''Sledge Hammer!'' is an American satirical police sitcom produced by

New World Television New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 19 ...

that ran for two seasons on ABC from September 23, 1986 to February 12, 1988. The series was created by

Alan Spencer ''Sledge Hammer!'' is an American satirical police sitcom produced by New World Television that ran for two seasons on ABC from September 23, 1986 to February 12, 1988. The series was created by Alan Spencer and stars David Rasche as Inspector ...

and stars David Rasche as

Inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

Sledge Hammer, a

caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

of the standard "cop on the edge" character.

Setting

The series takes place in San Francisco, California, with parts of Los Angeles used as a stand-in for filming. However, no mention of San Francisco was made past the pilot episode and none of the city's landmarks are seen throughout the series, though the city name can be read on the police department building sign. The San Francisco newspaper used at the beginning of the pilot episode was censored during the show's initial broadcast, as the city wanted nothing to do with the series. Subsequent episodes showed newspapers that had no city name.

Episodes

Characters

Main

Inspector Sledge Hammer

Sledge Hammer ( David Rasche) is a stubborn, narrow-minded, opinionated, sexist, and reactionary (all of this by his own admission)

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

from the San Francisco Police Department. According to many of his fellow detectives, he "makes

Dirty Harry ''Dirty Harry'' is a 1971 American neo-noir action thriller film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the ''Dirty Harry'' series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department (SFP ...

look like Mr. Peepers." Hammer's most prized possession is his .44 Magnum Smith & Wesson Model 629 revolver (a stainless steel version of the Smith & Wesson Model 29) with a customized grip, featuring an engraving of a

sledgehammer A sledgehammer is a tool with a large, flat, often metal head, attached to a long handle. The long handle combined with a heavy head allows the sledgehammer to gather momentum during a swing and apply a large force compared to hammers designed t ...

. Hammer sleeps and showers with his gun, (it has its own satin pillow) and even talks to it, referring to it as "her." He believes in shooting and asking questions . Despite this, Hammer is never seen killing anybody on-screen during the whole 41 episodes of the show. In the

pilot episode A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in television in the United States, United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a te ...

, he deals with a

sniper A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...

on a skyscraper roof by blowing up the entire building with a

M72 LAW The M72 LAW (light anti-tank weapon, also referred to as the light anti-armor weapon or LAW as well as LAWS: light anti-armor weapons system) is a portable one-shot unguided anti-tank weapon. The solid rocket propulsion unit was developed in t ...

...after which he utters "I I got him" to onlooking cops. In " Witless," a mob assassin hides in Hammer's closet; Sledge guns down his would-be-murderer through the closed door (which has a bullseye on it) without ever knowing he's there. Later in the same episode, Hammer fatally kicks a Mafia boss through an open window. Sledge also mentions that his favorite charity is "Toy Guns for Tots". Hammer's father was Jack Hammer, a legendary carnival trick shooter whose repertoire of shooting tricks included catching a bullet in his teeth, which saved his son's life in one episode (another episode reveals that Jack gave Sledge his Magnum). His mother's name was Armin Hammer. In the episode "Brother, Can You Spare A Crime?", while Doreau and Trunk were researching Hammer's family tree, his roots go back to

Ivan the Terrible Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584. Iva ...

; coincidentally, he had an uncle named "Ivan". He is also a distant relative to

Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; ; xng, Temüjin, script=Latn; ., name=Temujin – August 25, 1227) was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in history a ...

, through an aunt named "Joan Khan". He is a direct descendant of

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

, whom he refers to as a "black sheep" in his otherwise violent family. While purportedly a stickler for law and order, Hammer is rather lax when it actually comes to following police procedure and adhering to regulations. He enjoys roughing up suspected criminals, whom he frequently refers to as "brain-dead mutants", "yogurt-sucking creeps", and the like. He is often suspended from duty, over such infractions as firing warning shots at jaywalkers; his police file requires three wheelbarrows to transport. Hammer drives a beat-up, bullet-riddled, lime green

Dodge St. Regis The Dodge St. Regis is an automobile that was marketed by Dodge from the 1979 to 1981 model years. Replacing the Monaco, the St. Regis was the largest Dodge sedan, slotted above the mid-size Diplomat and Aspen. In contrast to both the Monaco a ...

