Editing The Young Ones (TV series)

{{Short description|British sitcom (1982–1984)}}
{{about|the British sitcom||The Young Ones (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| image        = The Young Ones.png
| runtime      = approx. 35 minutes
| genre        = {{ubl|[[Sitcom]]|[[Farce]]|[[Slapstick]]}}
| writer       = {{ubl|[[Ben Elton]]|[[Rik Mayall]]|[[Lise Mayer]]|Additional material:|[[Alexei Sayle]]}}
| director     = {{ubl|[[Paul Jackson (producer)|Paul Jackson]]|[[Geoff Posner]]|[[Ed Bye]]}}
| producer     = Paul Jackson
| starring     = {{ubl|[[Adrian Edmondson]]|Rik Mayall|[[Nigel Planer]]|[[Christopher Ryan]]|Alexei Sayle}}
| country      = United Kingdom
| language     = English
| opentheme    = "[[The Young Ones (song)|The Young Ones]]" written by [[Sid Tepper]] and [[Roy C. Bennett]] performed by the cast (originally performed by [[Cliff Richard]] and [[The Shadows]])
| network      = [[BBC2]]
| first_aired  = {{start date|1982|11|9|df=yes}}
| last_aired   = {{end date|1984|6|19|df=yes}}
| num_series   = 2
| num_episodes = 12
}}
'''''The Young Ones''''' is a [[British sitcom]] written by [[Rik Mayall]], [[Ben Elton]], and [[Lise Mayer]], starring [[Adrian Edmondson]], Mayall, [[Nigel Planer]], [[Christopher Ryan]], and [[Alexei Sayle]], and broadcast on [[BBC2]] for two series, first shown in 1982 and 1984. The show focused on the lives of four dissimilar students and their landlord's family on different plots that often included [[Anarchy|anarchic]], offbeat, surreal humour. The show often included slapstick gags, visual humour and surreal jokes sometimes acted out by puppets, with each episode also featuring a notable selection of guest stars and musical numbers from various performers.

''The Young Ones'' helped bring [[alternative comedy]] to British television in the 1980s and made household names of its writers and performers. The show became a notable icon of 1980s British popular culture, and it received its own game and a home-media release while becoming the first non-music-related programme to appear on [[MTV]] in the United States in 1985. The show was voted number 31 in the BBC's [[Britain's Best Sitcom|Best Sitcom]] poll in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk:80/sitcom/top11to100.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102133855/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/top11to100.shtml|title=BBC – Britain's Best Sitcom – Top 11 to 100|date=2 January 2007|archive-date=2 January 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==

In the early 1980s, much of the programme's cast performed on [[London]]'s comedy club circuit, gaining significant popularity at [[Comedy Store, London|The Comedy Store]]<ref name="bbcyoungones"/>—[[Alexei Sayle]] was the prominent act, drawing attention as the manic, aggressive [[Master of ceremonies|compere]]; [[Adrian Edmondson]] and [[Rik Mayall]] worked together in the troupe [[20th Century Coyote]] and later became the double act [[The Dangerous Brothers]]; and [[Nigel Planer]] worked in the double act "The Outer Limits" alongside [[Peter Richardson (actor)|Peter Richardson]].<ref name="Duguid-20">{{cite web|last=Duguid|first=Mark|title=Boom Boom... Out Go the Lights (1980)|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1119413/|work=BFI Screenonline.org|publisher=BFI Screenonline|access-date=20 October 2011}}</ref> All principal members later opted to make their own club as The Comedy Store became popular, and they formed [[The Comic Strip]] in the [[Raymond Revuebar]] club in Soho with [[French and Saunders]] and [[Arnold Brown (comedian)|Arnold Brown]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thecomicstrip/ |title=The Comic Strip Presents... |publisher=BBC |access-date=21 October 2011}}</ref> The new club proved immensely popular amongst London's comedy venues and brought the group to the attention of [[Jeremy Isaacs]], head of the new [[Channel 4]].

Richardson opted to bring the group to television in a project entitled ''[[The Comic Strip Presents...]]'' and began negotiations with the new channel to secure a deal for a series of six self-contained half-hour films, in which the group would perform as comedy actors rather than stand-up performers. Channel 4 agreed to the deal and aired the programme on the channel's opening night on 2 November 1982. In response to this, the BBC opted to recruit the group for their own comedy projects, and they began negotiations with Edmondson, Mayall, Richardson, Planer and Sayle to star in a sitcom that would operate on a similar broadcast arrangement, under the title of ''The Young Ones'', which alludes to and subverts the [[The Young Ones (song)|song of the same name]], written by [[Sid Tepper]] and [[Roy C. Bennett]] and performed by [[Cliff Richard]] and [[The Shadows]], which had become a [[Lists of UK Singles Chart number ones|No. 1 UK hit single]] in 1962. The group agreed to join the project and work proceeded on the sitcom, with Mayall co-writing the scripts with his then girlfriend [[Lise Mayer]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=Monahan|first1=Mark|title=Rik Mayall: his 10 best performances|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/comedy-news/10887340/Rik-Mayall-his-10-best-performances.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/comedy-news/10887340/Rik-Mayall-his-10-best-performances.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=23 September 2017|work=Telegraph|date=9 June 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and [[Ben Elton]] (who had attended the [[Victoria University of Manchester|University of Manchester]] with Mayall and Edmondson). [[Paul Jackson (producer)|Paul Jackson]] was installed as a producer,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/476396/index.html |title=BFI Screenonline: Young Ones, The (1982-84)|website=screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> but his presence led to him clashing with Richardson, forcing the latter to abandon the project.<ref name="Duguid-20" /> As a result, his replacement was Christopher Ryan, the only member of the group who was not a stand-up comedian. According to Jackson, the finished project was met with complete disbelief by the BBC, but the recent arrival of Channel 4 led the broadcaster to air what had been created a week after its opening night, on 9 November.<ref name="thisisexeter rik doctor">{{cite news | url=http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/Rik-jokes-uni-s-terrible-mistake-s-doctor/story-11841390-detail/story.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505070218/http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/Rik-jokes-uni-s-terrible-mistake-s-doctor/story-11841390-detail/story.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 May 2013 | title=Rik jokes about uni's 'terrible mistake' as he's made a doctor | work=thisisexeter.co.uk | date=10 July 2008 | access-date=23 February 2012 | quote=Paul [Jackson] paid tribute [...] "The series was met with complete disbelief when the BBC first saw it, but thanks to the beginning of Channel 4 they decided to air it. [...]" }}</ref>

