Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys Review

This was original posted by NeoZAZ.com and is published with permission

Trailer Park Boys:
Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys:
The Review:

It’s been a year and a half since the last first-run episode of Trailer Park Boys aired. Last Sunday December 7th, the one-hour (counting commercials) Trailer Park Boys special “Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys aired. It might be an exaggeration to say that I’ve awaited the return of Trailer Park Boys about as much as I waited the return of Star Wars in 1999 – but if you know me, you know that the way I tend to obsess over things that this is statement may not be far from the truth.

So, is “Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys” the TPB equivalent of “The Phantom Menace”? Let’s find out.

WARNING: The remainder of the review is bound to contain SPOILERS. If you haven’t watched “Say Goodnight” yet and don’t want know anything about it until you do, please don’t read any further – you have been warned.

Let’s start with the opening. Regardless that it was only about a minute longer than the preview Show Case released about a month ago; it was a great setup for “this is where we are now”. Season 7 ended with a nice wrap up – the guys were rich, everyone got along, yadda yadda yadda. Now, a year later Julian explains how he’s hid the money all this time until the heat dies down – giving Ricky. Ray, Randy and Lahey more than enough time to spiral right back to where we had the characters before the money ever existed. It also sets in motion the whole plot of the special. I have to admit, that was biggest concern of what was going to happen in this special since Season 7 was wrapped up so cleanly, but all things considered, it worked out well.

So the long and short of it is that the money gets lost and Julian has to come up with another plan to make some big money quick (ala “Freedom 35”, “Smokes for Dope”, “The Big Dirty’ etc.) With a little “guidance” from Lahey and Randy, Julian decides to partner with the 2 in their “Singles Dance” event down at the “newly air conditioned Branford Recreation center”. This, as you can guess, is a set up that brings in some great past minor character returns, and sets up the new movie headed to theaters in October 2009.

If the story to get from Season 7 to this special was what worried me most, my next concern would probably be – will the actors bring the same performance to their characters they did over a year ago. Especially since this is a one shoot deal. Well, they did – and in my personal opinion a lot of the performances where far improved since the last time we’ve seen the characters on screen.

First, Bubbles – he was perfect as always. Mike Smith nails that character with just enough “oddity” that that character needs without getting overbearing.

Next, Ricky – as with Bubbles, Robb Wells is once again dead on. It even seems like times his range for the character has actually improved. Now, grant it, it’s not a very broad range character, but when there are moments outside the characters usually personality and it’s noticed, that’s a great compliment to the performance.

Julian – Wow, I don’t know what or why John Paul Tremblay seems some much more comfortable and casual with his character than he has been the past, but he did a tremendous job in this special! There was a moment early on in the special where they lost the money and he gave one line that was a little too sad/wussy for Julian, but in his last scene – damn, I’ve never scene Julian that angry – and down right scary. The second he dropped the “MF” bomb –I said “I can not WAIT for the next movie.”

Then, there is Jim Lahey. There were times where watching Jim Lahey was absolutely painful… and I mean that in the most complementarily way I possible can. John Dunsworth’s performance was not the painful part, in fact, it was his outstanding performance as an “end of his rope”, “out of his mind” drunk that made me feel so bad for the Lahey character at times that I had remind myself this is a comedy. Again, another performance that makes me really anxious for the second movie.

To point just these 4 performances out is actually unfair of me to do, because everyone was great. Lucy, Sarah, Sam, Randy, J-Roc, T, Cyrus, Phil Collins, Jacob, Trinity, Barb Lahey and everyone else I’m regretfully forgetting did a great job and it was great to see everyone on screen again.

The special did exactly what I’d theorize it was meant to do – rekindle everyone’s interest in the residents of Sunnyvale Trailer park and leave the audience wanting more in preparation for next years movie.

If you haven’t seen it yet – well, hope this hasn’t ruined any surprise – but watch it! It’s worth the time and will quickly remind any fan why they loved the series in the first place.

Having gushed over the special for way too long now, here are some quick bullet points of the hits and missed from my view point:

Notable New Additions:

* Julian’s Delorean
* Ricky/Randy’s son
* Ray’s Good Liquor and Beer

Painfully Missing

* Bubble’s kitties
* The Original version of the Opening Theme
* Bottle Kids

Best Appearances

* Cyrus
* Sam
* Jacob – merely for the line “It still smells like Sam.”
* Ray’s old “company car”.

Wish these were there:

* Phil’s belch
* Conky
* Cory and Trevor (But I didn’t expect to see them with having picked up where season 7 left off).

Worst moments:

* Julian: “Want to walk home with Bubbles?”
* Phil’s bologna sandwich freak out
* Ricky’s moment of sympathy for Randy (“God love Randy, but…”)
* Not enough Sarah. There’s never enough Sarah.

Best moments:
(Disclaimer – I’ve re-written this list 10 times, I’m just going to pick 5 that come off the top of my head and leave it. This list could be just about anything)

* Lobster feast at the dump
* “1.21 Jigaguts!”
* Ricky and Lucy’s “Dirty Dancing”.
* Rims on the Shitmobile
* The lash-out at the Camera Crew