Sledge Hammer!

[areaseven]

Sledge Hammer!
Alan Spencer Productions/D'Angelo Productions/ABC/New World Television, 1986-1987
Anchor Bay Entertainment, 2004; Image Entertainment, 2011
Created by Alan Spencer
Running Time: 27 minutes per episode
Rated TV-PG for violence, mature situations and mild language.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing." - Sledge Hammer

Cast
David Rasche as Sledge Hammer
Anne-Marie Martin as Dori Doreau
Harrison Page as Captain Trunk

"HAMMERRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!" - Captain Trunk

Lowdown
In 1986, ABC premiered Sledge Hammer! - a sitcom for people who hate sitcoms. Inspired by the 1971 Clint Eastwood film Dirty Harry and the classic 1965 spy satire Get Smart, the series chronicles the misadventures of Inspector Sledge Hammer - a loose cannon of a cop who talks to his .44 Magnum and has absolutely no regard for anyone's safety. Add female detective Dori Doreau and the ill-tempered Captain Trunk to the mix, and you have the funniest cop show ever made.

"That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it!" - Sledge Hammer

Sadly, the series was cancelled after its second season as it was forced by ABC to compete head-to-head with The Cosby Show on the ratings game in 1988. Reruns played on some syndicated channels before being forgotten by many viewers for over a decade.

And now, Sledge Hammer! is back - this time, in a remastered DVD set. The 22 episodes that comprise the first season are locked and loaded in four discs. Relive the antics of our trigger-happy antihero, whether he's blowing up a building to stop a sniper, posing as an Elvis impersonator to catch a serial killer, or stuffing a would-be robber with expired convenience store food. Police brutality is no laughing matter, but if it involves Hammer, you'll never stop laughing.

If you like cop shows, you owe it to yourself to add this classic TV series to your DVD collection. And get the second (and final) season while you're at it.

"That man makes Rambo look like Pee-Wee Herman." - Mayor Jack Flambo

Rating: A+

"Go Hammer Go! Go Hammer Go!" - Cops watching Hammer attempt to defuse a time bomb on TV

"Go Bomb Go! Go Bomb Go!" - Captain Trunk

DVD Extras: A
When you play the first disc, you are greeted with a hilarious introduction by creator Alan Spencer, who talks about the laugh track being deleted from the DVD episodes before getting hit in the head with a bottle.

"Laugh tracks are offensive. They're an insult to an audience's intelligence who doesn't have to be told when to laugh at something. And the other thing that's inappropriate about laugh tracks on Sledge Hammer! is, the series was a drama. That's right - Sledge Hammer! carried a serious message about violence --" - Alan Spencer

Each disc contains audio commentary with Spencer, Rasche, Martin and Page on selected episodes. Disc 4, on the other hand, is packed with these goodies:

- Go Ahead, Make Me Laugh! - An exclusive documentary featuring interviews with Spencer and the original cast.
- An alternate version of the pilot episode "Under the Gun," featuring 10 minutes of additional footage, an alternate epilogue and different opening and ending theme music.
- Electronic Press Kit - Original 1986 interview with Spencer and Rasche.
- Original TV Spots
- Original Commercial Bumper
- Alan Spencer's Message to Critics (audio)
- Image Gallery - Including the Sledge Hammer! comic book by Marvel.
- Original ABC and HBO pilot scripts (.pdf format)

In addition, you get a booklet featuring liner notes and lots of useful trivia. And at $25.99 at Best Buy, this DVD set is a major steal.

"A gun can't solve the world's problems, but give it a shot anyway." - Sledge Hammer

Links
Sledge Hammer! Online

Reference
The Internet Movie Database

Edited March 25, 2014 by areaseven

[BoBe-Patt]

Dood, thanx for this review!! You must have all the new dvd's that come out for you to do so many reviews! I gotta check out your dvd collection. It must be bigger than blockbuster and hollywood video combined! Anyway, I gotta check out this series fo sho!!!

[Pat S]

I have to pick this up! Thanks for the review!

