Rewatching 21 Jump Street! Here’s season four, episode eight, “Stand By Your Man.” I was tempted to skip this one, because there’s really nothing fun about it. I might as well go ahead and say it — this is the date rape episode, and Hoffs is the victim.

What’s goin’ down: Hoffs is undercover at med school, investigating an illegal pharmaceutical ring. She starts up a romance of sorts with fellow student (and suspect) Kevin, which takes an unfortunate turn.

Here’s Hanson: Hanson is undercover as an orderly, with dialogue about him having to change people’s bedpans. Not a surprise that Depp wanted out of the show by this point.

“I can’t wait to bring back this look when I star in SECRET WINDOW.”

Penhall’s prerogatives: Penhall is able to bring in Hoffs’ attacker on charges of multiple parking tickets, to get him to talk.

Undercover blues: The drug plot is wrapped up pretty quickly (they were using the morgue to sneak drugs in and out of the school), so we can get to the real drama — Hoffs having to open up about what happened, and then confronting her attacker.

Tearjerker.

Goin’ to the chapel: Hoffs is promoted to detective at the start of the episode, but then gets temporarily bounced back to a desk job after what happened.

Torn from today’s headlines: The phrase “date rape” had entered the public consciousness around this time — the horrible reality that a rapist might not just be some skeezy guy in a back alley, but might be someone you know and even trust.

Friendship.

Jumpin’ or not? This episode is hugely uncomfortable to watch, but that’s probably by design. A lot of it is overwrought, but there are some genuinely sweet moments as Jump Street cops rally around Hoffs, showing how firmly they are established as a family. It’s jumpin’, I guess.

Next week: Point of who?  

****

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