Sledge Hammer!

Sledge Hammer was a mid-80s television show that had low ratings and was constantly moved around the schedule. At the end of the first season, a nuclear bomb destroyed everybody. Yet, the series was somehow renewed for one more season.

It was ridiculously funny when it came out. While there are a few "current events" jokes in the series, most of the humor is just as funny today. Inspector Sledge Hammer is a violence loving cop who manages to catch the bad guys in spite of himself. The humor is primarily a mixture of "Pink Panther" style slapstick cock and deadpan ironic dialog.

A quick scan of Wikipedia shows the primary actors and creator were best known for their work on this series. (In spite of work on many other movies and TV shows, and even a marriage to Michael Chrichton.) The actors don't look like the 'perfect' TV actors. The sets and action are all "good enough", but not perfect. Its not B-move bad, but more of a comic book level of imperfection that adds to its charm.

The show centers around a cop with extreme violent tendencies. However, it manages to do this with very little violence. In spite of a fascination with a gun, we never see Sledge kill anybody. The restrainment allows it to be truly funny. It often parodies other movies or characters (one episode manages to parody both The Godfather and Witness.) The humor appeals to both kids and adults alike.