The Young Ones

In the early 1980’s, Ben Elton, Rik Mayall and Lise Mayer teamed up to write ‘The Young Ones’ a hilariously funny alternative comedy representing student life in Britain. Scumbags College students, Rick (Rik Mayall), Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson), Neil (Nigel Planer) and Mike (Christopher Ryan) live together in the worst conditions imaginable, in a house rented from Mr Jerzei Balowski (Alexei Sayle).

Two series of the comedy, with its groundbreaking humour were filmed, and screened by the BBC, receiving a rapturous reception.

The Guys

Rick – Rick is a self-proclaimed anarchist, his clothing usually consists of a grey school shirt which is far too small at the neck, a black blazer, and dark blue jeans with a very large turn-up, although he has been known to don other clothing such as his yellow dungarees for special occasions. He talks with rather a strange ‘posh’ accent and is afflicted by quite a few very large spots, especially around the nasal area. He is a very loud character, but is also very resilient as he often comes in for lots of attacks from Vyvyan. He often writes poems and recites them to the other members of the household, declaring himself the ‘People’s Poet’ he also adores Cliff Richard, and like the rest of the guys, enjoys being incredibly mean to Neil.

Vyvyan – a denim-clad, ginger haired punk, Vyv is a medical student at Scumbags College, in the first of the programmes when he actually goes to College, he returns with a severed human leg, which he mounts on the bonnet of his yellow Ford Anglia with flames up the side. He has a Scottish hamster called SPG, short for ‘Special Patrol Group’ and is the most violent of the gang, typically enjoying demolishing parts of the house, and inflicting lots of pain on Rick. As well as his denim outfit, he wears studs in his forehead, a ring through his nose, and chains round his neck.

Neil – a down on his luck hippy, is the cook and cleaner of the household. He can often be seen slaving over the stove preparing Lentil Casserole. His mission in life is to kill himself, which he attempts several times throughout the series. He spends a lot of time on the toilet, and often tries to make sensible suggestions, often to be beaten about the head by one or other member of the household. Neil usually takes the blame for anything that goes wrong in the house, and he often cuts a lonely figure in the kitchen with his hippie flairs and pumps.

Mike – personally nicknamed ‘Mike the Cool Person’ Mike has a special relationship with Vyv, who he often hangs out with in the house. Mike is not actually a student, but claims to possess ‘photos of the Dean’. The ladies man of the house, Mike often begins to act in a very strange manner. He acts as the leader of the house and frequently makes decisions about the best course of action. Generally wearing a suit he is the best dressed of the bunch, and is always classed as exempt from any of the mundane cooking and cleaning tasks.

The Programmes

Each programme had it’s own special theme, and could be watched independently of any other. Most of them featured a music act, often invited into the house by Mike, but also in different settings.

Some of the programmes contained subliminal messages or ‘flash frames’ examples of these were a frog leaping, a tap dripping – all absolutely nothing to do with the plot of the programme whatsoever. They were just shown for one or two frames of film, mocking the supposed ‘subliminal advertising’ which was rumoured to take place in earlier television shows.

Many small sketches were also incorporated which added to the comic genius of the shows. Mark Ardern and Stephen Frost starred as two policemen on the front page of the Guardian in ‘Boring’, two gate crashers at the party in ‘Interesting’, two argumentative ghosts in ‘Cash’, two secret agents in ‘Nasty’ (Sweater and Ruffles) and the people who deliver the ‘two-time poo’ in ‘Sick’ (Mick and Tez).

Robbie Coltrane starred as ‘Sully’ the bouncer at Mike’s Roller Disco (in Rick’s room) in ’Oil’, Dr Carlisle in ‘Bambi’, and he was the one-eyed Captain on the Pirate Radio Show in ‘Time’.

Ben Elton, co-writer of the comedy, starred as the presenter of Nozin’ Aroun’ in ‘Demolition’, Kendal Mintcake in ‘Bambi’, a blind DJ in ‘Flood’, the schoolboy who ‘gets Spazz’ in the Grange Hill clip in ‘Sick’, and the punter drinking a pint of ‘Hawk’ in ‘Summer Holiday’.

Dawn French, the bible-basher ¹ in ‘Interesting’, the Devil in the commercial for ‘Ouch, that’s better - Painaway’ in ‘Nasty’ and the Easter Bunny in ‘Time’.

Jennifer Saunders, the girl at the party in ‘Interesting’ whose bag is raided by Rick, Helen Mucus, the violent serial killer in ‘Time’.

Hale and Pace, starred in ‘Nasty’ as two grave diggers, and ‘Time’ as two peasants.

Tony Robinson, played the doctor with the elephant in ‘Bambi’ and one of the criminals awaiting deportation to Australia in ‘Nasty’.

Alexei Sayle also starred as many other members of the Balowski family throughout both series, as well as Jerzei - Alexei Yuri Balowski, Billy Balowski, Reggie Balowski, Jester Balowski, and Brian Damage Balowski. Other roles he played were, a train driver, a South African Vampire, and a Mussolini look-a-like Policeman/Cabaret Singer.

Other actors making appearances in the shows (which in the case of some were considerably ‘star-studded’) are Helen Atkinson-Wood, David Rappaport, Jules Holland, Chris Barrie, Arthur Brown, Alan Freeman, Stephen Fry, Ronnie Golden, Lenny Henry, Terry Jones, Hugh Laurie, Helen Lederer, Norman Lovett, Lise Mayer, Paul Merton, Griff Rhys Jones, Roger Sloman, Mel Smith and Emma Thompson

The best way to find out about The Young Ones is to watch them, bear in mind though, a strong stomach is required for many of the episodes!

Demolition

The guys try to demolish the house from the inside, they have received a letter from the council, stating that they are a health hazard.

Oil

The housemates move into a new house, Vyv discovers oil in the basement, and the workers hold a benefit concert to overthrow the dictator.

Boring

As the title suggests the students are bored out of their brains, not even a terrorist siege, a visit to the pub or a game of Monopoly can liven them up.

Bomb

The guys try to escape the television license man, whilst also preparing for the explosion of a huge red bomb which seems to have dropped on the house during the night.

Interesting

It’s time for a party! The students invite their friends round for a few drinks and some music, the four horsemen of the apocalypse make a surprise appearance and the giant sandwich they leave behind comes in very handy.

Flood

The last in series one sees London flood, an axe-wielding homicidal maniac, a game of hide-and-seek, and Vyv set fire to Rick’s Sociology file.

Bambi

Scumbag’s College get the chance to beat the posh kids on University Challenge, as usual the proceedings end up with violence when Vyv gets bored because he’s not winning.

Cash

The house is surprisingly empty after the guys have burnt all the furniture. It falls to Neil to get a job, and after he gets thrown out of the Army Careers Office for saying he is a pacifist, he ends up finding his dream vocation as a London Bobbie.

Nasty

After Neil takes a decidedly disgusting bath, in which he finds his bike, and Rick boards up his bedroom, the guys decide to stay up all night watching video nasties, only to be fooled by ‘the old strange parcel routine’

Time

The morning after the night before, Rick makes an extra cup of tea for his special guest as Vyvian tries to sober up, but escaping from the violent murderess within their midst is rather difficult.

Sick

The lads are ill, Rick won’t stop shouting and Vyv wastes nearly a full bottle of vodka on a petrol bomb. Unfortunately Neil starts with a sneezing fit which sparks a street riot, and all before his parents come round for tea…

Summer Holiday

The end of term, the students are out on their ears, and to top it all off, the Nazi postman informs them that they came bottom in the whole world in their exams. A bank robbery ensues, followed by the death of SPG, and a ride in a double decker bus.