[EXO]

MWUAHAHAHA! A thread for us Sledge Fans. I can't wait to see this show again. Hey Bobe, hurry up and buy yours so I can watch it!

[1 VF-1 2NV]

Got my hands on it on Saturday at my local suncoast for $23.99 + tax. . This show still cracks me up even though it's been years since I last saw them. In fact, this show is so memorable I know what the next scene will be before I even see it. Sledge is so predictable and unpredictable . That is why I like watching him.

[007-vf1]

I used to love this show back in the days...this one and Get Smart are among the best comedy police shows ever...

[UN Spacy]

I was gonna pick it up at Best Buy last weekend but something came up. It's also funny how they came up with a second season, which takes place five years before the first season. Hahahaha.

I gotta get this.

[JRock]

I'll pick up the set soon. But areaseven. Was is necessary to translate the title to Japanese?

[Godzilla]

I remember that series. I love that. I remember that episode with the bomb in the clock store. I loved the episode where they was a price on Hammer's head where it made fun of Witness. God that brings me back good memories.

[Max Jenius]

I had a dream about this last night...

[USMCBebop]

I loved that show!

[areaseven]

For those interested in this DVD, here's a list of the episodes included on Discs 1-2. This should bring back more memories.

Under the Gun

When the mayor's daughter is kidnapped, Hammer is taken off suspension and assigned to the case with detective Dori Doreau.

Hammer Gets Nailed

Hammer is assigned to give a police tour to a news reporter. But when he gets the reporter injured in a car accident, he gets fired and most of the precinct is laid off.

Witless

A major crime lord puts a $1,000,000 bounty on Hammer's head. As hitmen from all over the country make their attempts to kill him, Hammer finds himself in an Amish farmland.

They Shoot Hammers, Don't They?

Hammer gets word that a convict is making his escape and is planning to kill him. He finds out that the convict is a former partner he put behind bars.

Dori Day Afternoon

Hammer takes Dori's advice on controlling his short temper. Unfortunately, it comes at a bad time, as they become hostages in a bank robbery and holdup.

To Sledge, With Love

Hammer is assigned to a high school overrun by a delinquent gang involved in a grand theft auto scheme. He does any means necessary (and unnecessary) to correct the gang.

All Shook Up

A string of murders of Elvis impersonators leaves the police baffled. Hammer goes undercover as an impersonator to lure the murderer in his trap.

Over My Dead Bodyguard

When Trunk volunteers to testify on a major narcotics case, Hammer is assigned by the commissioner to guard the captain with his life.

Magnum Farce

The city is startled by a wave of murders of released convicts at the hands of vigilantes. When Hammer identifies the bullets as police issue, he must find out which cops are involved in this case.

If I Had a Little Hammer

Hammer and Dori go undercover as husband and wife to find the mastermind behind a baby kidnapping case.

To Live & Die on TV

A game show contestant wins a brand new car one night and is found submerged underwater the next day. After finding out that the victim was murdered, Hammer participates in the game show to search for the killer.

Miss of the Spider Woman

Hammer is poisoned and has less than a day left to live. He and Dori must nab a mud wrestler to look for the person behind the poisoning and get the antidote.

[eugimon]

sledgehammer was one of my all time favorite shows... ever...loved that show... all time favorite.... ever... loved that show...

[Max Jenius]

Hmm... first 2 eps were kinda boring. Hope it picks up.

[areaseven]

Discs 3-4 coverage:

The Old Man and the Sledge

Hammer meets a retired police detective named Gilmore Yates that he idolized during his early days. To keep him away from a retirement home, Hammer gets Yates a job as a security guard at a jewelry shop. But things go wrong when Yates is shot by jewelry thieves.

State of Sledge

When an Internal Affairs agent visits the precinct, he finds a spotless record as Trunk secretly hid Hammer's files and sent him home. Unfortunately for Trunk, Hammer shows up, having arrested Slag, the leader of a satanic cult. Making matters worse is that Slag's followers have placed the entire precinct under siege.

Haven't Gun, Will Travel

Trunk orders Hammer to visit the police psychiatrist. The next morning, he faces the worst crisis of his life - he has lost his gun.

