Friends, Family & Guests: Stephen Shellen [ Unknown ], Michael Pniewski [ Unknown ], Ronald William Lawrence [ Unknown ], Tim Streeter [ Unknown ], Ivory Ocean [ Unknown ]

Opening Scene: Penhall & Ioki are in an unmarked police car on a nighttime stakeout at a drug dealer’s house, and a guy comes out, yelling. Penhall’s itching to go home - it’s 15 minutes past the end of the shift. He says nothing’s happening with the stakeout, but Ioki argues that his info is good. Penhall counters with "Never trust a snitch." They get a call - Clavo has been taken to the emergency room after having cut his arm. Ioki reminds Penhall that they’re on duty, but Penhall calls for backup and tells Ioki to "get the hell out" of the car. Ioki is pissed. Penhall drives recklessly to the hospital, using the police light. The guy comes back to the house and shoots the guy who answers the door, and a gunfight ensues. All Ioki can do is aim his gun and hide by another car down the street - he’s alone, with no car. At the ER, the gunfight victims are brought in, and then Clavo is there, wearing a cute little denim jacket and totally okay except for a bandaged arm. Penhall holds him and comforts him, and Ioki gets off the elevator with Capt. Fuller. "You’re in a lot of trouble, Penhall," Fuller says grimly.

Penhall is next seen in uniform in a cramped darkened room with one bright light, talking to Internal Affairs. He is being removed from the Jump Street program to become a regular uniformed cop in the 43rd precinct. As he leaves the room, Ioki is waiting outside, but Penhall turns his back on him and walks past. In the locker room of the 43rd, the cops are discussing the new hire - Penhall - and how he was transferred from JS for disciplinary reasons. He joins them, and they play a trick on him where a hat leaves a mark on his forehead, but the general mood is jovial - he is welcomed to the "Wolfpack," which is the name they have given themselves. His new partner, Officer Prior, is the leader of the Wolfpack and spends his first day with Penhall introducing him to the way of life in the 43rd. They eat lunch at a Chinese restaurant and don’t pay for it and then pull over a guy so that he’ll bribe them to let him go - all the while Penhall is being told of the way life "really works," and that "this ain’t high school." Finally, Prior offers to take Penhall along on a "run." Next, at night, on the way to the "run," everyone is discussing another new hire - a rookie, Dean Garrett. There’s a rumor going around that there’s an IAD plant on the squad, and they immediately assume it’s Garrett because although he’s right out of the academy, he got six weeks of leave to take care of a family matter. Someone whistles a signal, and they go inside a building where drugs are being weighed. They flush the drugs down the toilet over Penhall’s protestations that they are destroying evidence, and then they find a stash of money and keep it for themselves and let the guys go free, saying that is more punishment than what the guys would receive in court. Outside, they split the money, insisting that Penhall take his share.

Next morning, in the locker room, they discuss a rumored morning inspection and "Officer IAD," and it is decided that Penhall is going to be the unlucky guy stuck with being Garrett’s partner, since he’s new. At roll call, Garrett is there, smiling and eager to begin his job. All of them give him the cold shoulder and Prior harasses him and threatens him, telling him he’s a bad cop, while Penhall stands and watches silently. Garrett is stunned and embarrassed. Sergeant enters and asks what the gag is - everyone realizes there is no inspection and removes their hats - and everyone’s forehead is blackened. Except for Garrett, who sighs and closes his eyes, as Prior says "Hey, clown, payback’s a bitch." Out on the street, Garrett and Penhall are on foot patrol and talk as they walk their beat. Garrett proudly tells Penhall that he is from "New York City, New York - the greatest city in the world!" but then admits he’s really from Moonachie, New Jersey and used to work for a ticket scalper at the Meadowlands. He is three months away from turning 22. The conversation turns to the events of roll call, and he tells Penhall that he doesn’t get it - he was expecting an initiation, and he’s not a wuss, but what’s up? Penhall asks how he got six weeks off. Then a guy in front of them enters an alley with a sack and comes out without it. Penhall takes off into the alley, and when Garrett gets there, he finds the sack and almost vomits, but he manages to get up and chase the guy down. Penhall looks in the sack. Garrett catches the guy and handcuffs him, and the guy says, "It wasn’t even my baby." Later that day, at a Chinese appliance store, a security alarm is going off, and the cops tell Mr. Lee that they will protect him - for $100 a week. Garrett stands outside, outraged that the guy he arrested that morning is already back out on the street. The cops tell him to get used to it.

