The Young Ones British Sitcom ran for
2 series in 1982 and 1984.. about 4 students who shared a house at
Scumbag University..
The Characters
"Vyvyan
Basterd" (Adrian Edmondson)
An
orange
haired punk studying to be a doctor.. and wears a heavy metal
Saxon t-shirt.. extremely violent and despises Rick... drives a
yellow Ford Angelia with red flames.. has a pet hamster called SPG
aka Special Patrol Group.. his mother is a barmaid and former
shoplifter.. sometimes displays inhuman strength.. eats
just about anything like televisions, dead rats and pigeons.. quite
social and creative at times.
"Rick"
(Rik Mayall)
A
anarchist
and people's poet studying sociology and domestic sciences..
hypocritical, tantrum throwing attention seeker who loves Cliff
Richard.. always trying to impress with his non-existent wit, talent
and humour..
"Neil
Pye" (Nigel Planer)
A hippie..
clinically depressed pacifist.. insomniac.. vegetarian.. working
towards a peace studies degree.. extremely pessimistic.. dislikes
technology.. speaks out for Vegetable Rights and Peace.
"MIke"
(Christopher Ryan)
The Cool
Person.. a bit of a leader.. a ladies man.. ..a virgin.. doesn't need
to study because he has compromising photos of the Dean.. a con artist
and scammer
The series
was written by Ben Elton, Rik Mayall and his then girlfriend Lisa
Mayer, with contributions from Alexi Sayle.
The theme
tune was the Cliff Richard song "The Young Ones"was sung Cliff Richard.
In 1984
"Neil" Nigel Planer had a No.2 hit with a version of Traffic's "Hole In
My Shoe"
In 1986 the
housemates had a No.1 hit with the 1959 song "Living Doll" with Cliff
Richard and Hank Marvin for Comic Relief.
The
bands: Madness.. Motorhead..
The Damned.. and Dexy's Midnight Runners appeared on the shows.
The
Episodes
Series 1 (1982)
DEMOLITION.. The boys
get a letter from the council telling them their squalid house will be
demolished .
OIL.. Upon
moving into a new house, Vyvyan strikes oil in the cellar, which he
turns out to be lying.
BORING.. The
boys attempt to fight off boredom whilst several very exciting things
go unnoticed around them .
BOMB.. An
unexploded atomic bomb falls through the boys'
roof and blocks the refrigerator.
INTERESTING.. The
flat hosts a party that gets out of hand.
FLOOD.. During heavy rains, London floods and the boys are trapped in
the house with a homicidal, axe-wielding Mr. Balowski
Series 2 (1984)
BAMBI.. The boys go to the
laundrette and compete against Footlights Oxford College in University
Challenge.
CASH.. cash-strapped,
Neil is forced (by his flatmates) to join the police force.
NASTY.. a strange package from South
Africa interferes with plans to watch a video
nasty on a rented VCR.
TIME.. For
a first, Rick wakes up in bed next to a beautiful girl, and Neil is
forced to change a light bulb while subsequently becoming a human
vacuum cleaner.
SICK..
While ill, the boys must deal with an escaped
criminal and Neil's parents.
SUMMER
HOLIDAY.. When
the summer break comes, things
only get worse, especially for Rick who ends up being stumps in a game
of cricket.