In 1986 ABC aired a subversive half hour situation comedy unlike any other called "Sledge Hammer!" A trenchant satire on tough guy law enforcement stereotypes, the young creator Alan Spencer sneakily filled the show with subversive political commentary while maintaining credible mystery plots. The comparisons to "Get Smart!" were well founded, but "Sledge" was darker and more twisted, especially for the times.
Flash forward decades later and we have Spencer's latest offering, cable TV's limited run series "Bullet in the Face." This is a Canadian production which Spencer was brought in to retool and he took full advantage of the newfound liberties at his disposal. The series is seriously twisted and features a reprehensible main character acting as the hero. The direction isn't very inspired and many of the performances are over the top, but Spencer's wicked wit shines throughout.
Spencer's scathing voice assails religion, conservatism and even Gilbert and Sullivan in a surreal provocative next to last episode. All those bemoaning how safe TV has become owes themselves to check out this bizarre six episode entry. And be forewarned, this is no ordinary half hour comedy. The violence is extreme and portrayed on par with most R rated feature films. I laughed, but was also disturbed by what I watched; particularly the episode wherein a teenager jacked up on energy drinks becomes a killer. The ending to that one must be seen to be believed.
With headlines often proclaiming the latest act of violence in real life, it's bold to see a comedy daring to be this incendiary and crazed. While "Sledge Hammer!" is more widely loved, "Bullet in the Face" is the more risky endeavor. For lovers of offbeat TV, Alan Spencer remains someone to watch.