The next day at roll call, they are told that an officer was shot, and that they need to work out with their partner what to do if this happens. Penhall is told that they’re going to visit Mr. Lee and get their $100, and if he can ditch Officer IAD, he can have part of it. Penhall arrives at the store, having sent Garrett to the Chinese restaurant to order food for everyone and wait. Garrett sits and waits, but no one shows, and when he tries to pay, the Chinese woman says police don’t pay and insists that it’s free. Garrett sneaks back to the table and puts money there to cover it all. Back at the appliance store, they ring the bell - and Ioki comes out, wearing glasses and a cap. Penhall doesn’t react, and the other cop asks for the money. Ioki is flustered and shocked that Penhall would do this and hands it to him, but when he doesn’t take it, the other cop does. Ioki watches them leave. Later, at Penhall’s apartment, Hoffs has been baby-sitting Clavo and finishes reading "Pinocchio" to him. Penhall wants a new apartment because Clavo needs his own room, he says, and then he tells Hoffs that so many things are happening that he didn’t think he would have to deal with until later. Hoffs thinks he means PTA meetings and dating, and Penhall says no, he’s talking about fear. He’s afraid that he will die before Clavo grows up and he won’t be able to provide for him, and then he says there’s a new cop on the force that is just like him but he still thinks he’s immortal. Hoffs tentatively broaches the subject of rumors she has heard. Penhall asks what Ioki was doing there, and Hoffs says, "what were YOU doing there?" Penhall begins to explain that it’s not like Jump Street, but his words trail off, and she gently touches his shoulder before she leaves with one long glance back at him.

Back at Jump Street, Ioki tells Fuller he wants off the case. Fuller explains that he needs to stay on the case and that his job is to do the best he can and not worry about what others are doing. Out in the 43rd, Penhall and Garrett bust up a rooftop poker game. Garrett picks up the money and throws it off the roof, saying that the guys in the alley need it more than they do. Penhall apologizes for the Chinese restaurant incident, but Garrett confronts him, saying he knows he was ditched and asking why he is not trusted. Penhall says that if your partner is shot, you can either go for help or pursue the assailant, and Garrett says he would pursue the assailant, but Penhall tells him about Clavo and tells him that if it happens, Garrett is to call an ambulance first. They joke about bagpipes, but then they have to go after these two guys. They call for backup, and one of the guys hits Penhall in the arm with a crowbar, and Garrett almost goes after him with the gun, but Penhall shoos him away and stops him. Then, Garrett runs after the other guy, leaving Penhall to fight alone. The other cops arrive and arrest the guys, and then they throw Garrett up against the police car and ask him why he left Penhall alone. They call him a snitch and rip his shirt open - but he isn’t wearing a wire. They threaten him about what will happen if they ever catch him with a wire. Back home, Penhall makes sure Clavo’s blanket is over him and then begins to undress - along with his brand new ugly looking abrasion on his arm, he’s wearing a wire. He stares at himself in the mirror as he removes the cassette and puts it in a drawer.

