Rewatching 21 Jump Street! Drug use and highly competitive athletes are not a good combination, in season two, episode ten: “How Much Is That Body In The Window?”
What’s goin’ down: An up-and-coming teen gymnast falls dead during a meet. Performance-enhancing drugs are to blame, so the Jump Street gang is on the case.
Here’s Hanson: This week’s B-plot has Hanson considering volunteering for the Big Brothers program. He then starts up a romance with the woman running the program. Is that ethical?
Kissy-kissy.
Penhall’s prerogatives: He’s in his element as his cover is a lunkheaded jock. He takes the steroids – not doing so would blow his cover – and ends up with energy to spare.
Undercover blues: Hoffs is undercover as a straight-A student to tutor one of the suspects. We know she’s supposed to be a straight-A student because of her plaid skirt and nerd glasses.
“This are my ‘smart girl’ glasses.”
Goin’ to the chapel: We learn the chapel has a basketball hoop inside, convenient for Hanson and Penhall to have a heart-to-heart while shooting baskets.
Two points.
Torn from today’s headlines: A lot of ‘80s shows did the obligatory “steroids are bad,” episode, so now it’s 21 Jump Street’s turn. Bonus points for not including the phrase “roid rage.”
Trivia time: Gymnast girl Jody is played by Zoe Trilling, who went on to become a lesser-known scream queen, staring in fright flicks such as Hellbound, The Borrower, Dr. Giggles, Night of the Demons 2, and, best of all, Leprechaun 3.
Ta-dah!
Jumpin’ or not? The follow-the-drugs-to-their-source plot is kind of by the numbers, but the good thing is we see a lot of character growth. Hanson frets over becoming a father figure, and whether he’s up to the responsibility. Penhall learns to see the suspect as a kid with a bright future as opposed to just another drug pusher. These character beats make the episode a good one. It’s jumpin’!
Next: Good morning, Vietnam.
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