When The Young Ones first appeared in television I was 12 years old and it felt like a revolution had started. I can't imagine any show before or since having such a huge impact on a generation. Contrary to what others believe I don't think it has dated in the slightest. There is so much about this show that I love I hardly know where to begin.
Others have outlined the context for the show so there's no point going over that. One of the aspects I loved about the show as a kid and still do was the idea that there are bizarre things going on all around us that we aren't aware of. Talking brooms, people living under the ground, men living in basements etc. The Young Ones created a whole strange world around the main events of the central characters and I think that is part of its appeal to kids. There was even an episode where they did a parody of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe which in a strange way fitted perfectly with the show.
Of the four main characters Rik was by far the most interesting and well drawn. The others were rather 2 dimensional caricatures but worked perfectly well in the surreal context of the show. Although I have to say Vivian didn't represent accurately anyone you would have met in the Britain of 1982. Real punks wouldn't have had "Very Metal" written on their back in studs. Vivian is more like a middle-aged persons idea of what a punk would be like. Whether this is because Adrian Edmondson just didn't have enough cultural savvy or it was done deliberately in order to make Vivian seem like an out of touch fool it's not possible to say.
The tragedy of the show though is that Mike was written for Peter Richardson who didn't take the part due to some disagreement. I'm not criticising Christopher Ryan who made the part his own but I would have loved to have seen The Young Ones with Peter Richardson. Due to Christopher Ryan's diminutive stature the character become a rather ironic figure. If Peter Richardson had played the part Mike would have genuinely been the cool person in the house. In the Comic Strip Presents Mr Jolly Lives Next Door, Peter Richardson plays a gangster called Mr Lovebucket. I recommend you watch it if you want an idea of how he would have played Mike. It was also sad for Peter Richardson himself that he didn't take the part. If he had he would have been as famous as Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson who, in my opinion, he is more talented than.
Others have outlined the context for the show so there's no point going over that. One of the aspects I loved about the show as a kid and still do was the idea that there are bizarre things going on all around us that we aren't aware of. Talking brooms, people living under the ground, men living in basements etc. The Young Ones created a whole strange world around the main events of the central characters and I think that is part of its appeal to kids. There was even an episode where they did a parody of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe which in a strange way fitted perfectly with the show.
Of the four main characters Rik was by far the most interesting and well drawn. The others were rather 2 dimensional caricatures but worked perfectly well in the surreal context of the show. Although I have to say Vivian didn't represent accurately anyone you would have met in the Britain of 1982. Real punks wouldn't have had "Very Metal" written on their back in studs. Vivian is more like a middle-aged persons idea of what a punk would be like. Whether this is because Adrian Edmondson just didn't have enough cultural savvy or it was done deliberately in order to make Vivian seem like an out of touch fool it's not possible to say.
The tragedy of the show though is that Mike was written for Peter Richardson who didn't take the part due to some disagreement. I'm not criticising Christopher Ryan who made the part his own but I would have loved to have seen The Young Ones with Peter Richardson. Due to Christopher Ryan's diminutive stature the character become a rather ironic figure. If Peter Richardson had played the part Mike would have genuinely been the cool person in the house. In the Comic Strip Presents Mr Jolly Lives Next Door, Peter Richardson plays a gangster called Mr Lovebucket. I recommend you watch it if you want an idea of how he would have played Mike. It was also sad for Peter Richardson himself that he didn't take the part. If he had he would have been as famous as Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson who, in my opinion, he is more talented than.