Sledge Hammer!/Wild About Hammer

Wild About Hammer
Season 2, Episode 4
Airdate	October 8, 1987
Production Number	504
Written by	Alan Spencer
Directed by	Gary Walkow
← 2x03 Play It Again, Sledge	2x05 → The Death of a Few Salesmen
Sledge Hammer! — Season Two

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Wild About Hammer is the fourth episode of the second season of Sledge Hammer!, and the twenty-sixth episode overall.

Guest Stars: Beverly Leech (Elizabeth Jenkins)

Plot Overview

Elizabeth Jenkins, a mentally unstable escapee from a psychiatric hospital, infiltrates the San Francisco Police Department by masquerading as a cop and falls madly in love with Hammer after an incident where he apprehends a group of bank robbers. She attempts to make advances toward Hammer, but when he rejects her, she shoots him and knocks him unconscious. Jenkins later makes trouble for Hammer at the precinct when she manipulates nearly all the employees by falsely accusing Hammer of sexually harassing her, forcing Captain Trunk to relieve Hammer of duty. Doreau, who was at first misled by Jenkins to believe she and Hammer spent the night together, sees through Jenkins' ruse after catching her grinning at his misfortune and vows to expose her for her actions against him, prompting Jenkins to threaten Doreau in the locker room before she storms off.

Moments later, Doreau forces open Jenkins' locker and discovers newspaper clippings reporting the death of a police investigator probing some unsolved murders, leading Doreau to conclude that Jenkins was behind the deaths. Jenkins returns and ambushes Doreau from behind, knocks her out and kidnaps her. Jenkins later calls Hammer and threatens to kill Doreau unless he gives in to her. Hammer arrives at Jenkins' beach house to free his partner but gets blindsided by the deranged knife-wielding Jenkins, and after a brief struggle between the two, Doreau frees herself and helps Hammer disarm the psychopath. Jenkins refuses to be taken into custody and throws herself through a living room window to her apparent death in the water near the rocky shoreline by the house. Back at the precinct after Hammer is reinstated, Trunk reveals the news about Jenkins' history to Hammer and Doreau.

Trivia

The Show

• This episode sparked controversy when the epilogue satirized the trend of colorization of old black & white films and TV shows. Following the commercial break, a disclaimer read: "The following tag was shot in black and white, then artificially recolored. We promise you will not be able to see the difference." The scene was intentionally altered not only in color, but also in tint, hue, brightness and contrast – prompting viewers to call their local ABC stations and complain about the broadcast quality. In response, series creator and executive producer Alan Spencer recorded an apology message for ABC's phone lines

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