The BEST episodes of Sledge Hammer!

Every episode of Sledge Hammer! ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Sledge Hammer!!

Sledge Hammer is the ultimate tough cop with a big gun, a parody of the type popularized by Clint Eastwood in the "Dirty Harry" films. Of course, though he claims "I know what I'm doing," his cases are usually solved by his female partner, Dori Doreau, if she can only keep him from being suspended for shooting a jaywalker or litterer with his giant pearl-handled .44 Magnum.

Last Updated: 3/7/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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They Shoot Hammers, Don't They?
star
7.48
235 votes

#1 - They Shoot Hammers, Don't They?

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/17/1986

An escaped convict wrecks havoc in the city, promising even more destruction unless Hammer agrees to meet him in an old west style showdown. The convict is John Kogan, Hammer's childhood rival as well as former partner in the police department. Kogan is also the only man faster on the draw than Hammer… a fact that Sledge is well aware of.

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Hammer Gets Nailed
star
7.32
216 votes

#2 - Hammer Gets Nailed

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/26/1986

A reporter spends a day with Hammer and gets more than he bargained for, and Hammer gets fired. Guest Stars Ronnie Schell as Phil Gumm

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Under the Gun
star
7.22
308 votes

#3 - Under the Gun

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/1986

Sledge Hammer is a no-nonsense cop whose best friend is his .44 Magnum, and who just loves to use excessive force to collar criminals. In the opener, the mayor's daughter is kidnapped, and Hammer vows to bring her back -- "dead or alive."

Writer: Alan Spencer
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Miss of the Spider Woman
star
7.17
95 votes

#4 - Miss of the Spider Woman

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/20/1986

Hammer is poisoned by a mysterious woman and learns that he has only twelve hours to live. Hammer learns that the only cure for the poison is held by a group of monks in the Andes who have taken a vow of silence. Severely weakened, Hammer must hunt down the perpetrators before it’s too late… made worse by the fact that it’s also daylight savings time.

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Witless
star
7.14
204 votes

#5 - Witless

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/3/1986

After a mobster puts out a “one week only” million-dollar contract on Hammer, every killer in the city, and some financially strapped cops, tries to claim the prize. After an attempted hit takes place in Capt. Trunk' s office, Hammer is ordered to spend the week in a small "Hamish” village. Hammer proceeds to disrupt the lives of this pacifistic community. By the time the hired gunmen arrive, the formerly peaceful farmers, who Hammer corrupted into the ways of violence, assist him.

Writer: Alan Spencer
Comrade Hammer
star
7.11
63 votes

#6 - Comrade Hammer

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/21/1987

Hammer is assigned to protect a Russian scientist who is being pursued by the KGB, leading to a cross country train journey fraught with peril.

To Live and Die on TV
star
7.11
91 votes

#7 - To Live and Die on TV

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/13/1986

After a winning game show contestant is murdered, Hammer investigates. He learns that the show’s host did the killing, obscuring the fact that he’d also embezzled the prize money. Hammer signs on as a contestant to make the host try to kill again.

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The Color of Hammer
star
7.08
59 votes

#8 - The Color of Hammer

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/24/1987

When Hammer's favorite hanging judge dismisses charges against a local mobster, Hammer investigates. The judge is found murdered with the only clue leading to a shady pool hall. Sledge poses as a pool shark to uncover the racketeer who has been blackmailing city officials.

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Sledgepoo
star
7.08
59 votes

#9 - Sledgepoo

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/14/1987

Hammer's search for a jewel thief leads to an upscale beauty salon, where henchmen rob the society matrons’ homes during their hair appointments. Hammer goes undercover as a hairdresser in order to stop the British thieves who are after the ladies' jewels.

Writer: Alan Mandel
Brother Can You Spare a Crime?
star
7.06
54 votes

#10 - Brother Can You Spare a Crime?

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/31/1987

When a handsome jewel thief is arrested, he manages to convince Hammer that he’s his long-lost brother… enlisting Sledge’s aid in his rehabilitation.

