlety, as Marcus has the facade of being a "nice guy" and is not the typical workplace creep. The more comical subplots provide some balance. Robinson and DeLuise also have a nice scene reaffirming their friendship. 

The script emphasizes the group's dynamic in a more of a callback to the previous season, taking a breather from the moral ambiguity running through season three. 

21 Jump Street: S3E5: "Whose Choice is it Anyway"

Written by Michelle Ashford (based on a story by David Abramowitz)

Directed by Bill Corcoran

Airdate: December 11, 1988

Guest Star: Dana Ashbrook (Mark); Stacy Edwards (Rebecca)

Scenes of protest and violence in the late 1980s? The decade was far more divisive that we're led to think considering all the nostalgia around the decade.

In the episode, the crew are sent to investigate threats towards a woman's health clinic. Hoffs goes undercover as a pregnant High School student, while Ioki infiltrates anti-choice protestors who are resorting to violence. 

The script does its best to maintain the right tone on a divisive issue, although the talking points often get skewed. Ioki confesses he's opposed to abortion, while Hoffs reveals a painful secret from her past. 

Dana Ashbrook of Twin Peaks fame appears as a student enraged his girlfriend Rebecca is considering getting an abortion. 

The episode hits differently since Roe v Wade was repealed by the Supreme Court in 2022. Many states have criminalized the procedure, and many men proudly proclaim women don't deserve bodily autonomy. Many also believe prison time is fair game for women who disobey men in our warped political moment. 

Sal is given his own subplot. We thought he was happily married, but he's got a wandering eye. To boost his confidence, Booker hires a working girl to give him attention, which blows up in everyone's face.

Out with the boys

 An imperfect episode, but also a reminder that nostalgia is illusory and history often delivers a back kick.

Final Report: 21 Jump Street was willing to take on some of the most divisive issues of the 1980s, for that alone the series deserves respect and reevaluation. 

21 Jump Street: S2E19: "Raising _____"

Written by Jonathan Lemkin

Directed by Bill Corcoran

Airdate: April 17, 1988

Guest Stars: Christian Clemenson (Charles Greening); Mark Arnott (Bob)

Hoffs goes undercover to stop a drug dealer using High School students to sell his product. She comes to gain the affection of the dealer Charles, who talks about wanting to leave the business and his abhorrence of violence, although his henchman Bob is more than willing to use it.

"Raising Marijuana" takes on the old trope of the undercover operative sympathizing with the criminal. Another Stephen J. Cannell produced TV series Wiseguy drew a lot from the premise. Depp's 1997 film Donnie Brasco also dramatized a real-life example. 

Always the professional, Hoffs does the job right and has Charles put away. A subplot with Penhall and Ioki, working the High School end of the operation, acting like they are dorky twins was painfully unfunny.

Big stripes are a choice

Always the voice of reason, Fuller advises Hoffs to leave the job if she's starting to feel morally compromised. When a narcotics agent is killed in a shootout, pretty violent for Jump Street, Hoffs knows what needs to be done. We even get a Miami Vice style raid at the end.

Mostly a middling effort, although it was cool Hoffs get to be the lead in a storyline again. Surprisingly, the legalization of pot, is never raised, it seems there was no better plot to at least broach the issue.