Under the Gun

The pilot episode: Under the Gun
This is the pilot that started the series. Which had a run time of 29 minutes.

The release date was 23 September 1986

Let the Hammer begin
This episode starts of with the kidnapping of Mayor Flambo's daughter. Mayor Flambo is distressed after receiving the word that his daughter Francine is kidnapped by masked assailants, they demand a ransom of $1 million USD.

Mayor Flambo sees a news report of the newly suspended Inspector Sledge Hammer, where Hammer is being interviewed after casually using lethal a couple of armed robbers at a local liquor store. He there because he needed groceries.

After hearing this and rumors of Sledge Hammer shooting warning shots at jaywalkers and talking to his gun, He wants him on the case.

Mayor Flambo orders Police Chief Reisner to lift Hammer's six month suspension with orders not to leave his apartment and put him on the kidnapping case, because he feels that an extraordinary case deserves an extraordinary cop.

in the mean time, Inspector Hammer enjoys target shooting in his apartment. Then he receives a phone call and is notified that he is back on duty which makes him so happy that he tells his best friend (his gun) the good news.

While driving to the precinct Hammer enjoys a classical tune, when he notices a crime scene. 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 with the nice bumper sticker "I <3 Violence" on it.

He takes out the sniper by carefully aiming his bazooka and blowing up the whole building with a smile.

The warm welcome back on the force
After reaching the precinct, Hammer notices a fellow officer having problems with the vending machine and solves that by shooting it. He then is warmly welcome yelled in Captain Trunk office by Trunk for shooting his gun inside the building, for wearing his sunglasses and how he handled the sniper situation. Hammer feels that the only way to take out criminals is by being wilder than them. Trunk feels a migraine by hearing this.

Hammer and Trunk arrive at Mayor Flambo's office, Where Hammer finds out that Mayor Flambo is so impressed by his results, he himself wanted him on the case.

The one incident the mayor brings up is where Hammer tied a suspect to his car and dragged him across half the town. Hammer corrects him by saying that he didn't even leave the parking lot.

Howdy Partner
At this point they are introduced to Detective Dori Doreau, who is an expert on terrorist psychology and defense tactics.

She briefs them in on the kidnapping and the people involved, who are a small clandestine terrorist group named A.V.O.N, It stands for the Allied Violent Offense Network led by Weird Willard Luxley (D.W. Brown).

Hammer is informed that not only he wil have a partner, but that the partner will be Detective Doreau. Although he hates that idea and wants to go Dirty Harry solo on the case, he unwillingly accepts.

On the case
Hammer stops a purse snatcher with his car. Doreau verbally objects to his use of excessive force in front of City Hall, so Hammer kindly informs the snatcher to beat himself up.

Hammer and Doreau trace one of the terrorists' license plates to a motel. There, they nab Kurt Kurggle in the middle of having a back massage. They drag him with them back to the precinct.

Hammer offers Kruggle coffee, then pours it over his lap, followed with a little circus atraction by shooting at the balloons surrounding him via various trick shots, ending with a grand trick of doing it blindfolded.

Finally, Kurggle admits that Luxley was being paid heavily by an inside man. They conclude that the inside man is a member of Flambo's family after Doreau checks Mayor Flambo's financial records. Before they go further, Trunk informs them that Kurggle is suing them for violating his rights.

Back to where he started from
Hammer and Doreau returns with Flambo's wife handcuffed. Furious over the treatment of his wife, Flambo orders Hammer back on suspension and informs them that A.V.O.N. have called with delivery instructions.

She confronts the members of A.V.O.N. in the warehouse with a briefcase in hand.

Doreau discovered on computer records that Francine and Luxley went to college together and that Francine the Mayor's daughter that was supposed to be kidnapped was behind the scam. Francine wants to get away from her father, whom she calls a fascistic dictator

Francine confirms herself to be the mastermind of the kidnapping scam.

Doreau informs them that the content of the case is nothing more then shredded paper.

After she throws the briefcase to them, they open it to indeed discover it filled with confetti.

Suddenly, Hammer falls through the skylight, James Bond style. He then attacks A.V.O.N. for ruining his jacket by shooting it. He throws a grenade after a firefight, toppling a stack of crates on the thugs. Hammer then confronts Francine. At this point Francine takes Doreau as hostage and tells him he wouldn't dare shoot a woman. In response, he shoots her gun out her hand.

Case solved
Hammer and Doreau return to Flambo's office, they give their report on the case to Mayor Flambo

Hammer gives all credit to Doreau, she insists that Hammer should be congratulated as well. She turns down her promotion offered to her and walks away with Hammer.

IMDb
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0702689/