State of Sledge
Encyclopedia
"State of Sledge" is the 14th episode of the television series Sledge Hammer!
. It originally aired on ABC
in the United States on January 10, 1987. The plot of the episode is a direct parody of John Carpenter's movie Assault on Precinct 13
, while the title is meant to be a spoof of a 1972 French film State of Siege
.
sends Inspector Perkins (Tom Henschel) to Trunk's precinct to check on possible violations committed by the officers. Trunk tells Doreau that fortunately, he took all the necessary precautions by hiding all of Hammer's files and giving him the day off. Meanwhile, Hammer spots police cars surrounding the home of a Satanic cult and finds an opportunity of his own. He storms into the house and arrests cult leader Slag (Mark Blankfield
), who was in the middle of taking a shower.
Perkins is about to congratulate Trunk for a clean, spotless record when unfortunately, Hammer walks in with Slag chained up. Perkins is disgusted with Hammer's treatment of Slag and orders him to grant Slag his phone call. Slag calls his wife Angel (Debra DeLiso) and tells her to pick him up. Angel rounds up all of the cult members and they all head for the precinct. Meanwhile, Perkins requests for Hammer's files, to which Trunk tells Doreau to fetch the wheelbarrow
.
Because majority of the force is on duty protecting the Queen of England during her visit, only Hammer, Doreau, Trunk, Officer Grace (Toni Attell) and rookie cop Ricky (Darren Powell) are present in the precinct. Perkins orders Hammer to bring him to the holding cell so he can ask Slag if he wants to press charges against Hammer. He then forces Hammer to unchain Slag; in doing so, Slag chokes Perkins before Hammer subdues him.
Hammer brings a barely-conscious Perkins back to the squad room. Doreau tries to call a medic, but discovers that the phone line is dead. When he discovers the radio is also out, Trunk takes Officer Grace with him downstairs to check the generator. They are attacked by a cultist armed with hedge trimmers, but they subdue the assailant and bring him upstairs. The cultist attempts to attack Hammer, but Hammer grabs the hedge trimmers and gives the cultist a haircut. The cultist brags that there are hundreds of his kind outside the precinct. The cops look outside the windows and see that the cultists have surrounded the building and cut off their access to the arsenal. When the lights go out, Hammer suggests they go to the generator via the ventilation shafts. Trunk tells Hammer to volunteer, but after crawling through the maze of shafts, he winds up back in the squad room. Frustrated by Hammer's incompetence, Trunk goes in the shaft while Hammer takes command. Hammer throws the cultist in with Slag and decides to free two other criminals, hoping they can help. However, he locks them back up when he discovers that one is a flasher
and the other is a call girl
.
Perkins insists that they release Slag to ensure their safety. Trunk manages to get the lights back on. However, Angel storms out of the ventilation shaft and attacks Hammer with a Machete
. Doreau quickly dispatches her during the attack. Trunk returns, but is stuck in the shaft. Seeing that Trunk has blocked their only way out, they head for the elevator, which they had forgotten to secure. Right when the elevator car arrives, Hammer shoots at the door with his revolver, narrowly missing the janitor (John Densmore
).
Hammer has only three bullets left, but they hear the police helicopter from above, as it passes by on its nightly rounds. Trunk suggests to Hammer to climb to the roof and fire a signal flare
to bring the helicopter in. Unfortunately, Hammer destroys the helicopter with the flare gun
. The cultists appear on the roof and Hammer is forced back in. Upon arriving at the squad room, Hammer discovers that Perkins has released Slag and his follower and is bringing them upstairs. Doreau and Ricky decide to rush upstairs to try and save Perkins, but Hammer refuses to accompany them. A disgusted Ricky tells Hammer he used to be his hero.
On the roof, Doreau points her gun at Slag and his cult, who are preparing to tear Perkins apart. Slag, however, refuses to back down and Doreau is forced to drop her gun rather than shoot him in cold blood. Slag prepares to have his cult sacrifice Perkins and Officer Grace while he marries Doreau, but Hammer shows up with sticks of dynamite strapped on his body. Hammer orders the cult to surrender, or he blows himself up and takes everyone out with him. Slag calls his bluff, but Hammer lights up the fuse, leaving him no choice but to surrender as Doreau and the others are freed. Hammer, however, is having difficulty putting out the fuse until Perkins helps him by taking Ricky's chewing gum and smothering the fuse with it. In the midst of the chaos, Slag grabs an assault rifle
and jumps on the edge of the building. Hammer warns him not to shoot, but it's too late - the recoil of the gun sends Slag falling off the building.
