> Still jumpin’ 30 years later Brandon Yip Contributor his year marks the 30th anniversary of the TV series 27 Jump Street. It made its debut in April 1987 with a two-hour pilot episode, airing on Fox television on Sunday nights for the first three seasons, becoming one of their biggest hits in the late ‘80s. The show revolved around youthful-looking undercover cops who infiltrate high schools to arrest kids who were “too cool for school,” focused on hitting the crime blotter rather than hitting the books. Shot in Vancouver, 27 Jump Street lasted for five seasons, and helped launch Johnny Depp's career. Before landing the role of baby- faced Officer Tom Hanson, Depp had bit parts in such films as A Season 4 (episode 7), “Out of Control,” Johnny Depp (pictured second from left) goes undercover trying to break up a group of thrill-seeking teens, filmed at Playland’s famous wooden roller coaster. Douglas College (New Westminster campus) in the series’ pilot episode you'll notice the motorbike driving down the stairs adjacent to the Student Union Building and head eastbound towards Agnes Street. Nightmare on Elm Street, Private Resort and Platoon. 21 Jump Street propelled Depp to superstardom; for four seasons, he endured and loathed being called a “teen idol” by all the media and teen magazines. Depp was never comfortable being labeled “a teen idol”, stating in a 1989 interview, “That's not my goal (being a sex symbol). | mean if it happens in the interim, that’s fine. It’s nice that people see me that way. [But] | don’t really see myself that way.” 21 Jump Street would later be made into a motion picture in 2012 starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, with Depp making a cameo appearance, along with original cast members, Peter DeLuise (as Officer Doug Penhall) and Holly Robinson (as Officer Judy Hoffs). The TV version of Jump Street featured many guest appearances by actors, who would later become prominent in Hollywood, actors such as Josh Brolin, Brad Pitt, Kelly Hu, Christina Applegate, Vince Vaughn, Jason Priestley, Jada Pinkett Smith and Rosie Perez. In addition, the series stood out for being very socially conscious for its time, with the cast filming numerous public service announcements. The series focused on sensitive issues that are just as relevant today as they were back in 1987, such as teen pregnancy, drug addiction, abuse of the disabled, bullying, gambling, homeless youth, homophobia, racism, rape, AIDS, and mental illness. Many notable Vancouver locations were used in the series too. In the original pilot, you can clearly see Burrard Street Station as Johnny Depp is chasing the villain, Tyrell (Reginald T. Dorsey), up the stairs out on to the street near the corner of Burrard and Melville Street. Later in episode 17 of season 3, “Blinded by the Thousand Points of Light,” several scenes were filmed on Granville Street, with Johnny Depp undercover as a street hustler waiting to be picked up by a predator who has been driving around, picking up street hustlers and assaulting them. But some of the shooting wasn't just relegated to Vancouver. Some episodes of jump Street ventured outside of VanCity and into the surrounding areas. Lougheed Town Center featured in episode 17 of season 2, “Champagne High.” ROCK101 afternoon host and veteran radio broadcaster, Dean Hill, had a cameo in the opening sequence in that episode, playing a DJ running a contest to give away a Porsche that is promptly stolen and driven through a large glass wall. Hill says it was a long time ago but he has good memories about the experience. “I am at the mall doing take after take of typical yelling into the mic stuff,” Hill said in an interview with the Other Press. “My recollections of the crew were [that they were] top-notch professionals and | don't think it took too long to get [what] they wanted. My impression is that it was a cool and fun experience.” Another episode, “Swallowed Alive,” was filmed at Coquitlam’s Riverview Hospital in season 3. And notably, the Douglas College New Westminster campus was used as the site location for a chase scene featured in the series’ pilot. The chase scene involved the criminal bad kid, Kenny (Brandon Douglas), eluding the cops while riding a motorbike down the stairs adjacent to the Student Union Building! David Berner, Executive Director of The Drug Prevention Network of Canada and a therapist at the Orchard Recovery Drug Treatment Centre, recalls his memories of working on 27 Jump Street. He appeared in the pilot episode as a police officer, Mike Summers, Season 4 (episode 17), “Hi Mom,” involving a point shaving scheme with a university basketball team. This scene, filmed at the Coliseum, shows a lone basketball player shooting hoops while being recruited by the same corrupt university basketball team.