Back at Lee’s Appliance store, the cops go in for their weekly protection money. No one is there, so one of the cops goes back into the back room, where he finds some drugs and small baggies lying around. Ioki comes out and asks what they’re doing, and they ask for their money. Back at the locker room, Garrett squeezes through them and they freeze him out, and then they discuss "making a run" at Lee’s, because there’s drugs there and not just protection money. One of the guys has found out that Garrett’s not the IAD plant, and they discuss including him. Later, at Penhall’s apartment, he’s beginning to listen to a tape when there’s a knock on the door. "My kid’s asleep; what do you want?" Penhall asks somewhat coldly. Garrett tells him that he looked up to him and can’t believe he’s in on all the corruption with everyone else. He tells him a story about seventh grade, when his enemy followed him to beat him up, and "the snow all around goes red and blue" and the police officer saved him from his enemy, and ever since then he thought differently about cops. Penhall is having a tough time keeping up the act because he really likes the kid. Garrett is angry and disillusioned, and Penhall is starting to feel guilty, especially when Garrett says that he’s been childish to believe that cops were to protect and serve. Penhall says softly "Don’t quit on me here," and "You’ve got to hold onto that stuff," but Garrett says, "It’s gone. You took it away," and then he leaves.

At IAD headquarters, in the same darkened room, Penhall is giving them the info and is told that when it’s all over he’ll be reinstated at Jump Street. Penhall says he doesn’t want to be there when they bust the cops. "I may be inadvertently causing a good cop to go bad," he says, but they answer "Good cops don’t go bad." Penhall says, "This kid won’t, ‘cause I won’t be there, and I think he’ll follow my lead." They agree. Later, somewhere else at police headquarters, there’s a meeting about the upcoming bust. Ioki hopefully asks if any of the targets are actually internal affairs, wanting Penhall to be, but they say no, all the targets will be bad cops and the undercover IAD officer will be moved out with an emergency family crisis call. This ought to be enough to tip off Ioki, but it’s not.

At the Chinese restaurant, Penhall, Garrett and the rest of the Wolfpack are eating and discussing the plan. They ask Garrett if he’s in, and he says if his partner’s in, he’s in, and Penhall nods. Then Prior tells them of a new last minute detail - they’ve never done this at an Oriental store before and he thinks the guy probably will fight back and have a gun, so he thinks someone should hold a gun on the guy and be prepared to kill him. Penhall, knowing it will be Ioki, immediately volunteers for the job to keep him safe. Garrett stares at him. The phone rings, but Penhall blows off the call, and Garrett stares at him again, looking like he’s going to cry. They leave for the store. When they are approaching, Ioki is warned over walkie-talkie, and then Penhall enters the store, pointing the gun at Ioki and telling him not to move. The rest of them go into the back room as Ioki and Penhall stare at each other, and then Garrett comes in and tells Penhall to put the gun down. Penhall whispers "I’m IAD!" and Ioki says "You are??" but Garrett doesn’t care, and after Penhall puts the gun down, Garrett tells him they’re all under arrest. Another officer points a gun at Garrett, and Penhall knocks his arm so that he fires into the ceiling. The IAD team arrives and Penhall is backed off as someone yells, "No, he’s IA! He’s IA!" and then Penhall tells them Garrett is clean. The other cops are lined up and arrested. Back at the locker room, Garrett’s locker has RAT painted on it, and Penhall silently opens his to show the word SNITCH. Garrett says "I wonder if this ever happened to the cop who saved me from Keith Charpelli?"

Closing scene: Penhall and Garrett walk through a parking lot behind a brick building and talk about the case. Penhall explains that he was in so deep that IA told Fuller not to tell Ioki, and they agree that it was screwed up. They arrive at Jump Street, and Penhall welcomes him. As they go in, Garrett looks around, seemingly happy to be there.

