The Slap Maxwell Story (1987)
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.
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Episode 1 - Episode 1
Release Date: 1987-09-23Lawsuits force Nelson to fire Slap from sports.
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Episode 2 - Episode 2
Release Date: 1987-09-30A nun, Judy's beau, a dog and his ex-wife plague Slap.
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Episode 3 - Episode 3
Release Date: 1987-10-07Nelson hires Slap's old nemesis as sportswriter.
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Episode 4 - Episode 4
Release Date: 1987-10-14Slap thinks he has died during a day with son Eliot.
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Episode 5 - Episode 5
Release Date: 1987-10-28Slap saves a newspaper carrier who was an Olympian.
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Episode 6 - Episode 6
Release Date: 1987-11-04Slap mistakenly thinks he can reconcile with Annie.
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Episode 7 - Episode 7
Release Date: 1987-11-18Judy hunts for an apartment; Slap misses a big story.
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Episode 8 - Episode 8
Release Date: 1987-11-25Slap recognizes The Ledger's prospective buyer as a con artist.
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Episode 9 - Episode 9
Release Date: 1987-12-02Judy fills in as advice columnist; Charlie's dog dies.
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Episode 10 - Episode 10
Release Date: 1987-12-09Judy asks Slap to her high-school reunion.
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Episode 11 - Episode 11
Release Date: 1988-01-06Slap has difficulty criticizing Eliot's writing.
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Episode 12 - Episode 12
Release Date: 1988-01-13Slap wins "Sportswriter of the Year" but loses Judy.
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Episode 13 - Episode 13
Release Date: 1988-01-20Auto trouble keeps Slap from his wedding with Annie.
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Episode 14 - Episode 14
Release Date: 1988-01-27Slap gives a Marine a ride and winds up back home in Texas.
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Episode 15 - Episode 15
Release Date: 1988-02-03Slap rekindles an old flame; Judy and Charlie have regrets.
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Episode 16 - Episode 16
Release Date: 1988-02-10Slap visits his ailing father; Nelson replaces Slap with a woman.
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Episode 17 - Episode 17
Release Date: 1988-03-02Slap abandons Kitty and Texas to get his job back.
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Episode 18 - Episode 18
Release Date: 1988-03-09Slap faces indignities upon returning to The Ledger.
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Episode 19 - Episode 19
Release Date: 1988-03-16Slap fights for his job and reconciles with Judy.
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Episode 20 - Episode 20
Release Date: 1988-05-06Slap is determined to uncover the truth behind the defection of a "Commie mutant" tennis pro.
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Episode 21 - Episode 21
Release Date: 1988-05-13Judy wants commitment; Eliot defends his father.
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Episode 22 - Episode 22
Release Date: 1988-05-20Disasters strike Slap and he thinks he is dead.