The Color of Hammer

A hard-nosed judge is murdered and the only clue is a book of matches from a billiard hall. Hammer, Dori and Trunk visit the hall to find the pool hustler who killed the judge.

Brother, Can You Spare a Crime?

When a handsome thief is arrested, he convinces everyone that he is Hammer's long-lost brother. Not only does he move into Hammer's apartment, he goes out on a date with Dori.

Desperately Seeking Dori

During a botched counterfeiting bust staged by the FBI, Dori is hit in the head as the criminal makes his escape. When she comes to, she develops the violent personality of Hammer.

Sledgepoo

The city's high-class neighborhood is plagued by a string of thefts committed by a cat burglar. When Hammer finds out that the homeowners were having their hair done during the crimes, he goes to a British hairstylist to find a connection between the salon and the burglaries.

Comrade Hammer

Hammer and Dori must escort a Russian professor on a train to an important conference. They must make sure not to lose the professor at the hands of the KGB.

Jagged Sledge

Shortly after a crime lord is released, he is murdered in his own home and Hammer is the only suspect. The odds are against him in court as his attorney has bailed out and every witness has described his ill-feelings towards the victim.

The Spa Who Loved Me

A nuclear warhead is stolen by an unknown terrorist group that threatens to detonate it in the city unless they're given $1 billion. When one of the suspects is identified as a member of a famous aerobics club, Hammer goes out to question the club's fitness guru.

Edited August 8, 2004 by areaseven

[USMCBebop]

Looks like Anne Marie Martin (or Eddie Benton as she was known until 1981) still looks good!

[areaseven]

Looks like Anne Marie Martin (or Eddie Benton as she was known until 1981) still looks good!

Surprisingly, she still does, even after 20 years. Harrison Page still looks like he can yell at Hammer like he used to.

I'm hoping that there will be a reunion special soon, but one thing has to be straightened out before that happens...

Get a damn haircut, Hammer!

[areaseven]

Sledge Hammer! (The Early Years)
Alan Spencer Productions/D'Angelo Productions/ABC/New World Television, 1987-1988
Anchor Bay Entertainment, 2005; Image Entertainment, 2011
Created by Alan Spencer
Running Time: 27 minutes per episode
Rated TV-PG for violence, mature situations and mild language.

The following tag was shot in black and white, then artificially recolored. We promise you will not be able to see the difference.

"If you came here for insults, I already gave at the office." - Sledge Hammer

When we last saw Hammer, Dori and Trunk, they foiled a fitness terrorist's plot to extort money from the city. However, with less than 30 seconds ticking away, Hammer attempted to defuse the nuclear bomb. The episode ended with a major explosion.

With a cliffhanger ending like this, fans demanded for ABC to renew Sledge Hammer! for another season. And so, they did, and the questions raised on the first season finale were to be finally answered. Or were they?

The following season of Sledge Hammer! takes place five years before that nuclear explosion. Thank you.

Let's face it: even a creative genius like Alan Spencer can't talk his way out of a nuclear holocaust. So instead of a sequel, season 2 is a prequel of sorts. The 19 episodes that comprise the second and final season poke more fun at everything from FOX (at a time when a fourth TV network was considered a joke) to Max Headroom, RoboCop and Crocodile Dundee. The series even has more guest appearances by celebrities such as Richard Moll, Adam Ant and Davy Jones, as well as a few directorial stints by the late Bill Bixby.

While Sledge Hammer! became one of the most popular shows on television (just narrowly losing to ALF at the People's Choice Awards), it suffered a painful cancellation in the fall of 1988, when ABC decided to have the show compete with The Cosby Show. I have to admit that this season had its highs and lows. Many of the jokes tend to die out after a few minutes. Nevertheless, it's great to see that the complete series from beginning to end is now available for only $29.99 at Best Buy.

Sledge Hammer! Season Two isn't really worth owning by itself. You have to have the first season DVD set in your collection before picking this up. Otherwise, it makes a good rental, and is great for playing at parties. Trust me, I know what I'm doing.