To help make it stand out, the group opted to combine traditional sitcom style with violent [[slapstick]], [[Non sequitur (absurdism)|non-sequitur]] plot turns, and [[surrealism]]. These older styles were mixed with the [[working class|working]] and lower-middle class attitudes of the growing 1980s alternative comedy boom, in which all the principal performers except Ryan had been involved. In addition, it was also decided that every episode, with the exception of one, would feature a live performance by a band, including [[Madness (band)|Madness]], [[Motörhead]], and [[The Damned (band)|The Damned]]. This was a device used to qualify the series for a larger budget, as variety shows attracted higher fees than comedy at the time.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ham|first1=Robert|title=Ranking The Young Ones' Musical Performances|date=9 February 2016|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/02/ranking-the-young-ones-musical-performances.html|publisher=Paste|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref> Episodes were generally produced to be over 35 minutes long, though were edited to half-hour when later repeated on the [[BBC]] or [[Satellite television|satellite channels]].

==Premise==
The programme focuses on the lives of four undergraduate students who [[Share house|share a house]] in squalid condition (with the fictitious address of 15 Credibility Street), while attending their studies at the fictional Scumbag College, [[University of London|London]].<ref name="bbcyoungones">{{cite web|title=The Young Ones|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theyoungones/|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref>

The content of the episodes could be classified as a [[comedy of manners]],<ref>{{cite web|last1=Macgregor|first1=Jody|title=The Young Ones|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-young-ones-mn0001798941|publisher=All Music|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref> because of its take on British culture, political climate and social backgrounds during the 1980s. A particular example of this is the second series' use of "[[Subliminal message|flash frames]]", in each episode, to mock the public's fear of subliminal messages in television and music.<ref name="flashframe">{{cite web|url=http://www.cborn.nl/YoungOnes/Young%20Ones%20Flashframes.html|title= The Young Ones Flashframe Pictures}}</ref> ''The Young Ones'' was more notable for its use of violent slapstick, which Edmondson and Mayall had been using in their double-act routines, the use of surreal elements such as puppets playing the role of [[talking animal]]s or objects (in a similar manner to ''[[The Goodies (TV series)|The Goodies]]''), use of lengthy [[Cutaway (filmmaking)|cutaways]] with no relation to the episode's plot,<ref>{{cite web|title=Worst to Best. The Young Ones|url=http://www.anorakzone.com/youngonesrank1.html|publisher=Anorak Zone|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref> and frequent breaches of the [[fourth wall]] for comedic efforts, either to break a punchline to a joke or make a plot point obvious; in several occasions, Sayle used this element to break from his character and address the audience in his real-life [[Liverpool|Liverpudlian]] accent.

Rik Mayall once jokingly said that the household was effectively a nuclear family, with Mike as the father, Neil as the mother, Vyvyan as the rebellious son, and Rick (with a pig-tail) as the daughter.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-06-07|title=Check Out These 10 Facts About The Young Ones!|url=https://www.eightieskids.com/you-wont-believe-these-10-incredible-facts-about-the-young-ones/|access-date=2020-12-24|website=Eighties Kids|language=en}}</ref>

===Cast===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Young ones bambi.jpg|right|600px|thumb|Ryan, Mayall, Edmondson and Planer in their respective roles in a scene parodying ''[[University Challenge]]'' {{FFDC|Young ones bambi.jpg|log=2025 April 14}}]] -->
''The Young Ones'' had a regular cast of five:
* [[Adrian Edmondson]] as Vyvyan "Vyv" Basterd, a heavy metal fan and medical student; [[Psychopathy|psychopathic]], [[Borderline personality disorder|sociopathic]], [[Sadistic personality disorder|sadist]]ic, and [[Misanthropy|misanthropic]]. Vyv was mostly violent and unruly, respecting Mike and tending to pick on his fellow students Rick and Neil, primarily focusing on antagonising the former to the point that they are virtually inseparable. Vyvyan owned both a talking [[Glasgow|Glaswegian]] [[hamster]] named [[Special Patrol Group]] ("SPG" for short), who is subjected to Vyvyan's extreme violence, and a yellow [[Ford Anglia]] with red flames painted along the sides and "Vyv" written across the back window.
* [[Rik Mayall]] as Rick, studying sociology and/or [[Home economics|domestic sciences]] (depending on the episode); [[Hypocrisy|hypocritical]], [[Political radicalism|radical]], [[Narcissism|attention-seeking]], and a self-proclaimed [[Anarchy|anarchist]]. Rick is mostly critical towards the others, often insulting Neil but also occasionally Vyvyan (despite Vyvyan's violent retaliation to criticism). He proclaimed himself as a [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]] and an avid fan of [[Cliff Richard]], while constantly adapting himself to different political beliefs, depending on how they will benefit him in a particular situation, despite displaying little understanding of them. According to Ben Elton, Mayall's character was influenced by the "try-hard wanna-be Leftie" typically found on university campuses.
* [[Nigel Planer]] as Neil Pye, a [[Peace Studies|peace studies]] student; a [[Melancholia|morose]], [[Pessimism|pessimistic]] [[hippie]] with [[Pacifism|pacifist]] leanings. Neil often wound up having to do all the chores around the house, while the other three students barely acknowledged his presence unless they could blame him for something going wrong.
* [[Christopher Ryan]] as Mike the Cool Person, an unscrupulous student; cool, well-dressed, and generally respected. Mike was the [[straight man]] and nominal leader of the group. He often conducted profitable business to benefit himself to the detriment of others, but also to keep the others calm during unforeseen issues or situations. It was implied that he held on to his student status through blackmailing the university's senior staff.
* [[Alexei Sayle]] as various eccentric supporting characters, mostly the students' landlord Jerzei (Jeremy) Balowski and his family. Jerzei himself was a faux-Russian in that he mainly used a Russian accent to sound "more sophisticated".

