Like many, I grew up captivated by 21 Jump Street. Beyond the gripping storylines and the breakout performances, the show’s soundtrack was a revelation. It was my introduction to incredible music, the kind that sticks with you. Hearing The Rolling Stones’ “Monkey Man” for the first time during an episode is a vivid memory. So, imagine my disappointment when I eagerly purchased the DVD series only to find the original music was missing. It completely changed the experience, and honestly, I was so taken aback I couldn’t even continue watching.
Fast forward twenty years, and the internet revealed a glimmer of hope: German DVD releases of 21 Jump Street reportedly contained the original music. Without hesitation, I invested in the German imports. My quest for the authentic 21 Jump Street experience didn’t stop there. Remembering the spin-off series Booker, which continued storylines and character arcs from Jump Street, I learned that the original music for Booker was seemingly exclusive to a Region 4 Australian DVD set. That too was ordered, along with the US complete series of 21 Jump Street, and a region-free DVD player to handle my growing international collection.
Upon receiving the German DVDs, the rumors were confirmed. The German audio tracks preserved the original music for the first four seasons. However, a few episodes on the English tracks of those early seasons were missing the original scores, and Season 5 on the English track was entirely devoid of it. Adding to the complexity, the German versions had cut scenes, presumably due to violence. Hence the purchase of the US versions, aiming for uncut content and hopefully better video quality in later seasons. Preserving any commentary tracks from all versions is also part of my plan.
Booker, despite its short single season run, is crucial. Several plot threads and characters seamlessly transition between the two shows. Sadly, Booker also suffered the same fate as 21 Jump Street in many releases, with original music replaced by generic substitutes. I’m particularly focused on restoring Booker Season 1 Episode 8 “Wheels and Deals Part 1” with its original opening credits. Released on DVD as a 21 Jump Street episode with Jump Street credits, it’s actually the setup for the 21 Jump Street Season 4 episode “Wheels and Deals Part 2”. Reassembling these connections with their original musical context is key to experiencing the shows as intended.
Visually, the first four seasons of the German imports are surprisingly good for their age, but Season 5 appears to be of VHS quality. Comparing the picture quality between the German and US DVDs will be another interesting aspect of this project. One peculiar detail of the German releases is the removal of fade-to-black and fade-in transitions that would typically indicate commercial breaks. To me, these subtle pauses are part of the original viewing experience and ideally should be retained.
The major hurdle in this endeavor is restoring the original music from the German audio tracks back into the English tracks. This is where my expertise is limited, and I anticipate needing assistance. My current ten-year-old iMac, while reliable, struggles with video editing, often crashing when running Final Cut Pro. Upscaling is likely out of the question on my current setup, suggesting a potential need for a new laptop to handle the demands of audio and video restoration.
This project is just beginning, and any guidance or assistance would be immensely appreciated. Uncovering and preserving the original musical landscape of 21 Jump Street and Booker is a passion project, aiming to bring back the complete viewing experience for myself and hopefully other fans who appreciate the power of the original soundtracks.
