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Booker (TV series)

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Booker
Genre
Created by
Starring
Opening theme"Hot in the City (Exterminator Mix)" performed by Billy Idol
Ending theme"Hot in the City (Exterminator Mix)" performed by Billy Idol
ComposerMike Post
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes22
Production
Executive producerBill Nuss
Producers
  • Carleton Eastlake
  • Brooke Kennedy
  • Jo Swerling, Jr.
Production locationVancouver
Running time45–48 minutes
Production companyStephen J. Cannell Productions
Original release
NetworkFox
ReleaseSeptember 24, 1989 (1989-09-24) –
May 6, 1990 (1990-05-06)
Related
21 Jump Street

Booker is an American crime drama series starring Richard Grieco that aired on the Fox Network from September 24, 1989, to May 6, 1990. The series is a spin-off of 21 Jump Street and the second installment of the Jump Street franchise. The character of Dennis Booker was originally a recurring character on that police drama during its third season.

Synopsis

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Dennis Booker, who once worked for a large metropolitan police department, is now hired by the US office of a large Japanese company to investigate some suspicious insurance claims. Booker is portrayed as despising authority, and he is often openly disdainful of the orders he receives. He also occasionally undertakes non-work-related tasks in order to help friends and family. Katie Rich left the show in the middle of its run, and Lori Petty was added to the cast.

Fox scheduled Booker as its Sunday night leadoff program, airing in the 7/6 pm slot that was vacated by its parent series, 21 Jump Street; the latter moved to Monday nights.[1] Booker was not the hit that its predecessor had been, with Fox eventually moving the show to 10:00 pm (during the period when the network was programming past that hour on Sundays) and later cancelling it following the season.[2]