Alongside the main cast, the programme also featured a variety of guest appearances, including comedians, actors, and singers, who each took on the role of a supporting character in an episode's plot or cutaway elements. Notable guests on the programme included Ben Elton, [[Dawn French]], [[Jennifer Saunders]], [[Hale and Pace]], [[Stephen Fry]], [[Hugh Laurie]], [[Mark Arden]], [[Stephen Frost]], [[Jools Holland]], [[Mel Smith]], [[Griff Rhys Jones]], [[Anthony Sharp]], [[Terry Jones]], [[Chris Barrie]], [[Helen Lederer]], [[Keith Allen (actor)|Keith Allen]], [[Paul Merton]], [[Paul Bradley (English actor)|Paul Bradley]], [[Pauline Melville]], [[Tamsin Heatley]], [[Ronnie Golden]], [[Roger Sloman]], [[Lee Cornes]], [[Helen Atkinson Wood]], [[Norman Lovett]], [[Lenny Henry]], [[David Rappaport]], [[Robbie Coltrane]], [[Tony Robinson]], [[Andy De La Tour]] and [[Emma Thompson]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Quirk|first1=Justin|title=Shut up you hippy!|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2007/oct/20/comedy.television|access-date=23 September 2017|work=Guardian|date=20 October 2007}}</ref>

==International broadcast==

In the United States, ''The Young Ones'' started airing on MTV (edited for content) on 5 June 1985.<ref>{{cite web|title=MTV 30th Birthday|url=http://www.mtvpress.com/shows/mtv_30th_birthday|work=MTV Press|access-date=25 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925230928/http://mtvpress.com/shows/mtv_30th_birthday|archive-date=25 September 2011}}</ref> The show also ran on [[PBS]], [[USA Network]]'s [[Night Flight (TV series)|Night Flight]], [[Comedy Central]] in 1994, and BBC America in the early 2000s.

In New Zealand, the show premiered late at night on 23 August 1985, after [[TVNZ]] purchased the broadcast rights.

In the Netherlands, the show was aired in 1985 by public broadcaster [[VPRO]].

In the [[Basque Country (greater region)|Basque Country]], public broadcaster [[EITB|ETB1]] began airing the show in 1985 in [[Basque language]] with the name ''[[:eu:Gazteak (telesaila)|Gazteak]]'' (''The Young Ones'') with great success among Basque younger audiences.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zVNDW41-a8 ''Gazteak'', ETB, Youtube.com] {{in lang|eu}}</ref>

In [[Catalonia]], public broadcaster [[TV3 (Catalan TV channel)|TV3]] began airing the show in February 1986 on a Sunday evening slot. The show became very popular and got several re-runs in successive years. In 2016, Nigel Planer appeared in a show involving foreign travellers visiting Catalonia. One of the characteristics of the Catalan dubbing is that Vyvyan speaks with a thick Catalan rural accent, totally opposed to his urban environment in the series.

In [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]] it was shown on regional channel [[Televisión de Galicia|TVG]] with great success among younger audiences.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mejor "Os Novos" que "The Young Ones"|url=https://blogs.lavozdegalicia.es/javierbecerra/2013/02/08/mejor-os-novos-que-the-young-ones/|work=[[La Voz de Galicia]]|date=8 February 2013|access-date=20 February 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326121921/https://blogs.lavozdegalicia.es/javierbecerra/2013/02/08/mejor-os-novos-que-the-young-ones/|archive-date=26 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=A TVG recupera a "mítica" serie da BBC 'Os Novos' para a súa temporada de outono-inverno|url=https://www.europapress.es/galicia/noticia-tvg-recupera-mitica-serie-da-bbc-os-novos-sua-temporada-outono-inverno-20060818181722.html|work=[[Europa Press (news agency)|Europa Press]]|date=18 August 2006|access-date=20 February 2024}}</ref>

In Sweden it was called [[:sv:Hemma värst|Hemma värst]] and was first broadcast in October 1985 by the public broadcaster [[Sveriges Television]].

==Music==
The series' opening theme song featured the cast singing Cliff Richard and The Shadows's UK No. 1 song "The Young Ones" (1961), the title song from the [[The Young Ones (1961 film)|film of the same name]]. Throughout the series there are many references to Richard, as Mayall's character is a devout fan.<ref name=giuffre>{{cite book|last1=Giuffre|first1=Liz|last2=Hayward|first2=Philip|title=Music in Comedy Television: Notes on Laughs|date=2017|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9781317273578|page=63|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IUAlDwAAQBAJ&q=The+Young+Ones+TV+series+comedy+manners&pg=PA63}}</ref>

The theme over the end credits was written by [[Peter Brewis]], who also created the [[incidental music]] on many episodes.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Young Ones (1982–1984) Full Cast & Crew|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083505/fullcredits/|publisher=IMDB|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref>

In 1984, after the second series, Planer (in character as Neil) reached No. 2 in the UK charts with a version of [[Traffic (band)|Traffic]]'s "[[Hole in My Shoe]]". The accompanying ''[[Neil's Heavy Concept Album]]'', a loose collection of songs and spoken comedy, included appearances by ''The Young Ones'' alumni Dawn French and Stephen Fry.<ref name="nightflight">{{cite web|last1=Heuck|first1=Marc Edward|title="The Young Ones": The '80s British sitcom helped define the MTV generation's sense of humor|url=http://nightflight.com/the-young-ones-the-80s-british-sitcom-helped-define-the-mtv-generations-sense-of-humor/|publisher=Nightflight|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref>

In 1986 the cast sang "[[Living Doll (song)|Living Doll]]" with Cliff Richard and [[Hank Marvin]] for [[Comic Relief]]. The song, a reworking of his 1959 hit, reached the top of the UK, Australian, and New Zealand Charts.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Davis|first1=Sharon|title=80s Chart-Toppers: Every Chart-Topper Tells a Story|date=2012|publisher=Random House|isbn=9781780574110|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v_IyT35pJCgC&q=The+Young+Ones+TV+series+Living+Doll+chart&pg=PT351}}</ref>

