is an American satirical police sitcom produced by New World Television that ran for two seasons on ABC from September 23, 1986, to February 12, 1988.

The series was created by Alan Spencer and stars David Rasche as Inspector Sledge Hammer,[1] a caricature of the standard "cop on the edge" character.

The San Francisco newspaper used at the beginning of the pilot episode was censored during the show's initial broadcast, as the city wanted nothing to do with the series.

Actor and director Jackie Cooper directed a few episodes including "Witless",[6] "All Shook Up"[7] and the first-season finale, "The Spa Who Loved Me".

[10] Stern knew of Spencer trying to help Don Adams by personally writing a few gags for the comedian on the set of The Nude Bomb[11] and was returning the favor.

HBO executives wanted to produce the pilot[3] and suggested casting ideas that Spencer found unacceptable, such as known comedians Rodney Dangerfield or Joe Piscopo in the lead role as opposed to a lesser known actor who would become the character.

ABC insisted that the violence be toned down for network television and that a laugh track be included (although some versions – including the DVD release of the show – do not have this track or had it removed; Spencer found it offensive that the audience be told when to laugh and was furious over the decision), but agreed to cast Spencer's first choice for the lead character, the classically trained actor David Rasche.

[9] Spencer said Gabriel had been willing to license his song to the series and even rewrite the lyrics, but New World Television wouldn't meet the artist's terms.

[10] The introduction to the show features long, near sensual closeup shots of Hammer's .44 Magnum as it rests on a luxurious satin pillow.

Hammer then picks up his gun, spins it expertly like a cinematic Old West gunslinger, and utters his catch phrase ("Trust me, I know what I'm doing") just before firing into the screen, making a hole in it.

According to the DVD release extras, the original version had Hammer firing directly at the viewer, but ABC executives feared this could be too shocking, possibly even causing heart attacks (and leaving the network liable).

made its debut, ABC scheduled a high-profile comeback vehicle for a then 75-year-old Lucille Ball entitled Life with Lucy that was not well received by critics or audiences.

[14] Because ABC intended to cancel the series, the last episode of the first season ends with Hammer accidentally destroying the city when he attempts to disarm a stolen nuclear warhead.

[16] The second season was released on DVD on April 12, 2005; the commentary on the final episode ended with Spencer, again, being caught in another earthquake, this time with sound effects and a convenient cliffhanger.