I was cleaning out my old cassettes when I cam across an episode of Sledgehammer, an extremely funny TV serial starring David Rasche as a Dirty Harry style police officer. It was an effective parody of those cop-vigilante movies back in the 80s and I thought to myself: how many episodes were there? To my shock, in imdb.com, it was listed as having run for only two seasons! Why? Was it cancelled, were the actors unhappy, did they want more money, was it in a bad time slot?
I live in Asia, and most of the US sitcoms we get right now are regarded here as torture (especially the overrated Seinfeld, the pompous Frasier and the horrible Everybody Loves Ray!) so it beggars the belief that something as popular as Sledgehammer (at least over where I live!) was so short-lived. Any answers?

I was cleaning out my old cassettes when I cam across an episode of Sledgehammer, an extremely funny TV serial starring David Rasche as a Dirty Harry style police officer. It was an effective parody of those cop-vigilante movies back in the 80s and I thought to myself: how many episodes were there? To my shock, in imdb.com, it was listed as having run for only two seasons! Why? Was it cancelled, were the actors unhappy, did they want more money, was it in a bad time slot?
I live in Asia, and most of the US sitcoms we get right now are regarded here as torture (especially the overrated Seinfeld, the pompous Frasier and the horrible Everybody Loves Ray!) so it beggars the belief that something as popular as Sledgehammer (at least over where I live!) was so short-lived. Any answers?

Basically it was always put in a bad timeslot. During the first season, it aired on Fridays at 9:00 pm against Dallas and Miami Vice, two of the most popular shows at the time. During the second season ABC moved Sledge to Thursdays at 8:00 pm where it aired against the Cosby Show, which was another popular show and also the highest rated show on tv at the time. Poor Sledge never really stood a chance against those shows. :(

Thanks for the explanation! This is probably the only US serial that compares favourably to Mr. Bean and The Benny Hill Show, (two of the MOSt re-run serials on cable in Asia currently!) so I am grateful for the answer!

That show was in the Bottom 5 like every week, and it lasted for at least 2 season and attempts in summer too if I remember.

I can't say it was horrible, but you cant blame ABC for not trying.

It's probably a show now that would do a similar rating to what it did in the early 80s, and that would be considered a success. But with only 3 real networks competing at the time, ABC was just using as filler and probably there4 gave the show more freedom to be irreverent.

I never loved it, but I thought the main guy was handsome. I enjoyed when he joined the Nurses cast. Hmmmm, I wonder if anyone remembers that one.

Sledge was cancelled b/c ABC made the dumb decision to place up against three of TV's most established shows of the time in Miami Vice, Dallas, and especially against The Cosby Show, which at that time was the #1 show on TV.

Just like I liked Police Squad! (came on ABC 4 years prior to Sledge Hammer!), I too liked the spoofs this did on some of the '70s and '80s Cop Movies and Cop Shows of the times.

I never loved it, but I thought the main guy was handsome. I enjoyed when he joined the Nurses cast. Hmmmm, I wonder if anyone remembers that one.

David Rasche played the role of business con-man Jack Denton on Nurses from S2-S3. He was brought in b/c his character was busted for shrewd business schemes and had to work at the hospital for his community service. Even while working at the hosptial, he still didn't like to work, so he had Paco, the oderlie do his dirty work for him.

And I do agree that David Rasche is quite underrated! :)

Ironically if it debut in the 2,000s with quirky screwball comedies being so popular Sledgehammer would be a hit as long as they don't put it on opposite of wrestling.

In addition to the bad timeslot, I think it was because it required you to pay too much attention. You had to give it a lot of attention to pick up all the sight gags and stuff that was featured on each episode.

I always thought this was one of the best shows of the '80s - funny and inventive. Although I would have liked to have seen this become a big hit, I'm glad it at least squeaked out two seasons on ABC.

This show has rarely been in syndiction. After its '86-88 ABC run, it didn't pop up in reruns until the early '90s. A couple of Canadian stations I get aired it in late night '91-92. I also remember seeing an episode on a Las Vegas station while on a trip there in late '92. It kind of disappeared after that. I'm glad I have the DVDs!

In the late 80s none went up against the Cos and stayed on the air for long. And like I said Sledgehammer would have done better in the 2,000s or the late 90s when quirky screwball comedy was making a comeback.

I think on the DVD there is an interview where Rasche said he wishes it went on for 10 years and it SHOULD have since it was THAT good!