#33 "Best Years Of Your Life" (Season 2 #20)

#33 "Best Years Of Your Life" (Season 2 #20)

Original Air Date: May 1, 1988

Writer: Jonathan Lemkin

Director: Bill Corcoran

Production Code: 16226

Things To Note: Featured & recommended in that week's TV Guide.

Opening Theme:

Closing Theme:

LOD:

Regulars:

Friends, Family & Guests: H. Richard Greene [ Unknown ], Cheryl Pollak [ Unknown ], Brad Pitt [ Unknown ], Tiffany Helm [ Unknown ], Laura Austin [ Unknown ], Trevor Weaver [ Unknown ], Carey Scott [ Unknown ], Jack Higgins [ Mitchell ], Todd Shaffer [ Tony ], Dana Still [ Mr. Horne ], Susan Chapple [ Mrs. Stevenson ], Jane Mortifee [ Group Member ]

Episode Summary from The 21 Jump Street Episode Guide:

NOTE: Stop with this one if you don’t want spoilers.

The suicide of a popular student- whom Hanson and Penhall had arrested the night before- leaves his family, fellow students and Hanson in a state of depression and forces Penhall to relive bitter childhood memories.

Detailed Episode Review (contains spoilers!):

(NOTE: I am doing these from the FX repeats. Email me with missing scenes & I’ll add them).

Commentary:

Cyndi Glass: This was one of the episodes that received a sidebar recommendation in TV Guide when it was originally broadcast. To me, it almost seemed like one big PSA. Other than that one small criticism, I think this was SUCH a great episode. Delving deep into Penhall’s psyche and history - taking the character who had always been the fun-loving clown of the group - and showing us the depths of his anger and sadness over his childhood - that is wonderful. The case tapped into his suicide issues and made him angry, bringing out all his old unresolved anger issues about his mother abandoning him at the age of six by killing herself.

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