21 Jump Street is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company.

The series focuses on a squad of youthful-looking undercover police officers investigating crimes in schools, gangs, and other teenage venues.

[1] It was originally going to be titled Jump Street Chapel, after the deconsecrated church building in which the unit has its headquarters, but was changed at Fox's request so as not to mislead viewers into thinking it was a religious program.

The series provided a spark to Johnny Depp's acting career, garnering him national recognition as a teen idol.

The film is set in the same continuity as the series, with Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson, and Peter DeLuise reprising their characters in cameo appearances.

Their assignments frequently consist of undercover work in high schools or, less commonly, colleges, where they generally investigate drug trafficking and other criminal activities.

When the show originally aired, some episodes were followed immediately by public service announcements (PSAs) featuring cast members.

Some notable guest stars on the series include: Dom DeLuise (Peter's father), Josh Brolin, Mindy Cohn, Bridget Fonda, Bobby Rodriguez, Jada Pinkett, Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn, Barney Martin, Dann Florek, Blair Underwood, Shannen Doherty, John Waters, Rosie Perez, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mario Van Peebles, Christina Applegate, Pauly Shore, David DeLuise (Peter's brother), Bradley Gregg, Jason Priestley, Christine Elise, Christopher Titus, Kurtwood Smith, Peri Gilpin, Shannon Tweed, Sarah Buxton, David Paymer, Diedrich Bader, Russell Wong, Kelly Hu, Tim Russ, Thomas Haden Church, Sherilyn Fenn, Rob Estes, Ray Walston, R.J. Williams, Robyn Lively, Gloria Reuben, Billy Jayne, Jason Lively, Billy Warlock, Peter Berg, Larenz Tate, Tracy Griffith, and Ed O'Neill.

On October 14, 2009, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment had acquired the rights to several Stephen J. Cannell series, including 21 Jump Street,[10] and subsequently re-released the first four seasons.

[citation needed] On March 16, 2012, a feature film based on the television series from Sony Pictures and Metro Goldwyn Mayer was released starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum (who are also executive producers) and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller with the screenplay written by Michael Bacall from a story by both Hill and Bacall.

Johnny Depp, Peter DeLuise, and Holly Robinson briefly reprise their roles as Tom Hanson, Doug Penhall, and Judy Hoffs.

Described in concept by Hill as an "R-rated, insane, Bad Boys-meets-John Hughes-type movie,"[15] the film departs from the dramatic style of the series and instead features a comedic tone.