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The Slap Maxwell Story
Overview
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.
Top Cast
Seasons
Season 1 (1987)
No overview available.
22 episodes
Episodes
Episode 1: Episode 1
1987-09-23Lawsuits force Nelson to fire Slap from sports.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 2: Episode 2
1987-09-30A nun, Judy's beau, a dog and his ex-wife plague Slap.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 3: Episode 3
1987-10-07Nelson hires Slap's old nemesis as sportswriter.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 4: Episode 4
1987-10-14Slap thinks he has died during a day with son Eliot.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 5: Episode 5
1987-10-28Slap saves a newspaper carrier who was an Olympian.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 6: Episode 6
1987-11-04Slap mistakenly thinks he can reconcile with Annie.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 7: Episode 7
1987-11-18Judy hunts for an apartment; Slap misses a big story.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 8: Episode 8
1987-11-25Slap recognizes The Ledger's prospective buyer as a con artist.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 9: Episode 9
1987-12-02Judy fills in as advice columnist; Charlie's dog dies.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 10: Episode 10
1987-12-09Judy asks Slap to her high-school reunion.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 11: Episode 11
1988-01-06Slap has difficulty criticizing Eliot's writing.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 12: Episode 12
1988-01-13Slap wins "Sportswriter of the Year" but loses Judy.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 13: Episode 13
1988-01-20Auto trouble keeps Slap from his wedding with Annie.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 14: Episode 14
1988-01-27Slap gives a Marine a ride and winds up back home in Texas.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 15: Episode 15
1988-02-03Slap rekindles an old flame; Judy and Charlie have regrets.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 16: Episode 16
1988-02-10Slap visits his ailing father; Nelson replaces Slap with a woman.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 17: Episode 17
1988-03-02Slap abandons Kitty and Texas to get his job back.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 18: Episode 18
1988-03-09Slap faces indignities upon returning to The Ledger.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 19: Episode 19
1988-03-16Slap fights for his job and reconciles with Judy.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 20: Episode 20
1988-05-06Slap is determined to uncover the truth behind the defection of a "Commie mutant" tennis pro.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 21: Episode 21
1988-05-13Judy wants commitment; Eliot defends his father.
Runtime: 30 minEpisode 22: Episode 22
1988-05-20Disasters strike Slap and he thinks he is dead.
Runtime: 30 min