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The Spa Who Loved Me
star
7.04
84 votes

#11 - The Spa Who Loved Me

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/28/1987

Bodybuilding terrorists led by a female aerobics instructor steal a nuclear warhead from the military and threaten to destroy the entire country. Hammer and Dori are assigned to the case and are captured by the group. When Hammer gets control of the situation he tries to disarm the device. Seconds later, the bomb explodes.

Dori Day Afternoon
star
7.03
184 votes

#12 - Dori Day Afternoon

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/24/1986

When Hammer and Dori make a trip to the bank they become involved in an armed robbery. The detectives are taken hostage and the robbers demand a plane to take them to Rio. Dori tries to convince Hammer to let her use her training in terrorist psychology and persuasion before he starts blowing everyone away.

They Call Me Mr. Trunk
star
7.02
53 votes

#13 - They Call Me Mr. Trunk

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/17/1987

Trunk must solve the puzzle of why the army has surrounded the entire precinct before the entire staff dies.

Magnum Farce
star
7.00
121 votes

#14 - Magnum Farce

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/22/1986

When a group of vigilante cops begin killing criminals who have gotten off due to legal technicalities, Hammer is assigned to infiltrate the group. To test his loyalty the rogues assign him the task of killing a female district attorney who is out to stop them. While this same D.A. tries to seduce Hammer in her home, Sledge learns that she is really the leader of the vigilantes and plans to kill him.

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State of Sledge
star
6.95
60 votes

#15 - State of Sledge

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/10/1987

When Hammer arrests the leader of a Satanic cult, Internal Affairs insists that the cultist be allowed his one phone call. Soon after the cultist makes the call, the precinct headquarters is surrounded by hundreds of demented devil worshippers. With communications to the outside cut off, Hammer devises a risky plan to lift the state of siege.

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It Happened What Night?
star
6.94
51 votes

#16 - It Happened What Night?

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/5/1988

The precinct thinks that Sledge and Dori have slept together when all that appears on a surveillance tape is them drunk and in bed.

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Jagged Sledge
star
6.93
61 votes

#17 - Jagged Sledge

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/21/1987

Hammer goes on trial for the murder of the city's leading crime boss. Capt. Trunk and Dori are called upon to give damaging testimony against Hammer and everyone is convinced he’s guilty, including Hammer himself.

Vertical
star
6.91
79 votes

#18 - Vertical

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/29/1987

While suffering from vertigo, Sledge must protect the girlfriend of a mobster.

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Model Dearest
star
6.87
54 votes

#19 - Model Dearest

Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/7/1988

Dori poses as a model to get the dirt on a white slavery ring.

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Dressed to Call
star
6.83
54 votes

#20 - Dressed to Call

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/5/1987

Sledge must discover who's making threatening calls to a radio psychologist.

Icebreaker
star
6.82
51 votes

#21 - Icebreaker

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/1987

Sledge finds himself competing with a British cop.

Desperately Seeking Dori
star
6.82
85 votes

#22 - Desperately Seeking Dori

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/7/1987

While pursuing a counterfeiter, Doreau gets knocked on the head. The results are a personality disorder that makes her behave in the same anti-social, violent manner as her partner Hammer.

All Shook Up
star
6.81
104 votes

#23 - All Shook Up

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/6/1986

Hammer and Dori are assigned to locate a serial killer who is bumping off Elvis impersonators. In order to flush out the killer Hammer attends The Famous School For Elvis Impersonators where all the victims were once students. Complete with sequins and pompadour, Hammer enters an Elvis contest and sings The Battle Hymn of the Republic… setting himself up as bait.

Writer: Alan Spencer
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Suppose They Gave a War and Sledge Came?
star
6.79
52 votes

#24 - Suppose They Gave a War and Sledge Came?

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/22/1988

To investigate the death of a prominent businessman, Sledge joins a weekend war gaming organization.

Sledge in Toyland
star
6.72
54 votes

#25 - Sledge in Toyland

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/3/1987

Sledge is sent to investigate when a toy manufacturer is attacked by one of his own toys.