Before there was the WB and the CW, there was FOX back in the late 1980s and early 1990s with shows aimed at teens and young adults, and the first was none other than 21 Jump Street. The show starred Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson Peete, Peter DeLuise, Dustin Nguyen, and Steven Williams as police officers that investigates crimes in high schools and colleges as an undercover unit.
21 Jump Street became FOX’s breakout hit — and their biggest at that time, making Depp into a reluctant teen heartthrob as Tom Hanson. In the third season, viewers were introduced to Dennis Booker (Richard Grieco), the newest Jump Street member who has problems with authorities and rules, which led him to clashed with the unit, but he grew close to them. At the start of season four, Booker resigned and became a private investigator, which led to FOX giving Grieco his own series entitled Booker, but the show sadly lasted one season.
FOX canceled 21 Jump Street in 1990, but the show was picked up for first-run syndication — without Depp, which led to fans believing the show “Jumped the shark.” 21 Jump Street was disbanded for good in 1991 after five seasons and 103 episodes.
Anchor Bay Entertainment released all five seasons of the show from 2004-06 with audio commentaries and interviews with the cast and crew minus Depp. Since last fall, Mill Creek Entertainment have re-released seasons 1-3 and now its entirely. However, there are no new extras that includes new interviews with co-creator Stephen J. Cannell and the cast as well as a retrospect on the show and Johnny Depp.
Say JUMP! on down with 21 Jump Street: The Complete Series currently available on DVD.