with an "I ♥ VIOLENCE" bumper sticker. He prefers to wear sports jackets, loud neckties, and dark sunglasses. One episode had him visiting a friend of his who worked in the coroner's office, with the friend saying that no bodies with clothing Hammers size had come in recently. His favorite music consists of classical, " Taps" and "

Ballad of the Green Berets "The Ballad of the Green Berets" is a patriotic song in the ballad style about the United States Army Special Forces. It is one of the few popular songs of the Vietnam War years to cast the military in a positive light and in 1966 became a major h ...

". He is divorced, and frequently makes jokes at the expense of his ex-wife, who makes an appearance in the final episode, played by Rasche's real-life wife, Heather Lupton. Despite his irresponsibility and highly destructive urges, Hammer always ends up getting his man (or woman), often through sheer luck, brute force, the initiative of his partner, or the rare flash of brilliance. Hammer's unintentionally ironic motto is: "Trust me, I know what I'm doing", and disaster usually follows. Another expression he favors is: "Don't confuse me", typically in response to any remark that challenges his markedly one-dimensional worldview.

Detective Dori Doreau

Hammer's partner is Detective Dori Doreau (

Anne-Marie Martin Anne-Marie Martin (born Edmonda Benton; November 11, 1957) is a Canadian retired actress, screenwriter and equestrian who is perhaps best known for playing Sgt. Dori Doreau in the American television comedy series ''Sledge Hammer!'' from 1986 to ...

), who is sensitive, intelligent, and sophisticated, though also a tough, agile cop who can handle a gun and deliver a well-timed karate kick when necessary, and who frequently saves Hammer from the extraordinary predicaments into which he invariably gets himself. Doreau is often shocked and offended by Hammer's crass behavior and obnoxious attitude, but she appears to see "some" redeeming qualities beneath his gruff exterior. It becomes apparent with time that she has some romantic feelings for Sledge. Hammer's blatant

male chauvinism Chauvinism is the unreasonable belief in the superiority or dominance of one's own group or people, who are seen as strong and virtuous, while others are considered weak, unworthy, or inferior. It can be described as a form of extreme patriotism ...

is a running gag in his dialogues with Doreau (from episode "Under the Gun"): :''Doreau'': What, you think all women should be

barefoot and pregnant "Barefoot and pregnant" is a figure of speech most commonly associated with the idea that women should not work outside the home and should have many children during their reproductive years. The phrase "barefoot and pregnant" seems to have been ...

? :''Hammer'': No, I encourage women to wear shoes.

Captain Trunk

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Trunk (

Harrison Page Harrison Page (born August 27, 1941) is an American television and film actor who has appeared in many popular series, including ''Sledge Hammer!'', ''Cold Case'', '' JAG'', '' ER'', '' Ally McBeal'', '' Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero'', ''Melrose P ...

) supervises Hammer and Doreau. He is a chronically uptight, Pepto-Bismol-guzzling, apoplectic parody of police precinct captains from popular 1970s and 1980s TV cops shows. Trunk spends most of his time yelling at Hammer for his incompetence or complaining about his

migraine headache Migraine (, ) is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent headaches. Typically, the associated headache affects one side of the head, is pulsating in nature, may be moderate to severe in intensity, and could last from a few h ...

s and

hypertension Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high b ...

brought on by Hammer's antics.

Recurring

* Officer Fletcher Majoy (Leslie Morris) – desk sergeant at the precinct, he is depicted as rather lazy and slovenly, rarely making any effort to help the other officers. * Officer Daley (Patti Tippo) – another officer at the precinct. * Coroner Norman Blates (

Kurt Paul Kurt Paul is an American actor and stuntman. He is perhaps best known for his work within the ''Psycho'' movie franchise, where he performed as a stunt double for Anthony Perkins in '' Psycho II'' and ''Psycho III'', and played "Mother" in all ...

) – the precinct's

medical examiner The medical examiner is an appointed official in some American jurisdictions who is trained in pathology that investigates deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictio ...

, he specializes in the sudden deceased at crime scenes. According to executive producer Alan Spencer, the character is a play on

Norman Bates Norman Bates is a fictional character created by American author Robert Bloch as the main antagonist in his 1959 thriller novel '' Psycho''. He has an alter, Mother, who takes from the form of his abusive mother, and later victim, Norma, wh ...

, the character from '' Alfred Hitchcock's ''Psycho''.'' Coincidentally, the actor who portrayed him, Kurt Paul, actually portrayed Norman Bates in '' Bates Motel'' and even worked as a stunt double for

Anthony Perkins Anthony Perkins (April 4, 1932 – September 12, 1992) was an American actor, director, and singer. Perkins is best remembered for his role as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's suspense thriller '' Psycho'', which made him an influentia ...

as Norman Bates in '' Psycho II'' and ''

Psycho III ''Psycho III'' is a 1986 American slasher film, and the third film in the ''Psycho'' franchise. It stars Anthony Perkins, who also directs the film, reprising the role of Norman Bates. It co-stars Diana Scarwid, Jeff Fahey, and Roberta Maxwell. ...

''. * Newscaster Lisa Ellerblub (Diane Sainte-Marie) – a local news anchorwoman (a play on

Linda Ellerbee Linda Ellerbee (born Linda Jane Smith; August 15, 1944) is an American journalist, anchor, producer, reporter, author, speaker and commentator, noted as longtime Washington correspondent for NBC News and host of NBC News Overnight. She is wide ...

), she is usually on the receiving end of Hammer's chauvinistic insults.

Guest appearances

Some notable figures who made guest appearances on ''Sledge Hammer!'': *

Adam Ant Stuart Leslie Goddard, better known as Adam Ant (born 3 November 1954), is an English singer, musician, and actor. He gained popularity as the lead singer of new wave group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring 10 UK top ten ...

("Icebreaker") * Lewis Arquette ("Witless") *

Bill Bixby Wilfred Bailey Everett Bixby III (January 22, 1934 – November 21, 1993) professionally known as Bill Bixby, was an American actor, director, producer, and frequent game-show panellist. Bixby's career spanned more than three decades, includi ...

("Hammer Hits the Rock") – Bixby also directed a number of episodes * Mark Blankfield ("State of Sledge", "Comrade Hammer", and "The Secret of My Excess") *

Bud Cort Walter Edward Cox, known professionally as Bud Cort, is an American actor and comedian, known for his portrayals of Harold in Hal Ashby's film ''Harold and Maude'' (1971) and the eponymous hero in Robert Altman's film '' Brewster McCloud'' (19 ...

("Last of the Red Hot Vampires") * Bill Dana ("Haven't Gun, Will Travel") *

John Densmore John Paul Densmore (born December 1, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter, author and actor. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band the Doors, and as such is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He appeared on every recordi ...

("State of Sledge") * Michael Des Barres ("Sledgepoo") * Sarah Douglas ("Play It Again, Sledge") *

Norman Fell Norman Fell (born Norman Noah Feld; March 24, 1924 – December 14, 1998) was an American actor of film and television, most famous for his role as landlord Mr. Roper on the sitcom ''Three's Company'' and its spin-off, ''The Ropers'', and his fi ...

("They Call Me Mr. Trunk") *

Conchata Ferrell Conchata Galen Ferrell (March 28, 1943October 12, 2020) was an American actress. Although she was a regular cast member of five TV sitcoms, she was best known for playing Berta the housekeeper for all 12 seasons of ''Two and a Half Men''. For her ...

("Jagged Sledge") *

Dennis Fimple Dennis Clarke Fimple (November 11, 1940 – August 23, 2002) was an American actor. Biography Fimple was born in Ventura, California, the son of Dolly and Elmer Fimple. He graduated from Taft Union High School in 1958 and received a teaching c ...

("They Shoot Hammers, Don't They?" and "If I Had a Little Hammer") *

Kurt Fuller Kurt Fuller (born September 16, 1953) is an American character actor. He has appeared in a number of television, film, and stage projects. He is best known for his roles in the films ''No Holds Barred'' and ''Ghostbusters II'' (both 1989), ''Wa ...

("Hammer Hits the Rock") *

Sid Haig Sidney Eddie Mosesian (July 14, 1939 – September 21, 2019), known professionally as Sid Haig, was an American actor, film producer, and musician. He was known for his roles in several of Jack Hill's blaxploitation films from the 1970s, as we ...

("Hammeroid") * Mark Holton ("The Secret of My Excess") *

Clint Howard Clinton Engle Howard (born April 20, 1959) is an American actor. He is the second son born to American actors Rance and Jean Howard, and younger brother of actor and director Ron Howard. His 200-plus acting credits include feature films such as ...

("State of Sledge") *

Brion James Brion Howard James (February 20, 1945 – August 7, 1999) was an American character actor. He portrayed Leon Kowalski in ''Blade Runner'' and appeared in ''Southern Comfort'', '' 48 Hrs.'', ''Another 48 Hrs.'', '' Silverado'', ''Tango & Cash'', ' ...

("If I Had a Little Hammer" and "Model Dearest") * Davy Jones ("Sledge, Rattle & Roll") *

Bernie Kopell Bernard Morton Kopell (born June 21, 1933) is an American character actor known for his roles as Siegfried in '' Get Smart'' from 1966 to 1969 and as Dr. Adam Bricker ("Doc") on '' The Love Boat'' from 1977 to 1986. Early beginnings Kopell was b ...

("Last of the Red Hot Vampires") * Dan Lauria ("A Clockwork Hammer") *

Robin Leach Robin Douglas Leach (29 August 1941 – 24 August 2018) was a British entertainment reporter and writer from London. After beginning his career as a print journalist, first in England and then in the United States, he became best known fo ...

("The Spa Who Loved Me") * Beverly Leech ("Wild About Hammer" and "A Clockwork Hammer") * Lance LeGault ("The Spa Who Loved Me") *

David Leisure David Russell Leisure (born November 16, 1950) is an American actor. He played Charley Dietz in the sitcom ''Empty Nest'' from 1988 to 1995 and fictional automotive "pitch man" Joe Isuzu in a series of North American television commercials for ...

("Hammer Hits the Rock" and "Magnum Farce") *

Peter Marshall Peter Marshall may refer to: Entertainment * Peter Marshall (entertainer) (born 1926), American game show host of ''The Hollywood Squares'', 1966–1981 * Peter Marshall (author, born 1939) (1939–1972), British novelist whose works include ''T ...

("To Live and Die on TV") * Richard Moll ("Hammeroid") * Ronnie Schell ("Hammer Gets Nailed") *

Armin Shimerman Armin Shimerman (born November 5, 1949) is an American actor and author. Early life Shimerman was born into a Jewish family in Lakewood, New Jersey, on November 5, 1949, the son of accountant Susan and house painter Herbert Shimerman. When he w ...

("Hammeroid") * Don Stark ("Under the Gun" and "Sledgepoo") *

Brenda Strong Brenda Lee Strong (born March 25, 1960) is an American actress. She began her career in television, including guest starring appearances in ''Twin Peaks'', '' Party of Five'', ''Seinfeld'', '' Scandal'', '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', '' ...

("Miss of the Spider Woman") * John Vernon ("Under the Gun" – parodying his role in the first ''Dirty Harry'' film) * Ray Walston ("Big Nazi on Campus") * Patrick Wayne ("Brother Can You Spare a Crime") *

Duane Whitaker Nathan Duane Whitaker Jr. (born June 23, 1959) is an American character actor. Early life Whitaker was born in Abilene, Texas, the oldest child of Nathan Duane Whitaker Sr. and Barbara Ella Hudson, a nurse. He has two younger sisters, both bor ...

("Hammer Gets Nailed") * Mary Woronov ("The Spa Who Loved Me") ''Sledge Hammer!'' executive producer Spencer made a

Hitchcockian Hitchcockian films are those made by various filmmakers, with the styles and themes similar to those of Alfred Hitchcock. Characteristics Elements considered Hitchcockian include: *Climactic plot twist. *The cool platinum blonde. *The presence ...

cameo appearance on the episode "Witless". Actor

Jackie Cooper John Cooper Jr. (September 15, 1922 – May 3, 2011) was an American actor, television director, producer, and executive, known universally as Jackie Cooper. He was a child actor who made the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first ...

directed a few episodes himself.

