Rewatching 21 Jump Street! The subplot about Penhall working for another department takes center stage in season three, episode three, “The Currency We Trade In.”
What’s goin’ down: Penhall makes a huge bust and gets promoted to the major crimes division. He’s then assigned to a difficult child abuse case, in which a local celebrity is a suspect. When he makes some serious missteps in the case and is taken down a few pegs, he starts longing for the good ol’ days at Jump Street.
“I borrowed this jacket from Kurt Russell in Tombstone.”
Here’s Hanson: He’s not happy at all when Penhall sets him up on a blind date. They don’t get along at first, but that changes after they bump into each other a second time. Hanson’s love of bowling, established in the first season, is mentioned several times in this one.
Penhall’s prerogatives: Penhall’s wracked with guilt over the mistakes he’s made, and confronts everyone involved in the hopes of making things better. He goes back to Fuller for a nice heart-to-heart talk. After getting put through the emotional wringer, he rejoins Jump Street at the end.
“Benefit from the wisdom of my neon blue bathrobe.”
Book ‘em: Booker is nowhere to be seen this week.
Undercover blues: At the start of the episode, Penhall makes his big bust undercover as a cook in a diner. It’ll remind modern-day viewers of the movie A History of Violence. Anybody know if David Cronenberg is a Jump Street fan?
Goin’ to the chapel: There’s a go-nowhere subplot about repo men taking Captain Fuller’s car. (We can assume it was Harry Dean Stanton, right?) Ioki mentions that he’s been teaching self-defense classes on the side for some extra cash.
Trivia time: Penhall’s new partner is played by Peri Gilpin, who went on to play Roz on Frasier. IMDb lists this as her first on-screen credit.
“No, I’M listening.”
Jumpin’ or not? Whew. Lots of heavy melodrama in this one. There’s little humor and no teen hijinks, so a lot of it doesn’t like 21 Jump Street, instead coming off as generic cop drama. Not jumpin’.
Next: Are you ready for some football?!?
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