Weekend Buff

Sledge Hammer! (1986-1988)

Police slapstick has been around since the Keystone Cops hit the silent screen in 1912. There have been plenty of imitators – some good, some bad. One that I watched on a regular was the 1980’s show, Sledge Hammer!

I may be one of the few people who remember the show, and perhaps one of a smaller lot that liked it, but it was funny and it’s worth a watch. It is, therefore, our recommendation for this iteration of Weekend Buff.

Sledge Hammer! can best be described as a Dirty Harry inspired sitcom that is a cross between the short-lived Police Squad TV show (only 6 episodes) and Eugene Tackleberry from the Police Academy movies.

The show’s main character is San Francisco Police Inspector Sledge Hammer. Yes, that’s the guy’s name. He is played by the world-renowned actor David Rasche, who you may remember from iconic roles such as…… Anyway, Sledge is a different kind of police officer. A lunatic so to speak.

He is an over-the-top buff. One to shoot first, shoot often, and ask questions later…maybe. He hasn’t met a problem that couldn’t be solved with a gun. Inspector Hammer is partnered up with Inspector Dori Doreau, played by Anne-Marie Martin. Doreau is the competent one, the officer who follows procedure, understands the penal law, and knows how to de-escalate. They are supervised by the long-suffering Captain Trunk, played by Harrison Page.

It makes for a laugh a minute series that often reminds us of a few cops that we worked with. Every department has buffs, and some more restrained than others. And we have often felt the exasperation of dealing with guys who are sure to turn a verbal dispute job into a roiling brawl with multiple 10-85’s (calls for assistance) being transmitted.

Sledge Hammer is armed with a beautiful Smith and Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum revolver that he lovingly calls his “amigo”. Naturally, he and his firearm are inseparable. He even has a silk pillow on his bed as a nocturnal resting place for the custom hand cannon. For him, gun control is the ability to hit the target – shooting gags are a mainstay in the show.

Despite his wild tactics, Hammer is effective. He gets the job done – sort of, usually after spitting out his tag line, “Trust me, I know what I’m doing”. From scaring a man off a balcony who was threatening to jump with a few well aimed shots, to trying to diffuse a bomb without the assistance of the bomb squad, Hammer always takes charge – much to the chagrin of the SFPD brass and bystanders. He hates perps - “I’m against crime. And I’m going to do everything in my power to stop it — short of reading the Constitution.”

Sledge Hammer! managed to last two full seasons, and they squeezed every possible laugh out of the sitcom. The show was retired before it got tiresome, and there are some great lines throughout.

Each of the 41 episodes lasts 22-25 minutes – just enough for a quick mental break from what police work is really like. You can catch an episode while taking a meal break before getting back to the reality of answering 911 calls.

You can catch Sledge Hammer! for free (always a good thing) on YouTube. Enjoy a little 80’s style nostalgia with some straight up the middle laughs.

Thanks for reading The Ops Desk. Stay Safe!