Hammer, Slammer, & Slade (1990 TV Movie) User Reviews

Another unsold pilot.

[Captain_Couth · 6/10 · 3 February 2005]

Hammer, Slammer & Slade (1990) was just another unsold pilot that just floated around syndication. I saw this around 1991 on an A.B.C. affiliate. I guess the only reason it got any air time was due to the success of In Living Color. Keenan Ivory Wayans tried to tone down the humor from his movie "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" and make it into a television show. All of the key components from the movie were in the pilot. Slade, Hammer, Slammer and Kung Fu Joe are in it but Jack's part was played by another actor.

The pilot was just a rehash of the movie. We get to see Hammer and Slammer's Resteraunt, Kung Fu Joe's dojo and what not. Maybe it could have been successful if a major television station bought the show. Who knows if it could have worked?

Mildly recommended if you can find a copy to watch.

"No, baby, I'm not lying!"

[profh-1 · 5/10 · 19 September 2010]

Mind-boggling unsold TV pilot written by Keenan Ivory Wayans. Isaac Hayes, Jim Brown and Bernie Casey return in the roles that made them hilarious-- and the insane thing is, this ISN'T a sequel to I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA! Even Kung Fu Joe (Steve James) returns, but for whatever reason, this story is not connected in any way with the earlier feature film. Too bad, I think that may be one of the things (along with the absence of Wayans in the role of Jack Spade) that hurt this thing's chances. Even Lennie & Willie return, but both are played by different actors-- in this case, the unfortunate Willie (who gets beaten up by Hayes just to prove a point) is played by Martin Lawrence. Also, Super Fly himself-- Ron O'Neal-- has a small role as Casey's ex-partner who's been framed for a jewel robbery, which sparks the whole plot.

In this universe, Jack Spade's a rookie cop, John Slade's an ex-cop, and Hammer & Slammer are retired private eyes. Wheras in the original film, Jack was an ex-army file clerk, and the other three were merely known as "crimefighters". Perhaps strangest of all is Janet Dubois, who switched from being Jack's mother and John's love, to Hammer's DOMINEERING OVERBEARING WIFE. It gets really pathetic to see Isaac Hayes repeatedly on the phone lying to his wife about his whereabouts, desperately trying to convince her "No, baby, I'm not lying!" and being told to pick up some groceries on the way home. The running joke is 3 old, over-the-hill, out-of-shape ex-heroes, who all need glasses to read-- or shoot straight.

Parts of this are funny-- just barely. I just really wish it had been a LOT better. Too "toned down" for TV. Like the TV version of SHAFT (but that was much worse than this).