Rating: B+

DVD Extras: B
On disc 1, you are once again greeted by Spencer, who explains that season 2 was filmed using 16mm cameras (as opposed to season 1's use of the superior 35mm), and that DVD technology has made these episodes cleaner than ever.

Unfortunately, perhaps because of the inferior film quality, this season has not aged well compared to season 1. Many episodes suffer from irregularities such as jittery screens and frames out of focus. There are even some slight audio issues in certain episodes.

Audio commentary tracks by Spencer and Martin are available on selected episodes. Disc 4 has more goodies that make any "Hammerhead" grin:

- "Gun Crazy: Memorable Moments with the Cast of Sledge Hammer!" - More interviews with Rasche, Martin and Page.
- "Our Favorite Director: A Tribute to Bill Bixby" - The cast talk about the man who directed season two's most memorable episodes.
- "Top 10 Questions About Sledge Hammer!" - Spencer explains that Hammer's gun's name is "Gun."
- Syndication promo - Originally used for international TV markets after the series ended its run on ABC.
- Network Answering Machine Message - Originally used as an apology for viewers who complained about the color issues seen in the episode "Wild About Hammer."
- More TV spots.
- The Ultimate Sledge Hammer! Trivia Challenge
- Still & Memorabilia Gallery - Includes an Easter Egg by Spencer.
- Teleplays for the episodes "Wild About Hammer" and "Last of the Red Hot Vampires" (.pdf format).

"Every breath you take, every move you make...I'll be watching you. That's police talk." - Sledge Hammer

Links
Sledge Hammer! Online

Reference
The Internet Movie Database

Edited March 25, 2014 by areaseven

[terry the lone wolf]

"Never touch my hand when I'm going for my gun!" Sledge to Dori. Bwahahahaha!

[Graham]

I've loved Sledge Hammer since when it first originally aired on TV in the 80s.

I already own the season 1 DVD set, so I'm ordering season 2 right away.

Graham

[Agent ONE]

Loved it as a kid, but won't watch it again. Too many times I have rewatched something I loved in the 80's and been horribly dissapointed. I always remember shows to be much cooler than they are to me now as an adult. Actually Macross is the ONLY show that has stood the test of time.

[agass4u]

Sledge Hammer was a great show, but I don't know if I liked it enough to buy it. Mainly because I didn't like the last episode very much but it still wasn't as disappointing as the last episode of Quantum Leap though.

[areaseven]

Here's a spoiler-free episode guide to this DVD set.

Disc 1

A Clockwork Hammer

When a hard-nosed detective cracks in court, the trial of a crime lord is severely delayed. Hammer volunteers to testify, only to fall victim to an evil brainwash experiment by a network executive.

Big Nazi on Campus

A college student is murdered and a senior professor is the only witness. Little do Hammer and Dori know that the professor is a former Nazi who was once given a noogie by Hitler.

Play It Again, Sledge

Hammer and Dori are suspended for police brutality (so what else is new?). In a bar, Hammer meets an illusionary friend that resembles Humphrey Bogart and is convinced to become a private eye.

Wild About Hammer

A female rookie cop falls in love with Hammer. Unfortunately, our antihero becomes a victim of a false sexual harassment claim.

Death of a Few Salesmen

Used car salesmen have been dropping like flies over the past year. The only connection between them is one woman who married each of them before their untimely deaths. Hammer parades around as an Australian used car salesman in an attempt to find the woman's true motives.

Disc 2

Vertical

When Hammer is assigned to protect a criminal's ex-mistress, he immediately falls in love with her. But when his fear of heights prevents him from stopping her untimely death, he is ordered to go on medical leave. Things get more complicated when he confuses a bar waitress for the woman he failed to protect.

Dressed to Call

A radio psychologist has been receiving threatening calls from an unknown caller. Hammer and Dori must trace the calls and get to the caller before he gets to the psychologist.

Hammer Hits the Rock

Hammer goes undercover as a convict to find the motives of a crime lord who is planning a prison escape. Things get even weirder when the prison warden actually sets both of them free.

