21 Jump Street was about undercover cops who were assigned to high schools, colleges and wherever their youthful looks would help them mingle in.
They had all been trained in undercover police work and looked young enough to pass for teenagers and “young adults”.
Though it seems incredibly corny in retrospect (hell, it was corny at the time), the purpose of their work was to ”rehabilitate” kids on the brink of a criminal career rather than arresting them later when they had no hope and would be destined to a life of prison.
The show was allegedly based on a real-life undercover unit in Los Angeles, California.
Filmed in Canada, JumpStreet had a great appeal to teenagers and delivered “important messages” about avoiding the criminal lifestyle and being a worthwhile contribution to society.
As puke-worthy as it may sound, the show had a large teen following, yet one wonders if ”ver kids” found it as corny as it seems on second and third viewings?
Legend has it that Johnny Depp joined the show thinking it would not succeed and desperately needing the income.
He signed a six-year contract yet despised the show and his character (Hanson) and tried a number of times to get fired.
Should’ve come to work with his scissor-hands on . . .
A spin-off series called Booker (1989 – 1990) was produced, which saw Dennis Booker leave the force to become a private detective.
Tommy Hanson
Johnny Depp
Doug Penhall
Peter DeLuise
Judy Hoffs
Holly Robinson
Harry Truman
Loki Dustin Nguyen
Captain Adam Fuller
Steven Williams
Dennis Booker
Richard Grieco
Anthony “Mac” McCam
Michael Bendetti
Joey Penhall
Michael DeLuise
Capt. Richard Jenko
Frederic Forrest
Sal “The Blowfish” Banducci
Sal Jenco
Dorothy Pezzino
Gina Nemo
Clavo Tony Dakota
