21 Jump Street - Season 2

21 Jump Street - Season 2
©1997+ Cyndi Glass

22 Episodes (14-35), 1987-88
Stephen J. Cannell Productions, Fox Network
Regulars: Fuller, Hanson, Penhall, Hoffs, Ioki

Photo: Top row: Steven Williams, Peter DeLuise; Bottom Row: Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson, Dustin Nguyen

21 Jump Street Episodic Photo Gallery (contains spoilers) - 21JS Photo Gallery 1
21 Jump Street Cast Photos & Miscellaneous Stuff - 21JS Photo Gallery 2

Brief summaries © 1994-97, Alan Morton and John Lavalie with Gustavo Gontijo and their 21 Jump Street Episode Guide. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Longer summaries, commentary & reviews © 1997+ by Cyndi Glass and John DeCarli. Character names and storylines © Cannell/Fox.

Season 2 Episodes:

14. "In the Custody of a Clown" (Sept. 20, 1987)
15. "Besieged (1)" (Sept. 27, 1987)
16. "Besieged (2)" (Oct. 4, 1987)
17. "Two For the Road" (Oct. 11, 1987)
18. "After School Special" (Oct. 18, 1987)
19. "Higher Education" (Oct. 25, 1987)
20. "Don't Stretch the Rainbow" (Nov. 1, 1987)
21. "Honor Bound" (Nov. 8, 1987)
22. "You Ought to Be in Prison" (Nov. 15, 1987)
23. "How Much is That Body in the Window?" (Nov. 22, 1987)
24. "Christmas in Saigon" (Dec. 20, 1987)
25. "Fear and Loathing with Russell Buckins (a.k.a. Doin' the Quarter Mile in a Lifetime)" (Date unknown)
26. "A Big Disease With a Little Name" (Feb. 7, 1988)
27. "Chapel of Love" (Feb. 14, 1988)
28. "I'm OK- You Need Work" (Feb. 21, 1988)
29. "Orpheus 3.3" (a.k.a. "The Convenience Killer") (Feb. 28, 1988)
30. "Champagne High" (Mar. 6, 1988)
31. "Brother Hanson & the Miracle of Renner's Pond" (Mar. 13, 1988)
32. "Raising Marijuana" (Apr. 17, 1988)
33. "Best Years Of Your Life" (May 1, 1988)
34. "Cory and Dean Got Married" (May 8, 1988)
35. "School's Out" (May 22, 1988)

Season 2 Commentary:

Cyndi Glass: The first full season of 21 Jump Street, Season 2 marks the beginning of the viewer really getting to know and enjoy these characters. The shows get a little more intense, and the characters are hit with ethical dilemmas. Things start to happen to them.

Hanson's girlfriend is murdered. Ioki is discovered to be a Vietnamese refugee whose real name is VinhVan Tran. Penhall's girlfriend returns and moves in with him. We learn that Penhall's mother killed herself, and more about how Hanson's father was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty. The characters become closer, particularly Hanson and Penhall. And, significantly, this season is where Hanson first starts to question his career choice.

The plot continuity is better in this season than in any other season. Another thing that sticks out is that Fuller is barely able to keep control over the officers, unlike the following seasons. We see their homes and their outside relationships. Finally, the actors were beginning to play around a little, to add more of themselves to the roles, and the show took a big jump in quality while still retaining the energy of Season One.

John DeCarli: The second season of 21 Jump Street expands and deepens many of the features of the first. The plots are much tighter here. The cast is more comfortable with their roles and they play off of each other's characters better. Controversial social issues are dealt with, or at least touched upon, in the vast majority of episodes. Not only that, but the issues raised affect the officers directly-they often seem as confused about the right answers as the criminals they're pursuing.

Hanson has become much less tense. He makes paper dolls and begins to display a quick wit. He tends to identify with the underdog and instead of doing things by he book, he will sometimes break the rules in the interest of justice. He's idealistic. He has become the show's moral center of gravity. Penhall has lost much of his oafishness (and quite a bit of weight). He now comes across as the guy with the big heart underneath the gruff exterior. His emphasis on the practical contrasts with Hanson's idealism. Hoffs is much less brittle here, she's gaining confidence. Ioki, although unfortunately kept in the background somewhat, has much of the mystery lifted from his past. His priorities are continuity and stability. Fuller is much more a father figure. He's constantly giving advice, and some of the best scenes here are when Hanson and Fuller discuss things in Fuller's office. And I think "father" is the right word; there's a real "family feel" to this season that the others don't have. Episode to episode continuity is better here than in any other season. An example: Hanson calling Fuller "Coach" throughout the season.

I think this season balances the dramatic and comedic elements while at the same time confronting social issues. We learn why characters behave the way they do. One small quibble is that source music is not used as extensively as in other seasons. But because of the balance of all these disparate elements, it's my favorite season.

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