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The Young Ones

Where to Watch The Young Ones

6.
Summer Holiday
1998-04-07
Summer is here, exams are over and it's Neil's birthday. With no guests, beer or music, his party is a right-off.

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5.
Sick
1998-04-07
All four Young Ones are ill. Neil's sneezing is so violent, Vyvyan tries an extreme acupuncture cure and triggers a street riot outside.

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4.
Time
1998-04-07
Rik wakes up in bed next to a beautiful girl, but his boast of his sexual conquest is quickly dispelled by Helen herself. While Rik and Vyvyan rampage round the house, the radio announces Helen is an escaped murderess, so she tries to kill them all.

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3.
Nasty
1998-04-07
It's bath night, and Neil is last in the water. Mike and Vyvyan plan to watch a video called 'Nasty' on a rented VCR when the postman delivers a package from South Africa.

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2.
Cash
1998-04-07
The Young Ones are so skint, Neil is told to get a job (Vyvyan can't because he is pregnant). He joins the police force, where he discovers his heavy side.

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1.
Bambi
1998-04-07
When Mike decides it's time to visit the launderette, one of Vyvyan's socks escapes and the machine revolts against their stinking bundle of washing. Neil suddenly remembers they are due to appear on University Challenge.

Watch The Young Ones Season 2 Episode 1 Now

The Young Ones, a British sitcom that aired on BBC from 1982 to 1984, was a revolutionary, genre-bending piece of television that turned the conventional sitcom model on its head. With its unique blend of anarchic energy, brute force physical comedy, slapstick, and surrealism, it was unlike anything that had been seen on TV before. The show was a bold and audacious experiment, a melding of traditional sitcom structures with left-field comedy concepts.

The series revolved around four mismatched university students living together in a grimy house in London. The main cast included Rik Mayall as 'Rik', a wannabe anarchist who was often pompous and self-important; Adrian Edmondson as 'Vyvyan', the violent and destructive punk rocker; Nigel Planer as 'Neil', the perpetually depressed and downtrodden hippie; and Christopher Ryan as 'Mike', the self-proclaimed "cool person" of the house, possessing inscrutable charm and charisma despite obvious tell-tale signs of sleaziness. Alexei Sayle added to the rambunctious atmosphere by playing various characters, including the students' shady landlord 'Jerzei Balowski' and members of his oddball family.

Each half-hour episode of The Young Ones was a whirlwind of outrageous incidents, running gags, extreme character dynamics, and non-sequitur humor. The narrative was often peppered with avant-garde elements such as talking animals or inanimate objects, absurd death sequences, and even unexpected musical performances by popular bands of the era such as Madness and Motorhead.

The Young Ones had a distinctively raw, edgy style that subverted the conventional sitcom aesthetic. The show often felt like a live-action cartoon, with the characters enduring extreme violence and surreal situations that ignored the laws of reality. It was important during the 'alternative comedy' movement in the UK and offered a brash, iconoclastic contrast to the polite, middle-class sitcoms of the period.

The series was created by Rik Mayall, Lise Mayer, and Ben Elton. It was considered groundbreaking for its irreverent tackling of political and social norms. The writers and performers dealt with topics such as Thatcherite Britain, nuclear war paranoia, gender, class, and subculture conflicts, and the disillusionment of youth in a confrontational, unapologetic style. The anarchy and chaos in each episode were not just confined to the narrative and character interactions - the show frequently broke the fourth wall, bemusing and provoking the audience in equal measure.

The show’s episodic structure was non-traditional, allowing for a free-forming narrative that could suddenly veer into unexpected directions at any moment, often descending into anarchic chaos. Characters didn't just argue or banter like in traditional sitcoms - they bickered, squabbled, and even physically fought with each other, often leading to cataclysmic consequences.

Despite a short run of just two seasons and twelve episodes, The Young Ones has had an enduring legacy on the landscape of British comedy. Its influence can be seen in numerous anarchic, genre-pushing comedies that would emerge in the following decades, from Father Ted to The Mighty Boosh. It paved the way for a new wave of comedic talent, displaying a rebellious, 'punk rock' energy that challenged the status quo of television comedy.

The Young Ones is a piece of television history that's as packed with vibrant energy and inspired lunacy today as when it first exploded on the screens in the early 1980s. The show's outrageousness, audacity, and brashness have ensured its enduring appeal, and it remains a landmark series that pushed the boundaries of what a sitcom could be. It's a profound testament to the creative genius of its creators and the innovative power of alternative comedy. For anyone who appreciates television that dares to break rules and tread new ground, The Young Ones is a must-watch.

The Young Ones is a series categorized as a canceled. Spanning 2 seasons with a total of 12 episodes, the show debuted on 1998. The series has earned a mostly positive reviews from both critics and viewers. The IMDb score stands at 8.2.

How to Watch The Young Ones

How can I watch The Young Ones online? The Young Ones is available on BBC America with seasons and full episodes. You can also watch The Young Ones on demand at Apple TV, Amazon, Microsoft Movies & TV, Vudu online.

Genres
Comedy
Channel
BBC America
Rating
8.2/10
Cast
Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle, Christopher Ryan, Rik Mayall