| "Under the Gun" | |||
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| Sledge Hammer! episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1 |
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| Directed by | Martha Coolidge | ||
| Written by | Alan Spencer | ||
| Original air date | September 23, 1986 | ||
| Guest stars | |||
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John Vernon, Judie Aronson, John Lawlor, Don Stark, Joanne Baron, D.W. Brown, Jesse Aragon, Larry Wilmore |
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| Episode chronology | |||
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| List of Sledge Hammer! episodes | |||
"Under the Gun" is the first episode of the television series Sledge Hammer!. It originally aired on ABC in the United States on September 23, 1986. The episode introduces the series' title protagonist (played by David Rasche), as well as his partner Dori Doreau (Anne-Marie Martin) and Captain Trunk (Harrison Page). While the Sledge Hammer character is clearly based on the eponymous character from the 1971 film Dirty Harry.[1], the episode's plot perhaps more closely resembles the second sequel The Enforcer.
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Mayor Flambo (John Vernon) is distressed when he hears that his daughter Francine (Judie Aronson) is kidnapped by masked assailants for a ransom of $1 million. Upon seeing a news report of suspended Inspector Sledge Hammer being interviewed after casually killing a couple of armed robbers at a liquor store, he orders Police Chief Reisner (John Lawlor) to lift Hammer's suspension and put him on the kidnapping case. While target shooting in his apartment, Hammer receives a phone call and is notified that he is back on duty.
On his way to the precinct, he stops to see police officers confronting a sniper from the top of a building. Hammer pulls a bazooka from the trunk of his car and destroys the building with it. Later on, he is heavily scolded by Captain Trunk for his reckless action.
Hammer and Trunk arrive at Mayor Flambo's office, where they meet Detective Dori Doreau, an expert on terrorist psychology. She briefs them on the kidnapping and the culprits - a small terrorist group called AVON, led by Weird Willard Luxley (D.W. Brown). Hammer is informed that he will be partnered with Doreau on the case, to which he initially objects. Before leaving City Hall, Hammer stops a purse snatcher with his car. After being told by Doreau not to display excessive force in front of City Hall, Hammer tells the snatcher to punch himself and knock himself out.
Hammer and Doreau trace one of the terrorists' license plates to a motel. There, they nab Kurt Kurggle (Don Stark), who is in the middle of having a massage. Back at the precinct, Hammer uses unusual methods of interrogation on the Kurggle, including pouring a pot of coffee on his shorts and doing target practice on him blindfold. Finally, Kurggle admits that Luxley was being paid heavily by an inside man. After Doreau checks Mayor Flambo's financial records on the computer, the duo conclude that the inside man is a member of Flambo's family. Before going further, Trunk informs them that Kurggle is suing them for violating his rights.
The duo return with Flambo's wife handcuffed. Furious over the treatment of his wife, Flambo orders Hammer back on suspension and informs them that AVON have called with delivery instructions. Doreau arrives at the warehouse with a briefcase in hand. She confronts the members of AVON and Francine, whom Doreau reveals to be the mastermind of the kidnapping. She discovered on computer records that Francine and Luxley went to college together. Francine then orders her men to kill Doreau, who then questions them about doing so over a briefcase of shredded paper. After she throws the briefcase to them, they open it to discover it filled with confetti. Suddenly, Hammer falls through the skylight and attacks AVON. He throws a grenade, toppling a stack of crates on the thugs. Hammer then confronts Francine, who takes Doreau as hostage and tells him he wouldn't dare shoot a woman. In response, he shoots her gun off her hand.
Back at Flambo's office, Hammer and Doreau give their report on the case. Flambo, however, gives all credit to Doreau. After insisting that Hammer be congratulated as well, she turns down her promotion offered to her and walks away with Hammer.
According to series creator Alan Spencer, the episode was originally an hour long, but was cut to fit the half-hour sitcom length. Seven minutes of the original cut were restored on home video releases.
During the episode's initial broadcast, the San Francisco newspaper was censored to disassociate the city with Hammer.
John Vernon played the mayor of San Francisco in Dirty Harry. His role in this episode parodies his film performance.
During the filming of the sniper scene, bystanders actually thought another Dirty Harry movie was being made.
The episode pays a small homage to Get Smart in the motel scene. The two adjacent doors are numbered "86" and "99", the agent numbers of Don Adams and Barbara Feldon.
On the original cut of the episode ending, Doreau said to Hammer, "Thank God you followed me here." Hammer responded, "Don't thank God. Thank gun." Worried that the dialogue would offend censors and sponsors, the lines were re-dubbed as, "Thank goodness you followed me here," followed by, "Don't thank goodness. Thank gun."
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