John Paul Tremblay
Julian
Overview
"Say goodnight to the bad guys" picks up where "A Sh*t river runs through it" left off. it's a year after the events of A.S.R.R.T.I and Ricky, Julian, and bubbles are rich with cash, but Julian sits on the money for a year claiming "movies like casino prove that waving money around right away is a bad idea." and then hides it in his newly purchased Delorean (AKA car from back to the future)
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Boys Are Back in Town (And So Is the Same Old Chaos)
I’ll admit it: I came to Trailer Park Boys late, long after the mockumentary series had already cemented its cult status. By the time I caught up, the jokes about rum, weed, and petty crime had been recycled into memes, and the characters—Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles—felt like old friends who’d never quite grown up. So when Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys popped up as a 2008 special, I wondered: Could this franchise, built on the same loop of heists, betrayals, and bad decisions, still surprise me?
Or was it just going through the motions, cashing in on its own mythology?
The answer, as it turns out, is a little of both. Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys doesn’t reinvent the wheel—it doesn’t even try. Instead, it doubles down on what the Trailer Park Boys universe does best: turning failure into a kind of art. The plot, such as it is, picks up a year after the events of A Shit River Runs Through It, with Julian (John Paul Tremblay) sitting on a pile of cash, insisting that flashing wealth too soon is a bad idea (a lesson he’s clearly learned from Casino, because of course he has).
The money gets stashed in a DeLorean—yes, that DeLorean—because why not lean into the absurdity? From there, it’s the same old cycle: Ricky (Robb Wells) gets into trouble, Bubbles (Mike Smith) tries to mediate, and the whole thing spirals into chaos with the inevitability of a bender after payday.
What makes this special worth watching isn’t the story, though. It’s the way the mockumentary format turns even the most mundane moments into something weirdly compelling. There’s a scene early on where Julian, in a rare moment of self-reflection, explains his financial philosophy to the camera.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
Audience 6.7/10
"A short, amusing TV-movie extension of the Trailer Park Boys series that delivers the show’s signature humor but feels slight compared to the full episodes."
Viewers appreciate the return of the core cast and their familiar antics, finding the humor consistent with the series. latestnetflix.com's view is that however, the 46-minute runtime leaves many wanting more depth, and it’s seen as more of a bonus for fans than a standalone highlight.
What viewers praise
- Faithful to the series Retains the same crude, irreverent humor and character dynamics that fans of the show enjoy.
- Core cast shines John Paul Tremblay, Robb Wells, and Mike Smith deliver the expected performances, keeping the energy high.
Common complaints
- Too short The 46-minute runtime makes it feel like an extended episode rather than a full movie, leaving little room for development.
- Lacks depth While funny, it doesn’t offer much beyond the show’s usual formula, making it feel like a minor addition for dedicated fans.
Recommended for
Trailer Park Boys fans Crude comedy lovers Short runtime seekers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of Trailer Park Boys: Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys (2008)
The 2008 TV movie Trailer Park Boys: Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys marked a pivotal moment for the beloved mockumentary franchise, bridging the gap between the cult series and its big-screen debuts. latestnetflix.com's take is that Directed by creator Mike Clattenburg, the film leaned into the show’s signature chaos while testing the waters for a more cinematic approach.But what really went down behind the scenes?
A TV Movie with Theatrical Ambitions
Unlike the series’ low-budget, guerrilla-style filming, Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys was positioned as a TV event—though its runtime (46 minutes) and production values hinted at bigger aspirations. The film served as a narrative bridge, wrapping up loose ends from the series while setting the stage for the 2006 theatrical release, Trailer Park Boys: The Movie 
. Clattenburg’s direction kept the improvisational spirit alive, but the tighter runtime and polished editing suggested a shift toward a more structured, film-friendly format .
The Core Trio’s Dynamic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjIIcOOwnpc
John Paul Tremblay (Ricky), Robb Wells (Julian), and Mike Smith (Bubbles) remained the heart of the project, their off-screen camaraderie translating into the trio’s on-screen antics. The film doubled down on their criminal misadventures, with Ricky’s harebrained schemes and Julian’s delusional leadership taking center stage. While the evidence doesn’t reveal specific behind-the-scenes tensions, the cast’s long-standing rapport likely smoothed over any production hiccups .
A Ratings Experiment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZRZ9uN1Mgw
With a runtime shorter than a typical TV episode, Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys felt like a proof of concept. Its 6.7/10 rating on SensCritique (based on 56 votes) reflected mixed reactions—fans loved the familiar humor, but the abbreviated format left some wanting more . The film’s success, however, helped pave the way for future specials and theatrical releases, including Don’t Legalize It (2014) .
Unanswered Questions
The evidence leaves gaps: Was the film originally planned as a series finale? Did the cast improvise as much as in the show? Rumors suggest Clattenburg kept the set loose, but without direct quotes or production notes, these details remain unconfirmed.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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