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