Cast

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Main

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Notable guest stars

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"Booker"David JacksonStephen J. CannellSeptember 24, 1989 (1989-09-24)31101
Dennis Booker helps Elaine clear a man she thinks was wrongly convicted when she served jury duty.
2"The Pump"Mark SobelStory by : Nicholas J. Corea
Teleplay by : Stephen J. Cannell & Nicholas J. Corea		October 1, 1989 (1989-10-01)31102
Booker is targeted by a gang seeking revenge for the death of a member who shot Judy (Holly Robinson guest-starring from 21 Jump Street).
3"Raising Arrizola"Rob BowmanGordon DawsonOctober 8, 1989 (1989-10-08)31106
Booker has a busy day getting involved with a Teshima executive, avoiding a supposedly reformed ex-con and trying to keep a homeless kid on the right path.
4"High Rise"Jorge MontesiCarleton EastlakeOctober 22, 1989 (1989-10-22)31109
In an homage to Die Hard, Booker takes action when gunmen take the execs of Teshima hostage.
5"All You Gotta Do Is Do It"Reynaldo VillalobosStephen J. CannellOctober 29, 1989 (1989-10-29)31105
Alicia asks Booker to find her gambler ex-husband when he takes off with their daughter.
6"Bête Noir"James Whitmore Jr.Charles Grant CraigNovember 5, 1989 (1989-11-05)31110
Booker concocts a plan to catch a woman he suspects murdered her two husbands for insurance money.
7"Flat Out"Jefferson KibbeeCarleton EastlakeNovember 12, 1989 (1989-11-12)31111
Booker races to find a young woman who skipped bail before mobsters kill her.
8"Wheels and Deals – Part 1"Mark SobelCharles Grant Craig & Thania St. JohnNovember 26, 1989 (1989-11-26)31113
Booker plots the downfall of his nemesis Raymond Crane. This episode concludes on 21 Jump Street.
9"Someone Stole Lucille"Kim MannersBill NussDecember 10, 1989 (1989-12-10)31112
Booker and a young Teshima executive from Japan are sent to find B.B. King's stolen guitar.
10"Cementhead"Jorge MontesiGlen Morgan & James WongDecember 17, 1989 (1989-12-17)31114
Booker deals with his childhood idol, a hockey player seeking to make a comeback on a team owned by Teshima.
11"The Red Dot"Mario AzzopardiStory by : Carleton Eastlake
Teleplay by : Bill Nuss & Charles Grant Craig		January 14, 1990 (1990-01-14)31118
A woman hires Booker to find her missing boyfriend, who's also the target of a hit man.
12"Who Framed Roger Thorton?"Jefferson KibbeeStory by : Thania St. John
Teleplay by : Charles Grant Craig		January 21, 1990 (1990-01-21)31115
Booker investigates the murder of a fashion designer and encounters an old acquaintance.
13"Hacker"Bryan SpicerStory by : Carleton Eastlake
Teleplay by : Carleton Eastlake & Charles Grant Craig		February 4, 1990 (1990-02-04)31119
Booker is pursued by the FBI as soon as he cracks a computer hacker's code.
14"The Life and Death of Chick Sterling"Kim MannersBill Nuss & Thania St. JohnFebruary 11, 1990 (1990-02-11)31122
Chick and an old army buddy are targeted for assassination because of a past incident.
15"Black Diamond Run"Peter D. MarshallSeth PearlmanFebruary 18, 1990 (1990-02-18)31120
A cat burglar is stealing from guests at a ski resort who are insured by Teshima.
16"Love Life"Jefferson KibbeeStory by : Gary Rosen & Jacqueline Zambrano
Teleplay by : Jacqueline Zambrano		February 25, 1990 (1990-02-25)31121
Booker sets out to prove that a prostitute was framed for stabbing a Teshima executive.
17"Reunion"Jan EliasbergCarleton Eastlake & Thania St. JohnMarch 25, 1990 (1990-03-25)31124
Booker attends his high school reunion where an old girlfriend asks him to find her missing fiancé, who happens to be the guy she left Booker for.
18"Wedding Bell Blues"Jefferson KibbeeCharles Grant Craig & Bill Nuss & Thania St. JohnApril 1, 1990 (1990-04-01)31125
An old high school friend of Booker's is engaged to two women, both of whom have vengeful relatives.
19"Molly and Eddie"David NutterCharles Grant Craig & Bill Nuss & Thania St. JohnApril 8, 1990 (1990-04-08)31123
Booker takes care of a 6-year-old girl while he searches for her father, a repo man who may have gotten involved in a stolen car ring.
20"Crazy"Bill CorcoranChad Hayes & Carey W. HayesApril 15, 1990 (1990-04-15)31127
A crazy killer escapes custody and leads Booker on a journey through his troubled psyche.
21"Mobile Home"Christopher T. WelchStory by : David Kemper
Teleplay by : Charles Grant Craig & Bill Nuss & Thania St. John		April 29, 1990 (1990-04-29)31128
Booker helps a friend search for his first home, which has been stolen by three siblings hunting for treasure.
22"Father's Day"Jan EliasbergJan EliasbergMay 6, 1990 (1990-05-06)31129
Booker's father asks for his help when he must testify against the mob.

Home media

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On September 17, 2008, Beyond Home Entertainment released Booker- The Complete Series on DVD in Australia (Region 4). The episode titled "Deals and Wheels pt.1" has been removed as it is part of a crossover with 21 Jump Street. Both episodes are included on the 4th season release of 21 Jump Street. The original Billy Idol "Hot in the City" main theme song is intact on the episodes. The episode "Someone Stole Lucille" is included in this set as well.

On August 25, 2009, Mill Creek Entertainment released Booker- Collector's Edition on DVD in Region 1.[3] Music rights have kept the episode "Someone Stole Lucille" from appearing on the set, thus the reason why the title of the release was changed from 'complete series'. The theme song was also changed to a generic action piece (entitled "Hot Summer Night") as the rights to "Hot in the City" could not be negotiated.

DVD Name Ep # Region 1 Region 4
Booker: Collector's Edition 22 August 25, 2009 September 17, 2008

References

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  1. ^ Shales, Tom (1989-07-29). "FOX Finds Success By Aiming Low". Deseret News. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved 2011-04-09.
  2. ^ "Top 10 Worst TV Spin-Offs". time.com. October 1, 2008. Archived from the original on October 4, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-25.
  3. ^ "Booker DVD news: Update About Booker - Collector's Edition". TVShowsOnDVD.com. 2009-12-08. Archived from the original on 2014-05-20. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
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