The Young Ones was a seminal alternative (for this read surreal, disgusting and insanely violent) comedy series on the BBC in 1982/84.

It was based around the lives of four students, Vyvyan Basterd, a orange haired pychotic punk/pyromaniac/medical student who had 4 metal stars nailed to his head(played by Adrian Edmondson), Mike TheCoolPerson, a very short wheeler-dealer/casanova (played by Chris Ryan), Neil Pye, the terminally depressed vegetarian hippie (played by Nigel Planer), and Rik, a Cliff Richard loving spotty student radical, supposedly doing Sociology, but in reality just writing crap poetry (played by Rik Mayall). The house landlord/his entire family (the Balowskis) are all played by Alexei Sayle. Both series were scripted by Ben Elton, Lisa Mayer, and Rik Mayall, with additional work done by Alexei Sayle.

The cast list reads like a 'who's-who' of '80's alternative comedy. Actors such as Chris Barrie, Robbie Coltrane, Ben Elton, Dawn French, Stephen Fry, Hale & Pace, Lenny Henry, Hugh Laurie, Norman Lovett,Griff Rhys Jones, Tony Robinson, Jennifer Saunders, Mel Smith, and two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson got their first starts on television through The Young Ones. Each show also featured live music (purely to get the programme classified as 'light entertainment' within the BBC, so they got a higher budget) from the likes of Motorhead, Madness, Dexys Midnight Runners and The Damned all appearing in various rooms of the house during an episode.

Below is a full episode listing with original transmission dates

SERIES ONE

09/11/82 Demolition
16/11/82 Oil
23/11/82 Boring
30/11/82 Bomb
07/12/82 Interesting
14/12/82 Flood

SERIES TWO

08/05/84 Bambi
15/05/84 Cash
29/05/84 Nasty
05/06/84 Time
12/06/84 Sick
19/06/84 Summer Holiday

for complete scripts of all the episodes go to http://www.ironworks.com/comedy/youngone/youngone.htm

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