1982, The time television and the BBC changed for the better, all thanks to Channel 4. Alternative youth comedy of Manchester and London incorporated itself into a cult-like engine within this brilliant series called The Young Ones, written by Rik Mayall, Ben Elton, and Lise Mayer.
Rik Mayall, Ade Edmonson, Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle, and Christopher Ryan. These four actors quickly became well known as Scumbag University students, Rik, Vyvyan, Neil, Mike, and the landlord. These characters perfectly embarked youth culture and allowed younger audiences to engage with television they could relate to. Given, not everything in this show is relatable I hope. The crazy stunts and slapstick comedy bring together the entertainment factor. Also including the characters’ unique personalities, political outbursts, and musical acts. These being features across both seasons of the programme, each episode would contain one music performance by a band popular to the youth at that time. Examples are Madness and Dexy’s Midnight Runners.
Characters Rik and Neil stand out a mile, both seeming to have the most protruding opinions and morals that differentiate from the others. Rik being the radical anarchist, openly engaging with politics and including throwaway comments and behaviours regarding Thatcher’s Britain. In one scene, having smashed a Tv set showing an obvious version of sensitised young television programmes created by middle-class men. The blunt fourth-wall-breaking humour is genius, not surprising it caused a cult-like following.
Neil, the very 70’s inspired, ‘hippie’, housemate. Whose pacifist values come across to the viewers instantly, is the victim of verbal abuse by the other tenants. The suicidal, self-pitying, and whining attitude is the character not often seen on television and it matches the vibe of the house very well. If you were living with the likes of a metalhead and anarchist, that have nothing better to do than slur and fight each other all day, would you not be the same?
Vyvyan is the punk rocker of the group, he doesn’t seem to know where to stop in the form of violence and vandalism. Mike, the cool guy, was the southern-tongued chap of the house that seemed calm and parented the others. Alexei Sayle performed multiple on-screen characters, all related to one another. Most famously known for his role as landlord, he would misguide the show with his fourth-wall breaks and hilarious bits.
Likewise, it proved to be a success, even encouraged the actors to develop spin-off sitcoms such as Bottom and Filthy Rich, and Catflap. Rik Mayall was the epitome of talent within these sitcoms, films, and stand-up comedy, you could not find a bad performance. The concept of this sitcom was exactly what young people needed to feel sane. Living in a forcefully happy Britain, the young audience being lied to by broadcast Tv with unrealistic lifestyles.
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