Hammeroid (special guest star Richard Moll)

A robotic assailant has been terrorizing banks and armored trucks all over the city. When Hammer is critically injured by the android, he is rebuilt into a cybernetic cop with a built-in stereo and vending machine.

Last of the Red Hot Vampires

Shortly after an old horror movie actor passes away, the director of his last movie is murdered - supposedly by a vampire. Even more bizarre are witness accounts of the dead actor walking the streets.

Edited May 8, 2005 by areaseven

[Godzilla]

Here's a spoiler-free episode guide to this DVD set.

Disc 1

A Clockwork Hammer

When a hard-nosed detective cracks in court, the trial of a crime lord is severely delayed. Hammer volunteers to testify, only to fall victim to an evil brainwash experiment by a network executive.

Big Nazi on Campus

A college student is murdered and a senior professor is the only witness. Little do Hammer and Dori know that the professor is a former Nazi who was once given a noogie by Hitler.

Play It Again, Sledge

Hammer and Dori are suspended for police brutality (so what else is new?). In a bar, Hammer meets an illusionary friend that resembles Humphrey Bogart and is convinced to become a private eye.

Wild About Hammer

A female rookie cop falls in love with Hammer. Unfortunately, our antihero becomes a victim of a false sexual harassment claim.

Death of a Few Salesmen

Used car salesmen have been dropping like flies over the past few weeks. The only connection between them is one woman who married each of them before their untimely deaths. Hammer parades around as an Australian used car salesman in an attempt to find the woman's true motives.

Wow. the only episode I remember is the Death of a Few Salesmen.

[Guest Bromgrev]

Aah! Flashbacks! Anne-Marie Martin's skirt shrinking a little bit more every time she went in and out of a steam-room. The pain I felt every time Hammer dropped his Model 29.

"Get outta the way, you yogurt-sucking mutant!!"

[Graham]

The pain I felt every time Hammer dropped his Model 29.

Ahem, don't you mean model 629! Stainless steel remember.

Graham

[areaseven]

Final coverage of the Season Two boxed set:

Disc 3

Sledge in Toyland

A toy company tycoon is shot dead by a remote-controlled tank. Hammer and Dori must find out if the tycoon's mistress has any connection to his murder.

Icebreaker (special guest star Adam Ant)

When the archbishop of a foreign country comes to town, an Interpol agent is sent to assist the police in guarding his life from an assassin known as "The Pelican." Hammer gets paranoid when Dori is attracted to the agent.

They Call Me Mr. Trunk

A spy attempted to steal a biological weapon from the Army, but ended up contracting it in his system. The police is assigned to locate the suspect, but not to touch him. Unfortunately, Hammer brings him in, only to find out that he's already dead - potentially contaminating the entire precinct.

Model Dearest

Hammer offers to help a woman find her cousin, who had landed a modeling contract before she went missing. But when Hammer is ordered out of the case, Dori goes undercover as an aspiring model, only to discover that the agency is a front for a white slavery ring.

Sledge, Rattle, 'n' Roll (special guest star Davy Jones)

Hammer and Dori investigate an unusual string of murders that has plagued a heavy metal band and their recording label.

Disc 4

Suppose They Gave a War and Sledge Came?

When a computer tycoon is murdered during a paintball session, Hammer and Dori question the company's executives, whose personal paraphernalia have been marked as evidence on the scene of the crime. But when all the clues don't add up, Hammer joins the executives in a game of paintball to nab the murderer.

The Secret of My Excess

Hammer is secretly hired by the governor to rescue his daugher. However, he must make sure nobody knows about his assignment.

It Happened What Night?

Hammer and Dori pose as newlyweds as part of a surveilance team to crack a narcotics case. Unfortunately, they get too drunk in the middle of the stakeout. Making matters worse is that they taped their own sexual antics instead of the drug deal.

Here's to You, Mrs. Hammer

Hammer meets up with his high school friend, who is now a lawyer. He discovers that his friend is getting married, and the bride-to-be is none other than his ex-wife.

Edited May 10, 2005 by areaseven