The next morning, a heavily bandaged Slag is booked for his actions. Perkins shakes Hammer's hand and admits that he saved his life. Hammer and Doreau head out, saying they are glad the ordeal is over. The janitor then says it has only begun for him, as he mops the floor. Trunk, still stuck in the ventilation shaft, tells the janitor he missed a spot.
finally got his wish of having the laugh track
removed from the series, beginning with this episode. Subsequently, the first 13 episodes had their laugh tracks removed when the series was released on DVD in 2004.
According to Spencer, the episode, by hindsight, bears similarities to the 1988 film Die Hard
.
John Densmore, drummer of The Doors
, was a fan of the series and appeared on this episode as the janitor.
Angel's makeup was intentionally made to resemble Daryl Hannah
's character Pris in Blade Runner
.
Hammer's line "I'm an American. I don't negotiate with terrorists." sparked minor controversy at the time of the episode's broadcast due to the Iran–Contra affair.
Sledge Hammer!
Sledge Hammer! is an American satirical police sitcom produced by New World Television that ran for two seasons on ABC from 1986 to 1988. The series was created by Alan Spencer and stars David Rasche as Inspector Sledge Hammer, a preposterous caricature of the standard "cop on the edge" character,...
. It originally aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in the United States on January 10, 1987. The plot of the episode is a direct parody of John Carpenter's movie Assault on Precinct 13
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976 film)
Assault on Precinct 13 is a 1976 American action-thriller film written and directed by John Carpenter. It stars Austin Stoker as a police officer who defends a defunct precinct against an attack by a relentless criminal gang, along with Darwin Joston as a convicted murderer who helps him. Laurie...
, while the title is meant to be a spoof of a 1972 French film State of Siege
State of Siege
State of Siege is a 1972 French film directed by Costa Gavras starring Yves Montand and Renato Salvatori.-Summary:...
.
Plot summary
Internal AffairsInternal affairs (law enforcement)
The internal affairs division of a law enforcement agency investigates incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force...
sends Inspector Perkins (Tom Henschel) to Trunk's precinct to check on possible violations committed by the officers. Trunk tells Doreau that fortunately, he took all the necessary precautions by hiding all of Hammer's files and giving him the day off. Meanwhile, Hammer spots police cars surrounding the home of a Satanic cult and finds an opportunity of his own. He storms into the house and arrests cult leader Slag (Mark Blankfield
Mark Blankfield
Mark Blankfield — born May 8, 1950, in Pasadena, California — is a comedic actor who has starred or appeared in many movies and television shows. His work includes :* The starring role in Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again....
), who was in the middle of taking a shower.
Perkins is about to congratulate Trunk for a clean, spotless record when unfortunately, Hammer walks in with Slag chained up. Perkins is disgusted with Hammer's treatment of Slag and orders him to grant Slag his phone call. Slag calls his wife Angel (Debra DeLiso) and tells her to pick him up. Angel rounds up all of the cult members and they all head for the precinct. Meanwhile, Perkins requests for Hammer's files, to which Trunk tells Doreau to fetch the wheelbarrow
Wheelbarrow
A wheelbarrow is a small hand-propelled vehicle, usually with just one wheel, designed to be pushed and guided by a single person using two handles to the rear, or by a sail to push the ancient wheelbarrow by wind. The term "wheelbarrow" is made of two words: "wheel" and "barrow." "Barrow" is a...
.
Because majority of the force is on duty protecting the Queen of England during her visit, only Hammer, Doreau, Trunk, Officer Grace (Toni Attell) and rookie cop Ricky (Darren Powell) are present in the precinct. Perkins orders Hammer to bring him to the holding cell so he can ask Slag if he wants to press charges against Hammer. He then forces Hammer to unchain Slag; in doing so, Slag chokes Perkins before Hammer subdues him.
