When I was thirteen,
21 Jumpstreet was my FAVORITE tv show. I remember it well. It started out with the neon 21 flashing on and off til finally coming on. Then the spray paint sound that wrote out JumpStreet across the screen. Then Holly Robinson would start singing that catchy little 80s tune. At least I think it was her singing it. Anyway this show was packed with action, adventure, humor and my hero- Johnny Depp! That is where I first discovered Johnny Depp and fell deeply and madly in love with him. My 13 year old self just KNEW we would get married and live happily every after. I had plastered posters of him all over my walls....with a few Corey Haim thrown in there too...oh and an INXS poster. But Johnny was the star. That was for sure!! I think at one point I had 45 pictures of him. Here is a picture of one of the many posters I had:
Here is how dorky I was- I cut out a picture of me, and then cut out a picture of him from TeenBop and then taped us together. Clip art in its beginnings folks. I even had cut out his hand so it looked like his arm was around me. I carried that in my wallet for YEARS. Far past my 13 year old "its ok to be that weird" phase. And if I want to be honest with all of you....I still have it. BUT it isn't in my wallet....its in a safe place now. It started to fall apart. ANYWAY...
You can imagine my excitement when Netflix instant queue had 21 Jumpstreet for my viewing pleasure. Last night I finally had a chance to start watching my hero save all the high schoolers from drugs, gangs, porn, molestation, and robberies. After 2 episodes.....yeah....its no longer in my queue anymore. What was in my head was WAY better than it is now. What happened? It was cheesy, stereotypical, a tad racist, not good acting, the special effects were SO FAKE and just plain -not good. Were shows in the 80's really that bad? No way am I going to watch Facts of Life again!! The only good thing about the show was that Johnny Depp was still as hot as ever. Needless to say, I have removed all episodes from the queue. I think I would rather remember it as I have it in my head than taint it with watching it again. :( Oh, Johnny it just isn't what it was.
pics from google images
I'd venture to say that many shows from the 80s wouldn't hold up very well to scrutiny! :-) I think it's also true that TV has gotten SO much better in the last ten years than it used to be.
ReplyDeleteBut the cheese is apart of its appeal!
ReplyDeleteI take it you only got past the pilot and the first episode after that?
The first season is the campiest part of the show, if you continue on it gets a little more serious. Perhaps your fondest memories were not from that season.
I hope you don't give up on the show so quickly. Personally I loved the pilot and was hooked since, to each his or her own :)
Johnny has amazing chemistry with Peter DeLuise and its fun to see them paired up together as the 'McQuaid Bothers'. Speaking of, Johnny gives some amazing performances throughout the series, both in drama and comedy. Some on the top of my head:
Fun With Animals
Gotta Finish The Riff
Orpheus 3.3
Loc'd Out
A.W.O.L.
Blindsided
Swallowed Alive
Hell Week
Stand By Your Man
I'm OK - You Need Work
Chapel of Love
A Big Disease with a Little Name
The Dreaded Return of Russell Buckins
I hope I can convince you to continue season 1 and the rest of the show. I promise you its worth it...if you still don't like it, I'll pay you lol.
Dont blame this one on Johnny - afterall, he was only 15 or so (and it was the 80s). Frankly, I hold "The Pirate Movie" as one of my all time favs growing up but I recently revisited this movie and quickly discovered that I was an idiot (or young, maybe both?) Besides, you still have a love for Johnny even after his gayish pirate acting so it wasnt a total loss. Ah how young we were!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Katrina. I had a huge door size poster of Johnny hanging on the inside of my closet door when I was about 13. I recall putting on shiny pink lip gloss and kissing it. That is so embarrassing. I should post this anonymously.
ReplyDelete