InsidePulse DVD Review – 21 Jump Street – Season 3

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21 Jump Street – Season 3

Cast:

Johnny Depp……….Officer Tom Hanson
Peter DeLuise……….Officer Doug Penhall
Holly Robinson……….Officer Judy Hoffs
Dustin Nguyen……….Officer Harry Truman Ioki
Steven Williams……….Captain Adam Fuller
Richard Grieco……….Officer Dennis Booker
Sal Jenco……….Sal “Blowfish” Banducci

The Show

When Fox first hit the airwaves in the mid-80’s, it was an extreme case of hit-or-miss. For every halfway decent show they put out, there was ten times that amount of pure, unwatchable dreck (Women in Prison, anyone?). One of the few early successes was 21 Jump Street, a cop show that combined a young, hip cast and some of the day’s biggest music hits to create a bonafide cultural phenomenon. Primarily remembered today for launching the career of Johnny Depp, 21 Jump Street told the stories of undercover cops who looked young enough to infiltrate high schools. By its third season in 1989, the show was entering its third season and ready to add a new wrinkle.

The cast had basically stayed the same for the first two seasons. Tom Hanson (Depp), Doug Penhall (Peter DeLuise), Judy Hoffs (Holly Robinson), and Harry Ioke (Dustin Nguyen) would go undercover into a school to take down kids breaking the law. Usually, the crime mimicked something that had been in the news, and this season was no different, as they tackled racism, teen pregnancy, fraternity hazing, and teen homelessness. For the third season, however, it was decided to add a new wrinkle.

That wrinkle was Dennis Booker. Played by Richard Grieco, Booker was an Internal Affairs officer brought in to investigate charges that the Jump Street crew was entrapping teens into committing crimes. After his investigation was complete, he was seconded to the Jump Street program, which by this time had expanded from just the original four officers into a bustling precinct of undercover officers.

The addition of Booker gave the show a breath of fresh air, as the original four had gotten just a bit too much goody-goody. Booker was a brash, rude, obnoxious character that spiced up the surroundings and gave the show a shot in the arm. That shot wouldn’t last long, as Grieco was on the show just one season before being spun off into his own show, Booker, which only lasted one season.

The third season of 21 Jump Street was by far the best of the series, as Booker added a new dynamic to the show that it sorely needed. The season ended on a cliffhanger, as Hanson went undercover to infiltrate a street gang after Ioki was shot and wound up in intensive care. While undercover, a cop on the gang unit who was selling guns to the gangs was murdered, and Hanson was tried and convicted for the murder. As the season ended, Hanson was in prison for life for felony murder.

The show is certainly dated, as every frame screams “1980’s!!!’ However, it’s still a fun, quality show to watch. There may be a bit of sermonizing, but in the end, it was a quality show that’s getting a nice chance on DVD.

Score: 7/10

The Video

Presented in 1.33:1 full screen, the video looks adequate. There is a bit of grain present, but nothing overwhelming. The colors are a bit faded and muted, and things look muddy at night, but in the end, it looks like what it was: a TV show.

The Audio

Presented in 2.0 stereo, the sound is fine. The dialogue comes through OK, and the soundtrack, which was an integral part of the show, shines through. Nothing to complain about here.

The Extras

None. This is a big disappointment, but there are absolutely zero extras offered here.

Score: 1/10