Operation Good Guys is a British mockumentary, a fly-on-the-wall documentary series about an elite police unit's bid to snare one of Britain's most powerful crime lords.Blurring the line between fact and fiction, 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.
WriterDominic Anciano
The Informant
Dec 29, 1997
Operation Good Guys has been set up catch notorious villain Smiler McCarthy. Led by DI Beach the group of officers assigned to Operation Good Guys are the most inept bunch of coppers imaginable. When a possible informant on Smiler McCarthy's next move comes forward the men are forced to sit though a session with a punk hair dresser to get the time and place of Smiler's next job. They are told that shoot has been organised and the man involved is a major player. Thinking this could be Smiler McCarthy the Good Guys lie in wait for him to arrive the venue they have been given by the informant. A car arrives and the Good Guys descend on its occupants who turn out to include footballer David Seaman (the major player) who has turned up for a photo shoot. Beach soon finds himself facing a lawsuit from Seaman's solicitors. De Sade meanwhile discovers that the so-called informant is in fact a one Lennie McCarthy, Smiler's cousin. The incident leaves Seaman unable to play in the World Cup and En
Radio Silence
Jan 3, 1998
Beach decides to set up a drugs exchange with two men believed to be connected with Smiler McCarthy. Despite Bones protests, Beach assigns Mark Kemp (the commissioners' nephew) to be the bait and hand over the money. Roy Leyton grudgingly gives Beach the £2000 needed for the exchange despite the fact that funds are low. Mark waits with the money whilst being watched by Bones and Strings who are stationed in the flat of an old lady who rather likes Strings guitar playing (though Bones finds it a pain). Ash meanwhile is lying behind a wall and de Sade and his gang are squashed in a saloon car with the film crew. The two guys arrive and Mark gives them the money despite the fact that Bones told him to ask to see the merchandise before paying up. They now have no drugs and have lost £2000. Bones is furious and demands that he meet the men on the second attempt. Beach agrees but insists that Mark accompany. Bones demands another two grand off Leyton who agrees to meet him with the money at
Frisk 'em
Jan 10, 1998
Beach has decided to enlist the help of US cop Lou ""Frisk 'em"" Ferrino in their latest attempt to nab Smiler McCarthy. When Ferrino arrives he is quick to mock The Good Guys efforts and much to Beach's anger proceeds to take over. He sets up an exchange with Smiler McCarthy of $500,000 for £2,000,000 of counterfeit money. He has placed the money in a bag, which is rigged with aluminium dye, which will explode over Smiler as soon as he opens the bag thereby marking him and pinning this job on him (thus creating grounds for an arrest). The plan backfires when Mark Kemp decides he wants to see half a million dollars as he'll never get the chance again. He opens the bag and covers all the Good Guys (apart from Beach who is in his office telling Ferrino that they are the best in the force). They are forced to use new tactics. They send Gary Barwick rigged with a camera into a pub to meet one of Smiler's men to find out when McCarthy will be taking the fake money. Instead Gary gets drunk and
Holiday
Jan 17, 1998
After the problems of the last couple of weeks and everything that has happened, Beach decides to give the Good Guys the day off to recoup. De Sade and the ART decide to give Mark Kemp some training in armed policing. Kim Finch goes out on the pull with her friends and ends up getting arrested. Bones spends most of the day waiting to see a doctor about what turns out to be a double hernia. Gary goes home to deal with his domestic problems with his wife only to get thrown out and find she's killed his fish. Strings goes home to relax and play his guitar and ends up having the police round to charge him with disturbing the peace. Beach and Ash meanwhile decide to have a day out on the town together to take their mind off work and all the stress of Operation Good Guys. Of all the Good Guys de Sade is the most reluctant to let the film crew come home with him. When they later turn up un-announced they find de Sade, Mark and a couple of girls involved in some kinky sex games.
Safe as Houses
Jan 24, 1998
Funding for Operation Good Guys hits an all time low. Things are so desperate that the electricity has been cut off at the office. Meanwhile a key witness on Smiler McCarthy has decided to come forward and expose McCarthy on national TV in exchange for police protection. The witness is none other than Mad Frankie Frazer. The Good Guys take him to a safe house or to be more accurate, Kim Finch's house, as they can't get a proper safe house. However his arrival is not much of a secret when the Good Guys put on a welcome party for him. Then later Mark brings his family round to meet Frankie despite the fact no one must know he's there. Back at the office meanwhile Ash is trying in vain to get the electricity going with a portable generator in time for the broadcast. Kim is getting more irritated by the Good Guys constant presence in her house especially because Strings keeps putting his feet on her sofa and Bones keeps blocking up the toilet. This also angers Frankie when Bones offers him
Open Day
Jan 31, 1998
In an attempt to persuade the Commissioner to give Operation Good Guys more funding Beach organises an Open Day at the office and enlists Christopher Biggins to help them. Biggins puts together a musical performance by Roy Leyton and Kim Finch (although Strings tries to interfere). Strings meanwhile organises a display of de Sade's Armed Response team by staging a fake hold up where he takes Gary and Kim hostage and de Sade and his team step in to save the day. Ash sets up a Smiler McCarthy shire where you throw balls at little cut outs of Smiler McCarthy. Beach and Ash them make cakes for the Open Day and Beach gives a Keith Floyd-like demonstration on how to make a prefect Fairy Cake. Everything seems to be going well until Mark decides to do a display of dog handling with his uncle's (the commissioner's) dog Sherlock. He enlists Bones to help him. Whilst Mark is all for keeping the display simple Bones wants it to be spectacular. They decide to try leaping through a flaming hoop. Un
Sylvia La Plage
Feb 7, 1998
The funds have gone, the Commissioner has refused to give them further funding. Operation Good Guys has been cancelled. Beach is devastated and at first refuses to accept it. Meanwhile the answer of the dwindling funds is answered when a postcard arrives from Spain. It's from Roy Leyton. He's taken all the funds from Operation Good Guys and done a runner. All the Good Guys are furious. Also Gary is still having problems with his wife whom he has promised Kim he will leave. Beach gives the Good Guys their final debriefing and invites them all out for a drink later. He tells them he has taught them all to be honest with one another and tonight he intends to be fully honest with them. At the Pub that night the Good Guys wait for Beach to arrive when Ash announces the entertainment for the evening, Sylvia la Plage. Out steps a large blonde lady who turns out to be none other than Beach himself - Beach is a cross dresser and he has decided to come clean and be honest about it. He and Ray do
