21 Jump Street (TV)
About the Film
21 Jump Street follows a squad of youthful-looking police officers who go undercover in high schools and colleges, posing as students to investigate crimes among teenagers. Operating out of a disused chapel at the address that gives the show its name, the unit tackles the hot-button issues of the late 1980s — drugs, gang violence, hate crimes, AIDS, child abuse and more — usually resolving each case, and its social message, within the hour.
The series made a star of the young Johnny Depp, whose Officer Tom Hanson became a teen idol almost overnight. Uncomfortable with that heartthrob status — and with being, as he later put it, “sold as a product” — Depp eventually pushed to leave the show, a formative experience that shaped his lifelong preference for offbeat, unconventional roles.
Plot synopsis by johnny-depp.org.
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp starred as Officer Tom Hanson, a young cop whose baby-faced looks make him perfect for undercover high-school assignments. The role, which he played for four seasons, turned Depp into a reluctant 1980s teen idol — fame he actively resisted, and which pushed him toward the eccentric film choices that defined the rest of his career. His full Episode Guide is linked above.
Cast & Crew
Cast
Officer Tom HansonJohnny Depp
Officer Doug PenhallPeter DeLuise
Officer Judy HoffsHolly Robinson Peete
Officer Harry IokiDustin Nguyen
Captain Adam FullerSteven Williams
Officer Dennis BookerRichard Grieco
Crew
Created byStephen J. Cannell & Patrick Hasburgh
Theme musicLiam Sternberg
NetworkFox
Original runApril 12, 1987 – April 27, 1991
Filming Locations
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- New Westminster Secondary School, New Westminster, British Columbia (Annala)
- Oakridge Shopping Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia
More about this film
Trivia
- The show was one of the fledgling Fox network’s first hits and made Johnny Depp a teen idol.
- Depp grew disillusioned with his heartthrob image and left the series during its fourth season.
- The 2012 comedy film of the same name features a cameo by Depp reprising Tom Hanson.
- A full episode-by-episode guide is available via the Episode Guide link above.
