 Alan Spencer (I) (qv) originally wrote the pilot script in 1976 as  a parody of _Dirty Harry (1971)_ (qv) and its sequels. Not only did  every network reject it, but executives questioned Spencers mental  health due to the exaggerated violence. It wasnt until the success  of the third sequel, _Sudden Impact (1983)_ (qv), that networks  began showing an interest in Spencers script.