Production history

Inspired by

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the " Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "'' Do ...

's no-nonsense approach to law enforcement in the ''

'' films, teenager

dreamed up the idea of a police officer whose approach was even more over-the-top, to the point of absurdity. At the age of 16, Spencer wrote a screenplay based on this idea. The script and the main character were both named ''Sledge Hammer''. Despite his youth, Spencer had already written for

Rodney Dangerfield Rodney Dangerfield (born Jacob Rodney Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004) was an American Stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-line joke, one-liner humor, his c ...

and such television as '' The Facts of Life'' and '' One Day at a Time''. He sold his script upon the release of the fourth ''Dirty Harry'' movie ''

Sudden Impact ''Sudden Impact'' is a 1983 American vigilante action thriller film, the fourth in the ''Dirty Harry'' series, directed, produced by and starring Clint Eastwood (making it the only ''Dirty Harry'' film to be directed by Eastwood himself) and c ...

'' and the popularity of NBC's ''Dirty Harry''-inspired action series ''

Hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

''; the latter property created demand for a satirical police television show. When HBO approached

Leonard B. Stern Leonard Bernard Stern (December 23, 1922 – June 7, 2011) was an American screenwriter, film and television film producer, producer, film director, director, and one of the creators, with Roger Price (comedian), Roger Price, of the word game Ma ...

, former producer of ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, an ...

'', about developing such a show, Stern recommended Spencer's "Sledge Hammer!" idea. Spencer quickly reworked his script for a half-hour television format. HBO executives did not like it, however, and suggested changes that Spencer found unacceptable, such as casting Dangerfield or

Joe Piscopo Joseph Charles John Piscopo ( ; born June 17, 1951) is an American actor, comedian and conservative radio talk show host. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1980 to 1984, where he played a variety of recurring characters. His f ...

in the lead role. Last-place ABC was willing to take a chance on the unorthodox script. ABC insisted that the violence be toned down for network television and that a laugh track be included (although some versions – including the DVD release of the show – do not have this track or had it removed; Spencer found it offensive that the audience be told when to laugh and was furious over the decision), but agreed to cast Spencer's first choice for the lead character, the classically trained actor David Rasche. ''Sledge Hammer!'' entered ABC's fall lineup in 1986. The pilot of ''Sledge Hammer!'' was completed just as

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...

's song "Sledgehammer" became a huge hit. ABC took advantage of this coincidence by using the song in television, radio, and film advertisements for the show.

Intro and theme music

The introduction to the show features long, near-sensual

closeup A close-up or closeup in filmmaking, television production, still photography, and the comic strip medium is a type of shot that tightly frames a person or object. Close-ups are one of the standard shots used regularly with medium and long s ...

shots of Hammer's .44 Magnum as it rests on a luxurious

satin A satin weave is a type of fabric weave that produces a characteristically glossy, smooth or lustrous material, typically with a glossy top surface and a dull back. It is one of three fundamental types of textile weaves alongside plain weave ...

pillow A pillow is a support of the body at rest for comfort, therapy, or decoration. Pillows are used in different variations by many species, including humans. Some types of pillows include throw pillows, body pillows, decorative pillows, and man ...

. The show's ominous

theme music Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at so ...

, composed by

Danny Elfman Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the singer-songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since the 1990s, Elfman has garnered internation ...

, plays in the background. Hammer then picks up his gun, spins it expertly like a cinematic

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

gunslinger Gunfighters, also called gunslingers (), or in the 19th and early 20th centuries gunmen, were individuals in the American Old West who gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and participated in gunfights and shootouts. Today, the t ...

, and utters his catch phrase ("Trust me, I know what I'm doing") just before firing into the screen, making a hole in it. According to the DVD release extras, the original version had Hammer firing at the viewer, but ABC executives feared this could be too shocking, possibly even causing

heart attacks A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may ...

