The Young Ones

The misadventures of four lunatic students who live in a shared student house. There's Rick, the overblown political one addicted to Cliff Richard, Vyvyan the experimental scientific one/part-time anarchist, Neil the worried hippy, and Mike the ladies' man (at least he is in his mind).

The Young Ones (1982-1984) is a British anarchic comedy sitcom created by Ben Elton, Alexei Sayle, Rik Mayall and Lise Mayer for BBC Two. Across two seasons of twelve half-hour episodes, it follows four lunatic students sharing a squalid rented house: overblown political ranter Rick (Rik Mayall), experimental scientist and part-time anarchist Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson), worried hippy Neil (Nigel Planer), and self-styled ladies' man Mike (Christopher Ryan). Their engine is pure disorder: a broken kitchen, unpaid rent, a landlord they cannot shake, and each other, with every episode escalating into slapstick violence, surreal interruptions and sharp jabs at student politics and pop culture. The format is a sitcom, but its tone is loud, irreverent and frequently absurdist, closer to a sketch show held together by a shared house. Its raw, punk-inflected energy and its taste for breaking the fourth wall place it in the lineage of Monty Python's Flying Circus and Bottom. Fans of anarchic British comedy, alternative comedy and cult surreal sitcoms will find much to enjoy in its chaos.

Acclaimed as a landmark of anarchic British alternative comedy, admired for its manic energy and sharp satire of student life and politics.

• The Mighty Booshanarchic sitcom energy, flatmate chaos, slapstick and satire
• Monty Python's Flying Circussurreal absurdist sketch comedy, anarchic irreverence, British alternative comedy
• Father Tedshared student house setting, flatmate sitcom with abrasive characters, British comedy tradition
• Bottomanarchic punk-inflected comedy, rowdy youthful misbehaviour, subversive satire

Created by

Ben Elton, Alexei Sayle, Rik Mayall, Lise Mayer

Release Date

1982-11-09

Episode runtime

29 min

Rating

8.2 / 10 (159)

What is The Young Ones about?

Four chaotic students share a squalid house in 1980s London and tear one another apart in anarchic, surreal fashion.

What is The Young Ones like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Young Ones as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.

Is The Young Ones violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Young Ones as mild.

What did critics think of The Young Ones?

Acclaimed as a landmark of anarchic British alternative comedy, admired for its manic energy and sharp satire of student life and politics.

Which shows are like The Young Ones?

Shows with a similar feel include The Mighty Boosh, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Father Ted, and Bottom.

How long is The Young Ones?

The Young Ones: 2 seasons, 12 episodes.

Is The Young Ones still running?

No, The Young Ones has ended.

Where can I watch The Young Ones?

In United States, The Young Ones is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.