''Operation Good Guys'' is a British

mockumentary A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...

series about an elite police unit's bid to snare one of Britain's most powerful crime lords. It was first screened on

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream a ...

from 29 December 1997 to 31 August 2000. It witnesses, on camera, the total breakdown, professionally and personally, of the Operation Good Guys team. Throughout the operation, The 'Good Guys' have an unfortunate habit of embroiling into their calamitous world some of the country's best-known celebrities, from actors and footballers, to TV presenters and even the odd ex-convict. It was created by

Ray Burdis Ray Burdis (born 23 August 1958 in London) is an English actor, screenwriter, director and film producer. Biography Burdis started acting at eleven years old when he attended drama school and trained at the Anna Scher Theatre in Islington, Grea ...

and co-written by Ray Burdis,

Hugo Blick Hugo Edgar Maxwell Blick (born 7 December 1964) is a British filmmaker and actor. He has his own production company, called Eight Rooks. Early life Hugo Blick studied in Cardiff at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Career He ha ...

and Dominic Anciano, although much of the dialogue was improvised by the actors. The series utilised the concept of a mock documentary capturing the truths of a work place four years before the notion reached fame in ''

The Office ''The Office'' is a mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first made in the United Kingdom, then Germany, and subsequently the United States. It has since been remade in ten other countries. The original ser ...

''. However, this mockumentary style was watered down slightly when a

laugh track A laugh track (or laughter track) is a separate soundtrack for a recorded comedy show containing the sound of audience laughter. In some productions, the laughter is a live audience response instead; in the United States, where it is most common ...

was added for the second and third series as well as having standalone episodes instead of a story arc. Actor David Gillespie stated it was added after the first series was not accessible to viewers as a comedy series. The series was awarded the Silver Rose for Best Sitcom and the Prix de la Presse, voted for by the International Press, at the Montreux Golden Rose Festival in 1998.

Cast

The actors involved include: * D.I. Beach (

David Gillespie David "Cement" Gillespie (born 22 March 1964) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a and forward in the 1980s and 1990s. Gillespie played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies, ...

) * D.S. Raymond Ash (

) * Sgt Dominic de Sade ( Dominic Anciano) * Kim Finch, alias "Boo Boo" (

Kim Taylforth Kim Taylforth is an English actress. She is the sister of ''EastEnders'' actress Gillian Taylforth. She trained in acting at the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington. Her earliest TV appearance was in the BBC sitcom, ''Steptoe and Son'', when ...

; series 1 only) * "Bones" ( Perry Benson) * Gary Barwick (

Gary Beadle Gary Beadle (born 8 July 1965) is a British actor, best known for playing Paul Trueman in '' EastEnders'' and Gary Barwick in ''Operation Good Guys''. Life and career Beadle was raised as one of five children in Bermondsey, South London, w ...

; series 1 & series 2 episodes 1 and 4 only) * "Strings" ( John Beckett) * Mark Kemp ( Mark Burdis) * Accountant Roy Leyton (

Roy Smiles Roy Smiles (born 1966) is a singer-songwriter & playwright from Ealing, West London. He is also an occasional actor. Smiles has written twenty seven theatre plays, the best known of which is Kurt and Sid, a 2009 London West End production abo ...

; series 1 and episode 5 of series 2) * Bill Zeebub (William Scully, QGM, present in the first series as a background character; brought to the fore more in series two and three), * Smiler McCarthy (

; series 1 only, Hugo Crippin series 2 episodes 1, 2 and 6, & Narrator series 2 and 3). There were three series produced, which featured guest stars including

David Seaman David Andrew Seaman (born 19 September 1963) is an English former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. In a career lasting from 1981 to 2004, he is best known for his time playing for Arsenal. He won 75 caps for England, and is the country' ...

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Cés ...

, Sean Pertwee,

Jonny Lee Miller Jonathan Lee Miller (born 15 November 1972) is a British film, television and theatre actor. He achieved early success for his portrayal of Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson in the dark comedy-drama film '' Trainspotting'' (1996) and as Dade Murphy i ...