(and leaving the network liable). Thus, Hammer fires into the screen at a slight angle. According to the DVD release, Hammer's original catch phrase was "I'm crazy, but I know what I'm doing." ABC executives objected to a lead character being "crazy", so they insisted on a change. The DVD release uses an updated heavy metal version of the theme music by Baboon Rising on the main menus.

Ratings and second season

Despite critical acclaim, ''Sledge Hammer!'' struggled in the ratings. In the documentary on the second season DVDs, David Rasche remarks that the only series getting lower ratings than ''Sledge Hammer!'' was Fox's '' The Tracey Ullman Show''. ''Sledge Hammer!'' attracted weekly viewership of nineteen million viewers who followed the show religiously through its many time slot shifts. The fact that the series appealed to key target demographics also kept it on the schedule. Because ABC intended to cancel the series, the last episode of the first season ends with Hammer accidentally destroying the city when he attempts to disarm a stolen

nuclear warhead A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...

; just before the explosion Hammer embarks on his infamous catchphrase "Trust Me.....". The last scene shows the ''

Beneath the Planet of the Apes ''Beneath the Planet of the Apes'' is a 1970 American science fiction film directed by Ted Post and written by Paul Dehn. It is the second of five films in the original ''Planet of the Apes'' series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. The film stars Ja ...

''-style ruins of the city with Trunk's voice screaming "HAMMMMMMMER!", and a graphic which read: "To Be Continued... Next Season?" However, this episode received much better than expected ratings, in large part because the network had moved the show to a better time slot. ABC changed its mind and renewed the show for a second season. The second-season premiere perfunctorily explained that it and following episodes were set "five years before" the explosion, though Doreau is Sledge's partner in the second season, despite being introduced to him in the pilot, and despite the presence of references to contemporary events, rather than those of five years earlier.

(of '' The Incredible Hulk'' fame) was brought in to direct numerous episodes. In the final moments of the final episode while in their usual bar, Sledge asks Dori to marry him. Flustered, Dori finally manages to ask whether he is serious. After silently regarding her for a long few seconds, Sledge simply answers "No", they turn away from each other back to their drinks, and the viewer is left to imagine what happens next. In the DVD commentary creator Alan Spencer intimates a definitive resolution to their relationship, but instead leaves the matter unresolved when a massive earthquake purportedly prevents him from completing the session. The second season suffered from another extremely undesirable time slot (this time against ''

The Cosby Show ''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom co-created by and starring Bill Cosby, which aired Thursday nights for eight seasons on NBC between September 20, 1984, until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on an upper middle-class Africa ...

''), a reduced budget, and lowered filming standard (down to

16 mm 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, edu ...

film from the previous season's 35 mm). The cutbacks contributed to the show not being renewed for a third season. The episode "Wild About Hammer" sparked viewer confusion when the epilogue satirized the trend of coloring black & white films. Following the commercial break, a disclaimer read, "The following tag was shot in black and white, then artificially recolored. We promise you will not be able to see the difference." The scene was intentionally altered not only in color, but also in tint, hue, brightness and contrast – prompting viewers to call their local ABC stations and complain about the broadcast quality. In response, Spencer recorded an apology message for ABC's phone lines.

International broadcast

Asia

*The series was marketed in Japan as . *It has aired in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

under its original title on Network Television Marketing. *It has aired in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

under its original title on RPN-9.

Europe

*In Denmark the title was translated into ''For Fuld Hammer!'' (lit. 'To the Full Hammer!'), a Danish idiom meaning to use the entirety of one's force. *In Finland the title was ''Moukarimies'', meaning 'Sledgehammer Man'. *In France the series was called ''Mr. Gun''. *In Germany was called ''Der Hammer'' until 1993, also Sledge's gun is named "Susi" in the German version, a joke created during dubbing (the gun has no particular name in the original version). *In Iceland was named ''Barði Hamar'' (Pounding hammer). *In Italy it was known as ''Troppo Forte!'' (Too strong!). *In the UK the series was shown on ITV throughout the 80s-90s. *In Russia the series was called ''Кувалда'' (Kuvalda), which is a literal Russian translation for sledgehammer. *The Spanish dub that aired in Spain only called the show ''Martillo Hammer'' ('martillo' means hammer in Spanish), effectively renaming the series "Hammer Hammer". *In

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...

the series was shown on national TV stations throughout the 80s-90s with original name ''Sledge Hammer!''.