Eleven of the twelve episodes had a musical guest performing in the house or street. By including the groups, the show qualified as variety rather than [[light entertainment]] by the BBC and was allocated a bigger budget than a sitcom. Groups that appeared included [[Amazulu (band)|Amazulu]], [[Ronnie Golden]], [[Dexys Midnight Runners]], [[Motörhead]], [[The Damned (band)|The Damned]], [[Nine Below Zero]], [[Rip Rig + Panic]], Ken Bishops Nice Twelve, Radical Posture, [[John Otway]] and [[Madness (band)|Madness]], who appeared in two episodes. The one episode that featured no musical act still fulfilled the variety criteria by including a [[lion tamer]] whose presence also directly contributed to the plot.<ref name=giuffre/>

Some of these performances were omitted from DVD release for [[copyright]] reasons. Some musical acts were also edited out for similar reasons on some satellite reruns. On the 2007 DVD release, all the music acts are restored uncut.

==The fifth housemate==
In the first six episodes of the series, a person whose face is covered by hair appears in the background of some scenes, such as to the left when Neil gets hit by Vyvyan with a kettle in "[[Bomb (The Young Ones)|Bomb]]". In the episode Demolition, the person appears slumped against the back wall when Rick is watching TV. These rumours of a mysterious fifth housemate have been the subject of fan speculation on the internet. In 2016 journalist Peter Farquhar sent members of the cast and crew email enquiries about this unnamed character. Writer Ben Elton replied, saying "I have no idea what you are talking about I'm afraid..." By contrast, one of the directors of the series, Geoff Posner, said that he and Paul Jackson "thought it would be fun to have some ghostly figure in the background of some scenes that was never explained or talked about..."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/there-was-a-fifth-housemate-lurking-in-the-young-ones-and-hardly-anyone-knew-about-it-2016-6|title=There was a creepy fifth housemate lurking in cult TV show The Young Ones — and hardly anyone noticed|first=Peter|last=Farquhar|website=[[Business Insider]] |date=18 June 2016}}</ref>

During an event at the Bristol Slapstick Festival 2018, Adrian Edmondson was asked about the fifth housemate during an audience question session, and named the person playing the 'fifth housemate' as his university friend Mark Dewison. Mark also played a speaking role as Neil's friend (also called 'Neil') during series one episode "Interesting". He emerges from Vyvyan's full vacuum cleaner bag and ends up being shoved into the fridge by Rick. However, Dewison and the fifth housemate appear together in the same shot towards the end of the episode. In a documentary, ''How the Young Ones Changed Comedy'', that aired in 2018 on [[Gold (UK TV channel)|Gold]], series co-writer Lise Mayer said she believed the housemate had arrived to a party at the student house at some point in the past, and had never left.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://gold.uktv.co.uk/shows/how-young-ones-changed-comedy/ | title=How The Young Ones Changed Comedy | publisher=Gold.UKTV, producer Sean Doherty | date=28 May 2018}}</ref>

==Filming locations==
Although the series was set in [[north London]], many external scenes were filmed in [[Bristol]], namely the suburb of [[Bishopston, Bristol|Bishopston]], where the student house is situated at the top of Codrington Road. Other locations include the Fascist Pig Bank, the Launderette and the Army Careers Office, all around the corner on Gloucester Road. The pub in which Vyvyan's mum works, the Kebab and Calculator in the series, was the Cock of the North (since renamed the Westbury Park Tavern) in Northumbria Drive, Bristol.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Young Ones walk in Bristol|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/newsid_7683000/7683587.stm|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 September 2017|date=2008-10-22}}</ref> A brief scene in a pharmacy was filmed outside GK Chemists, later taken over by Lloyds Pharmacy, in St Johns Lane, Bedminster. The shop was renamed "OK Chemists" for the scene, in which Mike goes to buy cough medicine, but orders £180 worth of [[Durex]] condoms instead—"Force of habit".

==Reception==
As of 2024, Rotten Tomatoes reports five positive reviews.<ref>Rotten Tomatoes. The Young Ones. [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_young_ones/s01 Season 1] and [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_young_ones/s02 Season 2].</ref> The series was also praised by [[Ian Hislop]].<ref>Ian Hislop, "The lure of surreal squalor" in "Private View", [[The Financial Times]], 18 May 1985, Weekend FT, 18 May 1985, p XVIII.</ref>

==Legacy==
The end of the series was not the last appearance of ''The Young Ones''. For the British charity television appeal Comic Relief, the four recorded a song and video for Cliff Richard's "Living Doll", accompanied by Richard and Shadows guitarist [[Hank B. Marvin]]. Alexei Sayle was not involved, as he felt collaborating with Richard was against the [[alternative comedy|alternative]] ethos of the show, but had already achieved chart success in 1984 with "[['Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?]]".

In 1984, Planer released an album of music and skits in character as Neil, entitled ''Neil's Heavy Concept Album''. Musical direction was by [[Canterbury scene]] keyboardist [[Dave Stewart (musician, born 1950)|Dave Stewart]]. It featured Stewart's alums [[Barbara Gaskin]], [[Jakko Jakszyk]], [[Pip Pyle]], [[Gavin Harrison]], [[Jimmy Hastings]] and Rick Biddulph. "Hole in My Shoe", a single taken from the LP, reached number 2. [[Soulwax]] used "Hello Vegetables" to kick off their Radio Soulwax mix "Introversy."<ref>{{cite web|title=Neil's Heavy Concept Album|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/neils-heavy-concept-album-mw0000847135|publisher=All Music|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref>

The program became a cult hit in the United States after [[MTV]] began broadcasting edited versions of the episodes during the summer of 1985. [[Conan O'Brien]] cited the show as one of his influences during a Q&A at the [[Oxford Union]].