, gangster "Mad Frankie" Fraser, ex

Spandau Ballet Spandau Ballet () were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids, playing "European D ...

star

Martin Kemp Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''. He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also ...

, Denise van Outen and

Donna Air Donna Marie Theresa Air (born 2 August 1979) is an English actress, television presenter and media personality. Early life and education Donna Marie Theresa Air was born on 2 August 1979, in Wallsend, North Tyneside, to receptionist Marie (née ...

Releases

The three series were released on VHS in the early 2000s. In 2005, all three seasons were released on DVD format. In addition to the original episodes, the three disc DVD boxset includes some extras including a brand new episode, 'Where Are They Now?'. This new material addresses the subject of what happened to the team after they were sacked from the police force at the end of series three.

Episode list

*Pilot – not broadcast, this is a less obviously humorous approach to the format, with the same characters. The overall feel here is more reminiscent of the United States show '' Cops''.

Series 1

*The Informant (29 December 1997): The Good Guys latest informant turns out to be a punk

hairdresser A hairdresser is a person whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques. A Hairdresser may also be re ...

. *Radio Silence (3 January 1998): The team starts to get into money problems whilst trying to foil Smiler McCarthy's drugs ring. *Frisk 'Em (10 January 1998): An American cop comes to lend a hand. *Holiday (17 January 1998): Beach gives the Good Guys a day off to recoup. *Safe as Houses (24 January 1998): A key witness is taken to Kim's house for his own protection. *Open Day (31 January 1998): An open day at the station leads to problems when the Commissioner's dog dies. *Sylvia La Plage (7 February 1998): The funds are gone, as are the Good Guys, and so has Roy.

Series 2

*Back to School (5 July 1999): The Good Guys undergo retraining, and power goes to Mark's head. *Stardust (12 July 1999):

and

visit the station, in order to prepare for their new film roles as policemen. *Forensics (19 July 1999): Beach is determined to find a criminal with a head cut, and also holds a special

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

weekend. *I Will Survive (26 July 1999): On a survival course, Gary worries about their survival expert's interest in

Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

. *Viva Espana (2 August 1999): The Good Guys travel to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

for their next operation, which involves Ray wearing a wig. *Operation Zorro (9 August 1999): Beach gets

sunburn Sunburn is a form of radiation burn that affects living tissue, such as skin, that results from an overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, usually from the Sun. Common symptoms in humans and animals include: red or reddish skin that is h ...

and the BBC worry about how low-key the Good Guys part in Operation Zorro is there.

Series 3

*That's Entertainment (27 July 2000): Whilst De Sade and the others worry about a drugs bust, Beach panics more about a special Christmas episode of the documentary. *Castaway (3 August 2000): The Good Guys are sent to a

desert island A desert island, deserted island, or uninhabited island, is an island, islet or atoll that is not permanently populated by humans. Uninhabited islands are often depicted in films or stories about shipwrecked people, and are also used as stereo ...

, but Beach refuses to let the Good Guys go on a survival course. *Raging Pig (10 August 2000): Beach goes into

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

in order to stamp out corruption in the game. *The Leader (17 August 2000): Beach gets sucked into a weird cult. *Jubilee (24 August 2000): The Good Guys get a visit from the most powerful and influential family in Britain. *Operation Snowdrop (31 August 2000): Beach tries to improve the men's tolerance of minority groups, with the help of Assistant Commissioner Terra Blanche.

Additional episodes on DVD boxset

*Where are they now? *OGG pilot episode *That's Entertainment with commentary by Beach and Ash

References

External links

* * Comedy Guide *{{IMDb title, id=0134257, title=Operation Good Guys
''Operation Good Guys''
at British TV Comedy
''Operation Good Guys''
at British Sitcom Guide 1997 British television series debuts 2000 British television series endings 1990s British comedy television series 2000s British comedy television series BBC television comedy British mockumentary television series Police comedies English-language television shows