Latin America

*In Brazil, the series was aired under the title ''Na mira do tira'', which means "In the cop's gun-sight". *The Mexican dubbing for Latin America kept the series' name unchanged, though some episodes had to be renamed to match with the Latin American versions for the movie titles and American sayings they were based on. Hammer also called his gun ''Compadre'', in spite that he considered it to be female and bears an absolute loathing for

telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include '' teleserye'' ...

Home media

Anchor Bay Entertainment Anchor Bay Entertainment (formerly Video Treasures and Starmaker Entertainment) was an American home entertainment and production company. It was a subsidiary of Starz Inc. Anchor Bay Entertainment marketed and sold feature films, television se ...

released the entire series on DVD in Region 1. The first season of ''Sledge Hammer!'' was released on DVD on July 27, 2004. The laugh track, which the network had insisted on including on the pilot and first 12 episodes, is removed on the DVD version, for which Spencer hired an experienced sound designer. The DVD features a documentary on the series featuring interviews by Spencer, David Rasche, Anne-Marie Martin and Harrison Page. The DVD also includes an unaired version of the pilot that runs several minutes longer and has a different ending and theme music. An

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...

hit while Spencer was recording commentary for one of the DVDs; the tape kept rolling during the event and was included on the DVD, leaving viewers wondering whether the earthquake was real. The second season was released on DVD on April 12, 2005; the commentary on the final episode ended with Spencer, again, being caught in another earthquake, this time with sound effects and a convenient cliffhanger. On September 6, 2011, it was announced that

Image Entertainment RLJ Entertainment (formerly Image Entertainment) is an American film production company and home video distributor, distributing film and television productions in North America, with approximately 3,200 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 34 ...

had acquired the rights to the series. It was subsequently announced that they will release ''Sledge Hammer!- The Complete Series'' on DVD in Region 1 on December 13, 2011. The set will not feature the documentary, commentaries, the uncut pilot (the broadcast version is used) and other bonus features from the Anchor Bay release. In Region 4, Shock Entertainment has released both seasons on DVD in Australia.

Awards

''Sledge Hammer!'' was nominated for a 1987 People's Choice Award in the category of "Favorite New TV Comedy."

Comics

New World's then-subsidiary

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...

released a short-lived

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

based upon the series as a promotion for the second season. In the second issue, Sledge is up against a

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...

imposter and on the cover issue a disclaimer hints that Sledge Hammer is actually a

mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...

when the ''

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...

'' series and its mutant spin-offs were on the height of their popularity. The series only lasted two issues.

Legacy

* David Rasche appeared as the President of the United States in the short-lived 2001 television series '' DAG''. His Secret Service code-name on the series was Sledge Hammer. * In an issue of the ''

Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms, ...

'' comic book series, a family is depicted sitting around a television watching Sledge Hammer uttering his famous line "Trust me, I know what I'm doing." * British band

Jesus Jones Jesus Jones are a British alternative rock band from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, formed in late 1988, who continue to record and perform, as of 2021. Their track " Right Here, Right Now" was an international hit, and was subsequently global ...

samples Sledge Hammer's catchphrase "Trust me, I know what I'm doing" in the intro of the song "Trust Me," from their 1991 album '' Doubt''. * The classic TV channel

MeTV MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television program ...

included ''Sledge Hammer!'' in their lineup and posted a fact page. *The Decades TV channel has aired ''Sledge Hammer!'' as part of their "Fan-tastic" retrospectives on classic cult shows.

Podcast

A podcast series about ''Sledge Hammer!'' was created in 2016, examining each episode of the show.

References

External links

''Sledge Hammer!'' Online
– Alan Spencer's official site * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sledge Hammer 1986 American television series debuts 1988 American television series endings 1980s American satirical television series 1980s American sitcoms American Broadcasting Company original programming 1980s American crime television series English-language television shows Fictional portrayals of the San Francisco Police Department 1980s American police comedy television series Single-camera television sitcoms Television shows set in San Francisco American television series revived after cancellation Television series created by Alan Spencer Television series by New World Television