At the 1986 Comic Relief stage shows, The Young Ones performed "Living Doll" live (following a short skit which involved Rick doing a comic song about showing his underwear and bodily parts, before being ejected from the group by Mike, and Vyvyan supposedly having backstage sex with [[Kate Bush]] with Neil as his [[contraceptive]]). The skit climaxed with Neil claiming Cliff Richard could not perform with them as he was "doing time" (the [[Time (musical)|musical Time]] was premiering the following week) and [[John Craven]] had been booked as a replacement, only for Cliff to then appear. However he was only available to appear on the second night of the run, with [[Bob Geldof]] replacing him on the other two nights.<ref name="Comic Relief 1986">{{cite web|url=http://sotcaa.org/pressarchive/comicrelief.html|title=Comic Relief 1986 |publisher=Comic Relief |access-date=11 June 2014}}</ref>

On one occasion, Edmondson, Mayall and Planer as their "Young Ones" characters did a parody of the song "[[My Generation]]" by [[The Who]].

Mayall, Planer, and Edmondson reunited in 1986 for the Elton-written ''[[Filthy Rich & Catflap]]''. The series had many of the same characteristics as ''The Young Ones'' as did Mayall and Edmondson's next sitcom ''[[Bottom (TV series)|Bottom]]''. Ryan, for his part, was regularly recruited to play roles on associated series (such as ''[[Happy Families (1985 TV series)|Happy Families]]'', ''Bottom'' and ''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]''). Mayall, Edmondson and Planer have also appeared in episodes of ''[[Blackadder]]''.

Both series were repeated consecutively over twelve weeks in early 1985, but went unrepeated for four years, when the second series was shown on BBC2. In the mid-1990s all twelve episodes of ''The Young Ones'' were shown on BBC2 in a 30-minute revised format, missing scenes and dialogue. The series was also shown on digital channel UK Gold throughout the 1990s. A mix of both the edited and unedited versions was shown in the 2000s (decade) on [[Dave (TV channel)|UKTV G2]] and [[Paramount Comedy 1]].

DVD releases were initially very basic: Only the US "Every Stoopid Episode" edition featured excerpts from existing documentaries, and no extra footage was included. Musical references proved difficult to clear so "[[The Sounds of Silence]]" (one line) and "[[Subterranean Homesick Blues]]" were excised from the US editions. A new DVD release of all episodes ("Extra Stoopid Edition") was launched in November 2007, containing new documentaries and two commentary tracks. This edition restores the line from "The Sounds of Silence" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues". The music video "Living Doll" featuring Cliff Richard has not been included on any edition, and neither is the live performance done for comic relief in 1986.<ref name="Comic Relief 1986"/>

==American pilot episode==
A pilot episode was filmed of an American version of ''The Young Ones'', titled ''[[Oh, No! Not THEM!]]''. It featured Planer as Neil and [[Jackie Earle Haley]],<ref name="Holly Powell Studios">{{cite web |url=http://www.hollypowellstudios.com/credits.html |title=Pilots & Series |work=Hollypowellstudios.com |access-date=21 October 2011}}</ref> and had a [[Clay animation|claymation]] opening credit sequence. The [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network did not pick up the series. It was produced by [[David Mirkin]].<ref name="Holly Powell Studios"/>

[[Robert Llewellyn]] wrote in his book ''The Man in the Rubber Mask'' (1994):

{{blockquote|''The Young Ones'' was taken over the Atlantic in the mid eighties, and Nigel [Planer] was the only member of the British cast to go. He had experienced a fairly hideous time, worried sick that he was going to have to stay there for six years with a group of people he hated who managed to make ''The Young Ones'' into a sort of grubby ''[[Benny Hill Show]]''. He was hugely relieved when the pilot was a flop and he was released from his contract.}}

==Links to other shows==
{{Trivia|section|date=February 2024}}
In the episode "[[Bambi (The Young Ones)|Bambi]]", the housemates appeared on ''[[University Challenge]]'', where they played against Footlights College, [[Oxbridge]], a reference to the [[Footlights]] drama club at [[Cambridge University]]. The Footlights College team was played by show writer Ben Elton and three actors who were once members of the real Cambridge Footlights: Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, the last of whom had actually appeared on the quiz show while at Cambridge. The episode title is a reference to the show's presenter, [[Bamber Gascoigne]], impersonated by Griff Rhys Jones.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bambi|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074qw4|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref>

In the episode "[[Sick (The Young Ones)|Sick]]", the quartet enter a scenario parodying ''[[The Good Life (1975 TV series)|The Good Life]]'', after Neil's mother says the sitcom should be more like ''The Good Life'' and Vyvyan has an outburst against it, saying, "It's so bloody nice! [[Felicity Kendal|Felicity 'Treacle' Kendal]] and [[Richard Briers|Richard 'Sugar-Flavoured Snot' Briers]]! What do they do now?! Chocolate-bloody-button ads, that's what! They're nothing but a couple of reactionary stereotypes, confirming the myth that everyone in Britain is a lovable middle-class eccentric. And I! Hate! Them!"<ref name="Observer 3 March 2013">{{cite news | title= Grieve for The Good Life? Not this Young One |url= https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/mar/03/the-good-life-the-young-ones| last= Logan | first= Brian | date= 3 March 2013| work= [[The Observer]] |publisher= [[Guardian Media Group]]| access-date= 30 April 2018 }}</ref>

Mayall and Edmondson elaborated on some of the series' concepts later in their sitcoms ''Filthy Rich & Catflap'' (written by Elton, with additional material by Mayall) and ''Bottom'' (written by Mayall and Edmondson. Christopher Ryan also appeared as Dave Hedgehog).

Most of the regular cast (and several of the guests) also appeared in Channel 4 and [[BBC2]]'s ''[[The Comic Strip Presents]]'' comedy shows. All four main actors went on to gain reputations as both dramatic and comic actors.

In 1988, while playing main character [[Alan B'Stard]] during a brief skit of his political sitcom ''[[The New Statesman (1987 TV series)|The New Statesman]]'' on the BBC's Comic Relief telethon, Mayall switched characters to become Rick again and deliver a brief lustful turn to camera on the subject of "Cecil Parkinson and a whip". In the same year, Planer and Edmondson revived the characters of Neil and Vyvyan, albeit grown up and wearing standard clothes, in an advert for [[Friends Provident]].

Planer played an older Neil on an in-house BBC promotion for the international channel [[BBC Knowledge]] ("I haven't got a TV, I used it for firewood") in 1999 and a commercial for [[Castrol]] a year later.

In 1990, [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] puppet series ''[[Spitting Image]]'' made reference to ''The Young Ones'' when four members of the [[Margaret Thatcher]] cabinet reminisced about their younger days, with all four playing one ''Young Ones'' character each: [[Cecil Parkinson]] as Mike, [[Douglas Hurd]] as Vyvyan, [[Michael Heseltine]] as Rick and [[Geoffrey Howe]] as Neil.

The 2006 ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' episode "[[SpongeBob SquarePants (season 4)|Chimps Ahoy]]" featured Mayall, Ryan and Planer as guest stars, playing a trio of [[chimpanzee]]s who come to inspect the progress [[Sandy Cheeks]] has made with her inventions.

==Episodes==
When originally broadcast, episodes were shown on BBC2 Tuesdays at 9&nbsp;pm.

===Series 1 (1982)===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:90%;
|-
! {{abbr|Ep|Episode number by series}} !! Title !! Musical performance !! Original air date
!Director!! Ratings<br />(millions) !! Chart<br />(BBC2 Top Ten)
|-
| 1 || [[Demolition (The Young Ones)|Demolition]] || [[Nine Below Zero]]<br /><small>performing "11+11"</small> || {{Start date|1982|11|9|df=y}}
| rowspan="2" |Paul Jackson|| rowspan="4" | N/A || rowspan="4" | Did not chart {{citation needed|date=October 2021}}
|-
| 2 || [[Oil (The Young Ones)|Oil]] || [[Ronnie Golden]]<br /><small>performing "Coo Coo Daddy Long Legs"</small><br />Radical Posture (with [[Alexei Sayle]])<br /><small>performing "Dr. Martens Boots"</small> || {{Start date|1982|11|16|df=y}}
|-
| 3 || [[Boring (The Young Ones)|Boring]] || [[Madness (band)|Madness]]<br /><small>performing "[[House of Fun]]"</small> || {{Start date|1982|11|23|df=y}}
| rowspan="2" |Geoff Posner
|-
| 4 || [[Bomb (The Young Ones)|Bomb]] || [[Dexys Midnight Runners]]<br /><small>performing "[[Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)|Jackie Wilson Said]]"</small> || {{Start date|1982|11|30|df=y}}
|-
| 5 || Interesting || [[Rip Rig + Panic]] (with [[Andi Oliver|Andrea Oliver]])<br /><small>performing "You're My Kind of Climate"</small> || {{Start date|1982|12|7|df=y}}
| rowspan="2" |Paul Jackson|| 3.55 <ref name="Interesting Ratings">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19830602/129/0018 |via=British Newspaper Archive|title= BARB Ratings |work=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>|| Joint 6th
|-
| 6 || [[Flood (The Young Ones)|Flood]] || No musical performance, but a [[lion tamer]] does perform to the song "[[The Lion Sleeps Tonight]]" by [[Tight Fit]] || {{Start date|1982|12|14|df=y}}|| 3.3 || 6
|}

===Series 2 (1984)===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:90%;
|-
! {{abbr|Ep|Episode number by series}} !! Title !! Musical performance !! Original air date
!Director(s)!! Ratings<br />(millions) !! Chart<br />(BBC2 Top Ten)
|-
| 1 || [[Bambi (The Young Ones)|Bambi]] || [[Motörhead]]<br /><small>performing "[[Ace of Spades (song)|Ace of Spades]]"</small>|| {{Start date|1984|5|8|df=y}}
| rowspan="5" |Paul Jackson|| 4.35 || 3
|-
| 2 || [[Cash (The Young Ones)|Cash]] || Ken Bishop's Nice Twelve<br /><small>performing "[[Subterranean Homesick Blues]]"</small><br />Alexei Sayle<br /><small>performing "Stupid Noises"</small> || {{Start date|1984|5|15|df=y}}|| 4.9 || rowspan="4" | 2
|-
| 3 || [[Nasty (The Young Ones)|Nasty]] || [[The Damned (band)|The Damned]]<br /><small>performing "Nasty"</small> || {{Start date|1984|5|29|df=y}}|| 4.05 
|-
| 4 || [[Time (The Young Ones)|Time]] || [[Amazulu (band)|Amazulu]]<br /><small>performing "Moonlight Romance"</small> || {{Start date|1984|6|5|df=y}}|| 5.0 
|-
| 5 || [[Sick (The Young Ones)|Sick]] || [[Madness (band)|Madness]]<br /><small>performing "[[Our House (Madness song)|Our House]]"</small> || {{Start date|1984|6|12|df=y}}|| 5.05 
|-
| 6 || [[Summer Holiday (The Young Ones)|Summer Holiday]] || [[John Otway]]<br /><small>performing "Body Talk"</small> || {{Start date|1984|6|19|df=y}}
|Paul Jackson
Ed Bye
| 4.2 || 3
|}

==Repeats==
The series achieved a larger audience through 1980s repeat screenings than it did on first run. Repeats of the programme in the 1990s, when the series was considerably older and less topical, fared less well. As Bambi was also screened during a BBC1 Comic Relief evening (not included below), it was the most-repeated episode, with six repeat screenings from 1985 to 1999. The repeat details of the series up to 2000 were as follows:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Date !! Episode !! Viewers (millions) !! Chart (BBC2 Top Ten)
|-
| {{Start date|1983|5|5|df=y}} <ref name="Repeat Dates">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/be458e914f164a2a9503baebff5c6206 |title=BBC Genome |date=5 May 1983 |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>|| Demolition || N/A || Did Not Chart <ref name="Did Not Chart #1">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19830519/173/0020 |via=British Newspaper Archive|title= Stage Magazine|access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
| {{Start date|1983|5|12|df=y}} || Oil || 2.50 || 10
|-
| {{Start date|1983|5|19|df=y}} || Bomb  || 3.90 || 6
|-
| {{Start date|1983|5|26|df=y}} || Boring || N/A || Did Not Chart
|-
| {{Start date|1983|6|2|df=y}} || Interesting || 3.60 || 4
|-
| {{Start date|1983|6|9|df=y}} || Flood || N/A || Did Not Chart <ref name="Did Not Chart #3">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19830623/146/0018 |via=British Newspaper Archive|title= BARB Ratings |work=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
|{{Start date|1985|3|18|df=y}}|| Demolition || 5.90 || 1 <ref name="Third Repeat Ratings: Demolition">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19850404/124/0018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
|{{Start date|1985|3|25|df=y}}|| Oil || 5.65 || 3 <ref name="Third Repeat Ratings: Oil">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19850418/127/0018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
|{{Start date|1985|4|1|df=y}}|| Bomb || 5.35 || 5 <ref name="Third Repeat Ratings: Bomb">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19850425/146/0026 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
|{{Start date|1985|4|15|df=y}}|| Boring || 5.70 || 7 <ref name="Third Repeat Ratings: Interesting">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19850509/103/0016 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
|{{Start date|1985|4|22|df=y}}|| Interesting || 6.50 || 6  <ref name="Third Repeat Ratings: Interesting"/>
|-
|{{Start date|1985|5|13|df=y}}|| Flood || 4.80 || 1 <ref name="Third Repeat Ratings: Flood">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19850516/134/0019 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
|{{Start date|1985|4|29|df=y}} <ref name="Repeat Dates Series 2">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c241050c5d144e8da1c93310ccc1ea83 |title=BBC Genome |date=13 May 1985 |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref> || Bambi || 4.30 || 2 <ref name="Repeat Ratings: Bambi">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19850530/107/0018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
|{{Start date|1985|5|20|df=y}} || Cash || 6.05 || 1
|-
| {{Start date|1985|6|10|df=y}} || Nasty || 5.90 || 3 <ref name="Repeat Ratings: Nasty">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19850627/142/0021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
| {{Start date|1985|6|17|df=y}} || Sick || 6.0 || 2
|-
| {{Start date|1985|6|24|df=y}} <ref name="Time Repeat Date">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c951a0f0ddec4675827954648661ea0e|title=BBC Genome |date=24 June 1985 |access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref> || Time || N/A || N/A
|-
| {{Start date|1985|7|1|df=y}} || Summer Holiday || 6.45 || 3
|-
| {{Start date|1989|4|29|df=y}} <ref name="Time Second Repeat Date">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ebd755d7d0304ce4906a222b0096f175|title=BBC Genome |date=29 April 1989 |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref> || Time || 5.40 || 3.<ref name="Second Repeat Ratings: Time">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19890511/126/0023 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
| {{Start date|1989|8|29|df=y}} <ref name="Series 2 Second Repeat Date">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0fb76c63df5c4f58ac434595ba561804|title=BBC Genome |date=29 August 1989 |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref> || Bambi || N/A || N/A
|-
| {{Start date|1989|9|5|df=y}} || Cash || 4.94 || 2 <ref name="Second Repeat Ratings: Cash">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19890921/145/0023 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
| {{Start date|1989|9|12|df=y}} || Nasty || 4.94 || 2 <ref name="Second Repeat Ratings: Nasty">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19890928/113/0021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
| {{Start date|1989|9|19|df=y}} || Sick || 4.8 || 2
|-
| {{Start date|1989|9|26|df=y}} || Summer Holiday || N/A || N/A
|-
| {{Start date|1995|8|20|df=y}}<ref name="Demolition 1995 Repeat Date">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/36049bf838e84ea89bc17c99e9a2b431 |title=BBC Genome |date=20 August 1995 |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref> || Demolition || 2.66 || 9* <ref name="Demolition 1995 ratings">{{cite web |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001637/19950907/156/0027 |via=British Newspaper Archive |title=Stage Magazine |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref>
|-
| {{Start date|1995|9|16|df=y}} || Oil  ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|9|23|df=y}} || Boring  ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|9|30|df=y}} || Bomb  ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|11|16|df=y}} || Interesting  ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|11|23|df=y}} || Flood <ref name="Flood 1995 Repeat Date">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl97/1995/11/23 |title=BBC |publisher=BBC Listings |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref> ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|11|30|df=y}} || Bambi ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|12|7|df=y}} || Cash ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|12|14|df=y}} || Nasty <ref name="Nasty 1995 Repeat Date">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/52347b2a7b2f426c8f9bc9358412238f |title=BBC Genome |date=14 December 1995 |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref> ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|12|21|df=y}} || Sick  ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1995|12|30|df=y}} || Time ||  ||
|-
| {{Start date|1997|7|25|df=y}} || Sick <ref name="Sick 1997 Repeat Date">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/daf7177ee38140988e86b33e21536110 |title=BBC Genome |date=25 July 1997 |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref> || N/A || Did not chart
|-
| {{Start date|1998|9|4|df=y}} || Bambi <ref name="Bambi 1998 Repeat Date">{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c9d1025bc0fe444f9dfb504c241e295a |title=BBC Genome |date=4 September 1998 |access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref>  || 3.16 || 5
|-
| {{Start date|1999|1|1|df=y}} || Demolition || 2.93 || 21
|-
| {{Start date|1999|1|29|df=y}}|| Oil || 2.95 || 10 <ref name="Demolition 1995 ratings"/>
|-
| {{Start date|1999|1|15|df=y}} || Boring  || N/A || Did not chart in Top 30
|-
| {{Start date|1999|1|22|df=y}} || Bomb || 2.49 || 30
|-
| {{Start date|1999|1|29|df=y}} || Interesting || 2.93 || 21
|-
| {{Start date|1999|2|5|df=y}} || Flood || N/A || Did not chart in Top 30
|-
| {{Start date|1999|2|12|df=y}} || Bambi || 2.53 || 24
|-
| {{Start date|1999|2|19|df=y}} || Cash || 2.55 || 25
|-
| {{Start date|1999|2|26|df=y}} || Nasty || 2.55 || 23
|-
| {{Start date|1999|3|5|df=y}} || Time || 2.86 || 23
|-
| {{Start date|1999|3|19|df=y}} || Sick || 2.33 || 23
|-
| {{Start date|1999|3|26|df=y}} || Summer Holiday || 2.34 || 23 <ref name="Summer Holiday 1999 ratings">{{cite web |url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-30|title=BARB Ratings |access-date=28 February 2021}}</ref>
|}
* Joint chart placing.

==Home media==
Both series of ''The Young Ones'' have both been released on DVD individually and in a special edition boxset in both regions 2 and 4. Region 1 has two boxsets, one with certain sequences removed due to licensing issues, the other uncut. The entire series is also available for download on [[iTunes]]. The series was released on Blu-ray on 28 November 2022 in region B.<ref>{{Citation |title=The Young Ones: The Complete Collection Blu-ray |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=31550 |access-date=2022-10-26}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
!colspan="2" rowspan="2"|DVD Title
!rowspan="2"|No. of Discs
!rowspan="2"|Year
!rowspan="2"|Episodes
!colspan="3"|DVD release
|-
!Region 1
!Region 2
!Region 4
|- In Quembia, Cartoon Network aired it in 1994 as part of their live action event. The episodes aired were "Bambi" and "Oil". The other 10 episodes aired on G6 in 1985.
| bgcolor="#1E90FF"|
| '''Complete Series 1'''
| 1
| 1982
| 6
| —
| 5 August 2002
| 29 August 2002
|-
| bgcolor="#FF5F5F"|
| '''Complete Series 2'''
| 1
| 1984
| 6
| —
| 18 August 2003
| 1 October 2003
|-
| bgcolor="green"|
| '''Complete Series 1 & 2'''<br /><small>"Every Stoopid Episode"</small>
| 3
| 1982 & 1984
| 12
| 17 September 2002
| —
| —
|-
| bgcolor="#FF0000"|
| align="center"| '''Complete Series 1 & 2'''<br /><small>"Extra Stoopid Edition"</small>
| 3
| 1982 & 1984
| 12
| 13 November 2007
| 29 October 2007
| 7 November 2007
|}

The original VHS releases were in a set of 4, each tape containing 3 episodes. The Series 1 and 2 DVDs are rated 15 and three of the VHS releases were rated PG. There were also complete series 1 and complete series 2 VHS releases.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buy The Young Ones|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00glhzn/products|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 September 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928133210/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00glhzn/products|archive-date=28 September 2016}}</ref>
In March 2022 the series was added to [[BBC iPlayer]]. The episodes are the 30-minute '90s edits.
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b00glhzn/the-young-ones?seriesId=b00glhzz|title = The Young Ones}}</ref>

==Video game==
{{main|The Young Ones (video game)}}
''The Young Ones'' is a 1986 video game based on the British comedy television series of the same name.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Young Ones|url=https://www.giantbomb.com/the-young-ones/3030-33650/|publisher=Giant Bomb|access-date=23 September 2017}}</ref>

The game takes place in the students' home. The player can choose to play as either Mike, Neil, Vyvyan or Rick to explore the house and enter different rooms. The other characters become computer-controlled players. All characters can move around the house, pick up and drop objects, as well as break and fix things. The characters often talk, giving the player clues as to what the character is intended to do.
The aim of the game is to try and move out of the house with all the character's belongings in the shortest time possible. This is not so easy, because these possessions are typically not in their preferred condition, or are hidden around the house, and players need various tools to get to them. The other characters will move around the house, behaving in-character, occasionally moving around or further damaging the possessions—making the task harder.

The game was published by Orpheus Software, based in Hatley St George in Bedfordshire. The Young Ones characters were licensed from the owners of the BBC TV series, Rik Mayall, Ben Elton and Lise Mayer.

Due to difficulty in licensing the original series music from the BBC, an alternative music sound track was commissioned to sound similar to the original theme. Over 10,000 copies of the game were sold, mainly through Boots stores, Woolworths, and independent computer stores. Due to obscure bugs in the software, it was impossible to solve the game, although few users realised this at the time. Orpheus ceased trading before the problems could be remedied.

==Other media==
* {{ cite book | isbn = 978-0-7221-5765-7 | title = Bachelor Boys: The Young Ones Book | author = [[Ben Elton]], [[Rik Mayall]] and [[Lise Mayer]] |year=1984 | publisher = Sphere Books ltd }}
* {{ cite book | isbn = 978-0-9075-1642-2  | title = Neil's Book of the Dead  | author = [[Nigel Planer]] and [[Terence Blacker]]|year=1984 | publisher = HarperCollins Distribution Services }}
{{Portal|1980s}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote|The Young Ones}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/y/youngonesthe_1299003473.shtml ''The Young Ones''] at The bbc.co.uk Guide to Comedy
* {{BBC programme}}
* {{British Comedy Guide|tv|the_young_ones|The Young Ones}}
* {{IMDb title|0083505|The Young Ones}}
* {{Epguides|YoungOnes}}
* {{Screenonline TV title|476396|The Young Ones}}
* [http://www.anorakzone.com/youngonesrank1.html ''The Young Ones ranked from worst to best'']
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b0m2lk The Young Ones] on BBC Radio Four's ''The Reunion''

{{The Young Ones}}
{{Ben Elton}}
{{BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy (Programme or Series) 1981–1999}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Young Ones, The}}
[[Category:The Young Ones (TV series)| ]]
[[Category:1982 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1984 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1980s British satirical television series]]
[[Category:BBC television sitcoms]]
[[Category:British college television series]]
[[Category:BBC television sketch shows]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
[[Category:British musical television series]]
[[Category:Punk television series]]
[[Category:Metafictional television series]]
[[Category:British surreal comedy television series]]
[[Category:Self-reflexive television]]
[[Category:British television shows featuring puppetry]]
[[Category:Musical comedy television shows]]
[[Category:Slapstick television series]]