SLEDGE HAMMER! - funniest show EVER! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

karaokedude · 03-03-2002, 11:06 PM

My favorite all-time sitcom was SLEDGE HAMMER! . It was on ABC in the late 80's and centerred around a trigger-happy cop (David Rasche) who could best be described as Dirty Harry Callahan with the ineptitude of Maxwell Smart & Inspector Clouseau. One running gag was that he was IN LOVE with his gun & would even talk to it. (In one episode, the gun was stolen and it left him a heartbroken wreck.) Each episode was also loaded with sight gags (ala "Airplane!" & "Police Squad!"), so you had to pay closer attention.

Alas, the show was doomed from the start. ABC scheduled him Fridays, sandwiched in the greatly hyped showdown between "Dallas"/ "Miami Vice". The show was surprisingly renewed after a last-ditch move to Tuesday nights for the final 2 episodes (Sledge won his time slot & made the Top-20 both weeks). For the second season, they rewarded the show by scheduling it against ratings giant "Cosby". (you are the weakest link, goodbye!)

I've never seen this show in reruns, but I did pounce on two episodes I managed to find on video.

TJL · 03-03-2002, 11:28 PM

Sledge Hammer was indeed a very funny show, way ahead of it's time.
When I first met my roommate about 16 years ago, we hit it off instantly when he uttered Sledge's catchphrase and I was the only one in a group of people who knew where it came from, and we spent a lot of time laughing about it.. Unfortunatly, there weren't meny more fans of the show, so it died a premature death.

And what was Sledge's catchphrase????

karaokedude · 03-03-2002, 11:29 PM

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing"

karaokedude · 03-03-2002, 11:37 PM

Another quote, directed at his female partner: "That's what I like about you, Dori, you think like a man."

TJL · 03-03-2002, 11:41 PM

Bingo!

It still cracks me up after all of these years.

KJH278 · 05-20-2002, 03:23 AM

Sledge Hammer was a cool show

BundyBoy10 · 04-28-2003, 09:20 PM

I've never seen this program, but it sounds hysterical. I would love to see a episode of this show.

sinatrastar · 08-11-2003, 11:04 AM

I also loved this show. And his partner was hot. I remember how the captain (or whatever rank his boss was) used to flip out as well. I even remember the theme music.

tv star collector · 10-24-2005, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karaokedude

My favorite all-time sitcom was SLEDGE HAMMER! . It was on ABC in the late 80's and centerred around a trigger-happy cop (David Rasche) who could best be described as Dirty Harry Callahan with the ineptitude of Maxwell Smart & Inspector Clouseau. One running gag was that he was IN LOVE with his gun & would even talk to it. (In one episode, the gun was stolen and it left him a heartbroken wreck.) Each episode was also loaded with sight gags (ala "Airplane!" & "Police Squad!"), so you had to pay closer attention.

Alas, the show was doomed from the start. ABC scheduled him Fridays, sandwiched in the greatly hyped showdown between "Dallas"/ "Miami Vice". The show was surprisingly renewed after a last-ditch move to Tuesday nights for the final 2 episodes (Sledge won his time slot & made the Top-20 both weeks). For the second season, they rewarded the show by scheduling it against ratings giant "Cosby". (you are the weakest link, goodbye!)

I've never seen this show in reruns, but I did pounce on two episodes I managed to find on video.

Everything about this show was great. The stars were great, the scripts were
great, the music was great. It had everything going for it ... except a great
time slot.

buggsrabbit · 06-06-2007, 11:13 AM

I loved this show as well. This one qualifies as "too good to last."

Stefano · 11-03-2007, 02:01 PM

My favorite detective of all time.

Mikado · 11-18-2007, 09:43 PM

I think Get Smart was a little bit better, in that the stories had a more linear feel, but, given time and a real chance to build an audience, this show should have been a hit!

Skywalker · 11-18-2007, 10:29 PM

I wouldn't exactly call it the funniest show ever, but it was definitely one of the funniest shows of the '80's, not to mention one of the most underrated too!

