21 Jump Street

The show format of the 1978-1979 TV show David Casidy: Man Under Cover was used in the TV series 21 Jump Street.

TRIVIA: Johnny Depp did not want to work on a television series but agreed to a six-year contract only because he did not believe the show would last more than one season. He also found it difficult to turn down the money and the chance to work with Frederic Forrest. The show became a huge success mostly due to Depp's presence. By the third season, Depp was chafing at having to stay with the show instead of accepting various film offers. He began to complain about the scripts and often gave listless performances. With the help of his lawyers, Depp was released from his contract and left the show after the 4th season.

TRIVIA: Holly Robinson was the only original cast member to remain with the show throughout it's network and syndication run.

TRIVIA: The show was based on a real life undercover unit in Los Angeles, CA.

TRIVIA: Johnny Depp had always been Patrick Hasburgh's first choice to play Tom Hanson but Depp turned the role down. Jeff Yagher was then cast as Hanson and filming for the pilot began but Fox was unhappy with his performance and halted production after three weeks. Fox wanted Josh Brolin for the role but Hasburgh wanted to offer the role to Depp again. This time Depp accepted the role and Yagher's scenes were re-shot.

TRIVIA: Hanson's partner on patrol, Charlie Donagon, calls Hanson by a wide variety of nicknames including: Kid, Kiddo, Chief, Doctor, Pancho, John Henry, & Colonel.

When we first meet Officer Tom Hanson, he is exiting the men's room at a diner. His middle-aged male partner, the colorful Charlie Donagon, exits the ladies room at the same time.

FX aired the pilot in two separate parts. During the end credits of Part One, Captain Jenko's garage band Bunko Dudes is playing "Shotgun" with Hanson playing the saxophone. In the waning moments of Part Two, Bunko Dudes are shown playing "Truckin" by the Grateful Dead. Hanson shows up at Jenko's garage and asks if he can play with them. Hanson requests that they play "Shotgun" and then the same end credits from Part One are rolled again.

When Kenny Weckerly's last name was spoken in the FX rerun of this two-part episode, it sounded like "Wecker." It seemed like the sound was cut off for the last syllable of his name. When Kenny's character made a return appearance in the second season, his complete last name was spoken.

When the captain of the Metropolitan Police Department offers Hanson a position with the Jump Street program, he says that every year younger looking officers are assigned to the program. This implies that Jump Street is an established program. However on Hanson's first day at the Jump Street Chapel, Captain Jenko tells him that the other officers are about four weeks ahead of him. This implies that the program is brand new. Then when Hanson blows his cover while trying to buy drugs, Jenko scolds him for using up a suspect that they had been watching for six months.