Hammer brings a barely-conscious Perkins back to the squad room. Doreau tries to call a medic, but discovers that the phone line is dead. When he discovers the radio is also out, Trunk takes Officer Grace with him downstairs to check the generator. They are attacked by a cultist armed with hedge trimmers, but they subdue the assailant and bring him upstairs. The cultist attempts to attack Hammer, but Hammer grabs the hedge trimmers and gives the cultist a haircut. The cultist brags that there are hundreds of his kind outside the precinct. The cops look outside the windows and see that the cultists have surrounded the building and cut off their access to the arsenal. When the lights go out, Hammer suggests they go to the generator via the ventilation shafts. Trunk tells Hammer to volunteer, but after crawling through the maze of shafts, he winds up back in the squad room. Frustrated by Hammer's incompetence, Trunk goes in the shaft while Hammer takes command. Hammer throws the cultist in with Slag and decides to free two other criminals, hoping they can help. However, he locks them back up when he discovers that one is a flasher
Flasher
Flasher has multiple meanings:*A person who displays his or her body in a form of indecent exposure *Another name for a vehicle's turn signal, see automotive lighting#Turn signals...
and the other is a call girl
Call girl
A call girl or female escort is a sex worker who is not visible to the general public; nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency...
.
Perkins insists that they release Slag to ensure their safety. Trunk manages to get the lights back on. However, Angel storms out of the ventilation shaft and attacks Hammer with a Machete
Machete
The machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...
. Doreau quickly dispatches her during the attack. Trunk returns, but is stuck in the shaft. Seeing that Trunk has blocked their only way out, they head for the elevator, which they had forgotten to secure. Right when the elevator car arrives, Hammer shoots at the door with his revolver, narrowly missing the janitor (John Densmore
John Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
).
Hammer has only three bullets left, but they hear the police helicopter from above, as it passes by on its nightly rounds. Trunk suggests to Hammer to climb to the roof and fire a signal flare
Signal Flare
Signal Flare is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Energon:Signal Flare is a young Omnicon. Signal Flare is one of the greatest Energon welders of his kind. His Omnicon brothers depend greatly on his skills and experience...
to bring the helicopter in. Unfortunately, Hammer destroys the helicopter with the flare gun
Flare gun
A flare gun is a firearm that launches flares. It is typically used for signalling, as distress signalling, at sea or from the ground to aircraft...
. The cultists appear on the roof and Hammer is forced back in. Upon arriving at the squad room, Hammer discovers that Perkins has released Slag and his follower and is bringing them upstairs. Doreau and Ricky decide to rush upstairs to try and save Perkins, but Hammer refuses to accompany them. A disgusted Ricky tells Hammer he used to be his hero.
On the roof, Doreau points her gun at Slag and his cult, who are preparing to tear Perkins apart. Slag, however, refuses to back down and Doreau is forced to drop her gun rather than shoot him in cold blood. Slag prepares to have his cult sacrifice Perkins and Officer Grace while he marries Doreau, but Hammer shows up with sticks of dynamite strapped on his body. Hammer orders the cult to surrender, or he blows himself up and takes everyone out with him. Slag calls his bluff, but Hammer lights up the fuse, leaving him no choice but to surrender as Doreau and the others are freed. Hammer, however, is having difficulty putting out the fuse until Perkins helps him by taking Ricky's chewing gum and smothering the fuse with it. In the midst of the chaos, Slag grabs an assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
and jumps on the edge of the building. Hammer warns him not to shoot, but it's too late - the recoil of the gun sends Slag falling off the building.
The next morning, a heavily bandaged Slag is booked for his actions. Perkins shakes Hammer's hand and admits that he saved his life. Hammer and Doreau head out, saying they are glad the ordeal is over. The janitor then says it has only begun for him, as he mops the floor. Trunk, still stuck in the ventilation shaft, tells the janitor he missed a spot.
Production notes
After months of fighting with ABC, creator Alan SpencerAlan Spencer
Alan Spencer is an American television writer and producer, known for creating the 1980s satirical police series Sledge Hammer!. He was one of the youngest people ever to join the Writers Guild of America, writing for television at the age of fifteen...
finally got his wish of having the laugh track
Laugh track
A laugh track is a separate soundtrack invented by Charles "Charley" Douglass, with the artificial sound of audience laughter, made to be inserted into television programming of comedy shows and sitcoms.The term "laugh track" does not apply to the genuine audience laughter on shows that shoot in...
removed from the series, beginning with this episode. Subsequently, the first 13 episodes had their laugh tracks removed when the series was released on DVD in 2004.
According to Spencer, the episode, by hindsight, bears similarities to the 1988 film Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
.
John Densmore, drummer of The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, was a fan of the series and appeared on this episode as the janitor.
Angel's makeup was intentionally made to resemble Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
's character Pris in Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
.
Hammer's line "I'm an American. I don't negotiate with terrorists." sparked minor controversy at the time of the episode's broadcast due to the Iran–Contra affair.