Mikado · 11-19-2007, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skywalker

I wouldn't exactly call it the funniest show ever, but it was definitely one of the funniest shows of the '80's, not to mention one of the most underrated too!

That is so true, and more than anything, it was the most original show from that era

yup yup!

tv star collector · 11-19-2007, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikado

I think Get Smart was a little bit better, in that the stories had a more linear feel, but, given time and a real chance to build an audience, this show should have been a hit!

GET SMART producer Leonard Stern was involved in SLEDGE HAMMER! and some episodes were directed by Bruce Bilson (who also directed GET SMART).

03-03-2002, 11:06 PM	#1
karaokedude Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 03, 2002 Location: PA Posts: 58	SLEDGE HAMMER! - funniest show EVER! My favorite all-time sitcom was SLEDGE HAMMER! . It was on ABC in the late 80's and centerred around a trigger-happy cop (David Rasche) who could best be described as Dirty Harry Callahan with the ineptitude of Maxwell Smart & Inspector Clouseau. One running gag was that he was IN LOVE with his gun & would even talk to it. (In one episode, the gun was stolen and it left him a heartbroken wreck.) Each episode was also loaded with sight gags (ala "Airplane!" & "Police Squad!"), so you had to pay closer attention. Alas, the show was doomed from the start. ABC scheduled him Fridays, sandwiched in the greatly hyped showdown between "Dallas"/ "Miami Vice". The show was surprisingly renewed after a last-ditch move to Tuesday nights for the final 2 episodes (Sledge won his time slot & made the Top-20 both weeks). For the second season, they rewarded the show by scheduling it against ratings giant "Cosby". (you are the weakest link, goodbye!) I've never seen this show in reruns, but I did pounce on two episodes I managed to find on video.

03-03-2002, 11:28 PM	#2
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	Sledge Hammer was indeed a very funny show, way ahead of it's time. When I first met my roommate about 16 years ago, we hit it off instantly when he uttered Sledge's catchphrase and I was the only one in a group of people who knew where it came from, and we spent a lot of time laughing about it.. Unfortunatly, there weren't meny more fans of the show, so it died a premature death. And what was Sledge's catchphrase????
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

05-20-2002, 03:23 AM	#6
KJH278 Member Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2002 Location: IN A APARTMENT Posts: 1,158	Sledge Hammer was a cool show
	Last edited by KJH278; 02-09-2003 at 03:54 AM.

11-03-2007, 02:01 PM	#11
Stefano Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 02, 2007 Posts: 5	My favorite detective of all time.
	__________________ http://www.webyaa.com/category/humor

03-03-2002, 11:29 PM	#3
karaokedude Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 03, 2002 Location: PA Posts: 58	"Trust me, I know what I'm doing"

03-03-2002, 11:37 PM	#4
karaokedude Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 03, 2002 Location: PA Posts: 58	Another quote, directed at his female partner: "That's what I like about you, Dori, you think like a man."

03-03-2002, 11:41 PM	#5
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	Bingo! It still cracks me up after all of these years.

04-28-2003, 09:20 PM	#7
BundyBoy10 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 24, 2002 Posts: 311	I've never seen this program, but it sounds hysterical. I would love to see a episode of this show.

08-11-2003, 11:04 AM	#8
sinatrastar Indian Summer Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 22, 2003 Location: 78 W 86th St. Apt 3E Posts: 6,027	I also loved this show. And his partner was hot. I remember how the captain (or whatever rank his boss was) used to flip out as well. I even remember the theme music.

06-06-2007, 11:13 AM	#10
buggsrabbit Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 06, 2007 Posts: 51	I loved this show as well. This one qualifies as "too good to last."

11-18-2007, 09:43 PM	#12
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,880	I think Get Smart was a little bit better, in that the stories had a more linear feel, but, given time and a real chance to build an audience, this show should have been a hit!

11-18-2007, 10:29 PM	#13
Skywalker Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2003 Posts: 14,204	I wouldn't exactly call it the funniest show ever, but it was definitely one of the funniest shows of the '80's, not to mention one of the most underrated too!