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The Slap Maxwell Story

30min

Comedy

The Slap Maxwell Story is a situation comedy broadcast in the United States by ABC as part of its 1987-88 lineup. It stars Dabney Coleman as "Slap" Maxwell, an egocentric sportswriter for a newspaper called The Ledger, somewhere in the American Southwest. The Ledger was a very old-fashioned newspaper -- Slap still composed his column, "Slap Shots," on a typewriter -- and Slap was a very old-fashioned guy. Despite the newly litigious environment of journalism, Slap insisted on filling his column with rumor and innuendo, drawing lawsuits and Slap's frequent termination, to be followed by a groveling apology and his rehiring. He had an on-again, off-again relationship with girlfriend Judy, one of the paper's secretaries, due primarily to his off-putting personality. Annie was Slap's ex-wife, who nonetheless retained a soft spot for him. A recurring event throughout the series' run is that at some point in each episode, someone would hit Slap, with a nun even doing the honors in one episode. The show was created by Jay Tarses, who in 1983 was co-creator of Buffalo Bill, an NBC sitcom in which Coleman starred as a similarly off-putting character, the host of a TV talk show.

Episodes

Cast

Season 1

Episode 1

1. Episode 1

30min

23rd Sep 1987

Lawsuits force Nelson to fire Slap from sports.

Episode 2

2. Episode 2

30min

30th Sep 1987

A nun, Judy's beau, a dog and his ex-wife plague Slap.

Episode 3

3. Episode 3

30min

7th Oct 1987

Nelson hires Slap's old nemesis as sportswriter.

Episode 4

4. Episode 4

30min

14th Oct 1987

Slap thinks he has died during a day with son Eliot.

Episode 5

5. Episode 5

30min

28th Oct 1987

Slap saves a newspaper carrier who was an Olympian.

Episode 6

6. Episode 6

30min

4th Nov 1987

Slap mistakenly thinks he can reconcile with Annie.

Episode 7

7. Episode 7

30min

18th Nov 1987

Judy hunts for an apartment; Slap misses a big story.

Episode 8

8. Episode 8

30min

25th Nov 1987

Slap recognizes The Ledger's prospective buyer as a con artist.

Episode 9

9. Episode 9

30min

2nd Dec 1987

Judy fills in as advice columnist; Charlie's dog dies.

Episode 10

10. Episode 10

30min

9th Dec 1987

Judy asks Slap to her high-school reunion.

Episode 11

11. Episode 11

30min

6th Jan 1988

Slap has difficulty criticizing Eliot's writing.

Episode 12

12. Episode 12

30min

13th Jan 1988

Slap wins "Sportswriter of the Year" but loses Judy.

Episode 13

13. Episode 13

30min

20th Jan 1988

Auto trouble keeps Slap from his wedding with Annie.

Episode 14

14. Episode 14

30min

27th Jan 1988

Slap gives a Marine a ride and winds up back home in Texas.

Episode 15

15. Episode 15

30min

3rd Feb 1988

Slap rekindles an old flame; Judy and Charlie have regrets.

Episode 16

16. Episode 16

30min

10th Feb 1988

Slap visits his ailing father; Nelson replaces Slap with a woman.

Episode 17

17. Episode 17

30min

2nd Mar 1988

Slap abandons Kitty and Texas to get his job back.

Episode 18

18. Episode 18

30min

9th Mar 1988

Slap faces indignities upon returning to The Ledger.

Episode 19

19. Episode 19

30min

16th Mar 1988

Slap fights for his job and reconciles with Judy.

Episode 20

20. Episode 20

30min

6th May 1988

Slap is determined to uncover the truth behind the defection of a "Commie mutant" tennis pro.

Episode 21

21. Episode 21

30min

13th May 1988

Judy wants commitment; Eliot defends his father.

Episode 22

22. Episode 22

30min

20th May 1988

Disasters strike Slap and he thinks he is dead.

First air date

23rd Sep 1987

Last air date

20th May 1988

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks