Quote: dellas @ April 24 2011, 3:42 AM BST
I believed that Mike was chosen to play a 'normal' guy amongst chaos. He is totally believable in that role, amazingly 'underplayed'; so funny and confused by others' antics!
Where is he now?
But he can't act. Tell me something he's done that was good.
I've never understood the Mike hatred. He's the weakest of the main characters, but the other three are so strong that most would struggle to make an impact.
^ What he said!
Leave wee Chris be. 
I decided to give the young ones another go the other night. I watched the first episode and got a few laughs out of it - but that was all.
It puzzles me as to why people find it so funny. Do you have to understand the 70s sub-cultures they are poking fun at or something? I was a student in the 90s and can only very mildly relate to the whole thing. I mean - what is Rik meant to be all about? Who in the 80s was obsessed with Cliff Richard? And I didn't know there even were hippies in the 80s. Did punks really speak like Muppets and smash everything up? And a landlord who pretends to be foreign - why? Another hippy also called Neil turns up. He looks a bit the same and has the same name. Why is that funny? A Bible basher turns ups to rant and rave doom and gloom. We know that Bible bashers turn up and rant and rave doom and gloom - they've been doing it since ever. So...why is that new or funny?
Quote: Chappers @ April 28 2011, 6:03 PM BSTBut he can't act. Tell me something he's done that was good.
He played two good roles in 'One Foot in the Grave'. The twin builders role was espeicially well done I think.
You don't think it's funny that a teenage student is obsessed with Cliff Richard?
Not Joy Division, or the Sex Pistols or Hendrix?
But Cliff Richard!?
You don't find that funny?
What he said.
That is the whole point.
And hippies have always been around. And really Vivian is more of a heavy metal fan than a punk.
Why does comedy have to be reasonable?
The whole point of The Young Ones was that unlike 99% of sitcoms that went before it, there were no rules.
They just....made it up as they went along and it was all very random.
That worked in some ways - and failed badly in others.
Anyway, whatever they did, Rik and Ade made that show a success by just being bloody funny actors.
Quote: lofthouse @ April 30 2011, 10:25 AM BSTYou don't think it's funny that a teenage student is obsessed with Cliff Richard?
Not Joy Division, or the Sex Pistols or Hendrix?
But Cliff Richard!?
You don't find that funny?
Maybe potentially. Perhaps it's because I don't find his character believable enough. If it's meant to be satire that's fine - but I'm not sure who he is meant to represent. I've never met anyone vaguely like that - have met people who have some of his characteristics, but not that combination. Which is perhaps why I don't 'get it'. In Adrian Mole I found it funny that Adrian liked Abba. But that was because Abba was out by the mid 80s and Adrian hadn't noticed. I thought it was funny because Adrian's character was beleivable to me and that Adrian 'hadn't noticed' Abba was out, was part of what was funny.
Quote: lofthouse @ April 30 2011, 4:20 PM BSTThe whole point of The Young Ones was that unlike 99% of sitcoms that went before it, there were no rules.
They just....made it up as they went along and it was all very random.
That worked in some ways - and failed badly in others.
Anyway, whatever they did, Rik and Ade made that show a success by just being bloody funny actors.
Yes, I can see the value in no rules and randomness - but that in itself can never make a great sitcom in my book. I don't think being funny actors is enough to make a good sitcom either. You've got have many things including rules that work, believability to a degree and a good script.
Quote: Chappers @ April 30 2011, 4:12 PM BSTWhat he said.
That is the whole point.
And hippies have always been around. And really Vivian is more of a Very Metal fan than a punk.
Why does comedy have to be reasonable?
Reasonable = reason to laugh, doesn't it.
Quote: Steve Charlie @ May 1 2011, 5:56 AM BSTReasonable = reason to laugh, doesn't it.
I don't think so. In life, most people try to behave reasonably most of the time - this isn't funny. It's when people behave unreasonably or reason becomes absurd that we laugh. A sitcom lasts for thirty minutes - there isn't time for the reasonable bits, it's life intensified - we only see what's funny.
Rik is a satire of politically zealous students, particularly those who actually come from privileged backgrounds. The genius of The Young Ones is that it isn't usually randomness for the sake of it - what makes it clever is that the random elements cleverly pull together to form a cohesive world in each episode. I still find it hilarious.
Watch Vyvyan's rant about The Good Life.
THAT'S the point of The Young Ones!
Talking of The Young Ones...
There are probably loads of you lot who know this - but I bet there're quite a few who don't too.
Obviously there are lots of famous faces from comedy that are in the show - Tony Robinson, Norman Lovett, etc.
But I spotted someone in an episode only about a year ago. I must have seen this episode about 57 times on TV/DVD and never noticed who this person was until, like I said, last year.
At the time he made this appearance he was a complete unknown - but he is now one of the most famous people in British comedy.
He is hard to spot as he is wearing a hood and only says about 5 words. But this one time I watched it, it was the way he said it that suddenly got me thinking. On the end credits they even use his real name rather than his 'stage' name. I think it might be his first TV appearance.
Anyone know who I'm talking about?
Y'all give up?
Paul Merton!
Quote: ToddB @ May 1 2011, 9:32 AM BSTI don't think so. In life, most people try to behave reasonably most of the time - this isn't funny. It's when people behave unreasonably or reason becomes absurd that we laugh. A sitcom lasts for thirty minutes - there isn't time for the reasonable bits, it's life intensified - we only see what's funny.
Rik is a satire of politically zealous students, particularly those who actually come from privileged backgrounds. The genius of The Young Ones is that it isn't usually randomness for the sake of it - what makes it clever is that the random elements cleverly pull together to form a cohesive world in each episode. I still find it hilarious.
You've got me thinking I might have to give it another try.
Watching the Bambi episode on Gold - it really is up there with any sitcom episode, ever.
Won't be everyone's cup of tea but I think it's wonderfully constructed, it includes a number of stars such as Fry and Laurie and, of course, has Motorhead performing Ace of Spades.
And, hey, if you don't get some of the dated references, why not look them up and learn something?
Quote: Tuumble @ May 26 2011, 11:16 PM BSTWatching the Bambi episode on Gold - it really is up there with any sitcom episode, ever.
Won't be everyone's cup of tea but I think it's wonderfully constructed, it includes a number of stars such as Fry and Laurie and, of course, has Motorhead performing Ace of Spades.
My favourite episode by far.