 Cyndi Glass: This one is complex, bringing out a few surprises along the way. It also explores Ioki’s conflicted feelings about Penhall. At the beginning, Ioki and Penhall seem tense; this is obviously a dangerous assignment. So, when Penhall leaves him alone to take care of Clavo at the emergency room and all hell breaks loose before backup can reach Ioki, we can understand Ioki’s frustration. Remember, just a few episodes ago, he barely survived a gunshot wound and he couldn't be happy that Penhall has compromised his safety here. Fuller’s condemnation of Penhall's actions and Ioki’s quiet reproach contrast with Penhall’s own determination to put Clavo first and take care of his needs. This is great foreshadowing of #91 "Number One With a Bullet" - we see the first hints that Clavo is starting to become a higher priority than Doug's police work.

This is a rare episode in that the audience is not let in on the secret until the very end - we're left to sit and watch in shock as Penhall goes along with all the corruption and bribes of his new police unit. The only thing that keeps us from totally believing it is our knowledge of Penhall's character. DeLuise turns in a great performance as a shamed Penhall who is forced into a new assignment he’s not entirely comfortable with. I can tell he comes close to blowing it- he wants so badly to reassure Garrett. One can really sense Penhall’s discomfort in eating for free (and Garrett’s later discomfort is even stronger, compelling him to sneak back to pay the entire bill). David Barry Gray, as Dean Garrett, is interesting and very watchable as Garrett overcomes his usual shy manner with an assertive scene at Penhall’s apartment as he demands answers and berates Penhall for what he thinks is Penhall’s corrupt actions. I liked it that Ioki was placed undercover in one of the Chinese stores that the cops were taking protection money from, and I like it that he wasn’t told that Penhall was IAD - he honestly thought Penhall had joined in with the corrupt cops. I also thought it was very true to Ioki's character to request re-assignment - he is not one to make waves or cause trouble for his friends if he can help it, and as far as he knows, Penhall's downfall is complete and also caused by Ioki telling on him. The climactic scene at the end is very well done and believable, with Garrett turning on all of them and trying to put them under arrest. Baby-faced rookie Dean Garrett, a New Yorker, is still very idealistic and naive, even at age 21, and I was glad that at the end Penhall found a spot for him in the Jump Street program.

Maybe I’m being picky, but isn’t the Jump Street program supposed to be a secret? In the pilot, Hanson was told that only silver-shields (sergeants?) and up knew about it. Even though the program was written about in a magazine in #47 "The Dreaded Return of Russell Buckins," it doesn't seem that it could be that effective if everyone knew about it. When Penhall is introduced to his new co-workers’ way of life, which includes bribes, etc., he says, "that isn’t how it’s done at Jump Street." The other cop replies "this ain’t high school." Maybe with all the press about Hoffs’ rape and sexual harassment cases, and Hanson’s imprisonment, it’s become a bit more public - but then how are Hoffs and Hanson still effective undercover officers? And why was Penhall out in the field with Ioki on a case anyway? I thought he had requested desk duty. In #75 he has desk duty. In #76 he’s painting and sort of baby-sitting as the Geri Jewell character does her undercover assignment. In #78 he was providing security for a senator, and in #79 he was coaching a ball team. So why, in #80, is he out in the field again where his family responsibilities cause him to leave Ioki alone and get in so much trouble? And then in #81, he’s sent into that school undercover as a coach. However, minor questions like that don't matter - the real news here is that Peter DeLuise, as Doug Penhall, proves he can carry an episode pretty much alone, even when most of his acting is powerful silence and facial expressions. For much of this episode, Penhall stands by and lets things happen, just standing silent, we learn later, so that his tape will pick up what is going on. Only occasionally does he allow himself to react with surprise to what Prior is telling him, but we see how deeply it is affecting him in the mostly silent scenes at his apartment. Penhall's growing up before our eyes. It’s easy, also, to draw a parallel with Booker’s case in #53 "Nemesis," in which Booker stood by and let everyone think another person was the narc - with deadly results. However, here, we see Penhall’s greater experience as he walks a fine line very deftly - managing to be forced to partner with Garrett instead of asking to be, and making the right decisions every single time to save the case, keep the other cops from suspecting anything, protect Garrett and Ioki, and survive with his values intact.

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