Cops 1/2: The Gas Crisis

Officers Colten and O'Harris in Cops 1/2

Police Chief Joe

Giuseppe Linguine

### Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEiwxGR-LRU&list=PLRXcOp9cgpCIkTvG4EjvRSGIGOtdodFP7&index=2

## Chronology

### Followed by

Cops 1: The Murder of Mr. Willshaw

*Cops 1/2: The Gas Crisis* is a film in the *Cops* movie series. It is the second film in the chronology, and the second film released. The plot shows the origins of Officer O'Harris, as he joins Officer Colten on an investigation into a gas trafficking ring ravaging the local economy during the Gas Crisis. The film was also the first video to be produced post high school and not for a class.

## Plot

The video starts as Giuseppe Linguine is seen in the middle of a gas deal asking a very steep price. Officers Colten and Bernard then disrupt the mysterious deal between the two individuals leading to Linguine throwing a gas can at the cops and then taking refuge in a nearby building. The criminal is chased into the building when he reveals himself to be Giuseppe Linguine, mixed martial arts master and how it was a mistake for the two to follow them in their. While Colten was speaking he launches an attack disarming the officer and then started punching Bernard incredibly rapidly many times. He then does an uppercut that is so powerful Bernard is obliterated into several limbs horrifying Colten bringing him to his knees. While Colten was at Linguine's mercy, the villain decided to spare him so he may tell his friends not to mess with his operations. Colten in pure shock, dropped his badge to the ground as he debated if he could continue in this line of work any longer.

In the next scene Colten is arguing with Police Chief Joe in his office as he is in disbelief he is already being assigned a new rookie partner. Officer O'Harris then appears from behind Colten is clearly displeased and the two head back to the crime scene. When arriving Colten tells his new partner to look around making O'Harris deduce that there was indeed a crime in the area to Colten's annoyance. O'Harris then discovers and overlooked Jerry can lying around and notices the name Giuseppe Linguine on it. Colten recognizes the name from earlier when the villain introduced himself so the two then return to the chief with the information of what was being sold. The chief seemed uninterested in the crime since gas was inexpensive making Colten upset since he had a personal vengeance against Linguine for killing Bernard. The next day changed however as the 1979 Oil Crisis occurred making the chief demand the two investigate the crime further. Colten frantically asks O'Harris where they should look making O'Harris suggest the archives to see if they could find a previous criminal record.

This would ultimately prove successful as O'Harris locates the records and finds an unusually placed piece of paper that revealed times and dates. The two realize these were meeting times and had proposed they try to act that very night so the two return once more to the chief. By this point Joe had already contacted Linguine and was preparing a businesses deal with him where he would invest and turn a blind eye to his enterprise in exchange for a high percentage of profits. Joe had kept the information of when and where to meet Linguine in his previous criminal record and forgot to properly hide it. He also still underestimated O'Harris and Colten's competence and dedication as O'Harris has shown to possess an eye for detail. The two return with their findings to the chief who is shocked that they managed to discover this. Realizing they may jeopardize his operation he ordered them to take a break and cease investigating for now until he came up with a plan to divert them further giving the excuse that they should take a break. O'Harris is disappointed but accepts the chiefs decision while Colten is enraged. Once leaving the station O'Harris expresses his frustration to Colten saying they cant just sit around. Colten very fed up with the office then decides the two should set up their own sting operation using O'Harris as the decoy for the reason that Linguine had never seen him and would remember Colten. O'Harris accepts the plan but expresses his wish to not be stabbed during the operation.

Time goes forward as the two prepare to meet with Linguine. O'Harris is seen putting on a disguise as Colten gives him the instruction to call for help when needed as he goes to hide behind a building. Linguine is seen making a deal with an individual when O'Harris attempts to buy some gas. Linguine distrusts the officer due to his Irish accent and asks who sent him. O'Harris comes up with the name Jerry which Linguine did not know when O'Harris' baton then fell out of his jacket. Linguine realized what was happening and then went to run leading to a short foot chase with the officers in pursuit. Linguine was unable to outrun the cops and was knocked over after a hit to the leg from O'Harris' baton. Colten then puts him in handcuffs and tells O'Harris to chase after the goof that was making a deal with Linguine. O'Harris caught up with him hitting him in the leg to knock him over when it is revealed that it was actually Police Chief Joe. O'Harris was in disbelief but still arrested the corrupt bureaucrat expressing his concern for the current state of the world. Colten is seen trying to belittle Linguine telling him he will be unable to get out of those cuffs. Linguine makes a bet that he will break out of them on the count of five but then suddenly breaks free and punches Colten in the face. Colten begins firing rapidly yet he managed to miss every single shot since Linguine stood there like a stone wall. Linguine then managed then managed to shoot Colten in the leg after knocking him over. This injury was not serious as it was revealed in Cops: Noir that Colten always make sure to wear kneecap armor. Linguine was prepared to shoot Colten fatally before O'Harris knocked out the chief and then came from behind to whack Linguine on the back of the head sending him to the ground, before helping up Colten. Linguine incredibly was not finished after this hit and started to stand back up before getting blown up by a gas can detonated by Colten shooting it. Linguine was left a mangled mess the O'Harris did not want to deal with himself leading to his abandonment waiting for an ambulance which was late since it got a flat tire and had to stop in a Wendy's parking lot to change it.

Before the ambulance could get there, Giovanni Linguine manages to arrive first taking his cousin with him stating how they will lay low before entering the business of illegal pool chemicals and supplies. The credits role and then in a final scene the cops are discussing their new chief with Colten describing him as "tough as nails, a real tough guy". Police Chief Benjamin then comes to his desk and immediately asks when can he shoot someone.

## Trivia

- Cops 1/2 was conceived by Jack when he was eating Chicken nuggets one Saturday morning while looking out the window on the DeNaples center 3rd floor at the University of Scranton. He was thinking about the failure to start Cops 2 and he began wondering if they could fit in another cops video that was a shorter length like the original one. He knew he could not make this a sequel since Cops 2 will take place directly after, but realized a prequel could easily fit in.

- Cops 1/2 was written by Jack and Michael starting a new combination of creators which has proved to be bountiful as more videos have been produced. The framework they established in writing Cops 1/2 has been used in every script since.

- When Cops 1/2 was conceived, Jack came up with the idea that it would take place in the 70's but hadn't come up with a crime. During the outline writing in Michael's basement Mike came up with the crime centering around the gas crisis.

## Gallery

The intro dealVicious attackChief JoeIn the officeIn the archivesThe stingWould have gotten away with it tooBroken freeLinguine defeatedGiovanni arrivesChief Ben