The Young Ones:
Every Stoopid Episode
(BBC DVD Region One)
 (1982-1984)
review by Head Cheeze

It's quite simply amazing how few young folk (ie: born after 1980) have any clue as to what The Young Ones means to people from MY generation. Imported to the U.S. by the once cool MTV, the dozen episodes that make up the series entire run were the stuff of late night bong parties and acid trips that defined my somewhat experimental teen years, and, now that I'm a boring old bastard, make me pine for those glazed over nights when Vyvyan Basterd would storm into my living room, anatomy class leg in tow.

Thanks to BBC Home Video, I can relive that period of my life all over again (Sans acid. Still got my bong, though!) with The Young Ones: Every Stoopid Episode, an absolutely flawless set of the shows twelve episodes, plus loads of extra stuff that will have fans howling with delight for many moons to come.

The Young Ones centers around a group of four roomies; Vyvyan (Edmonson), the insane punk rocker, Rick (Mayall), the fashion plate poseur, Neil (Planer), the vegan hippie, and Mike (Ryan), the Napoleonic "cool guy". The group get into all sorts of ridiculous adventures in a very British style of slapstick that encompasses everything from crucifixions to amputations and whatever lay between. It's spot-on caricatures of 80's stereotypes are the shows greatest strengths, and even those who were barely out of diapers by the decades end will find much to laugh at here. As a matter of fact, the first thing I noticed was how well The Young Ones has aged, with nary a dated joke among the bunch (save for politcal references and the show's occasional musical guests. Motorhead anyone? ROCK!!)

The BBC Home Video DVD set includes all twelve episodes spread over 3 discs, which is more than enough reason to buy the set. However, like the great Father Ted sets, there are an abundance of fantastic extras including the pilot episodes of Edmonson and Mayall's Filthy Rich & Catflap and their hilarious follow-up, Bottom. The package also features 2 short documentary pieces about The Young Ones, with cast and crew interviews, a Rik Mayall live performance, cast and crew biographies, and 4 really cool postcards featuring each of the cast members.

The Young Ones is Brit-Com at it's me-decade best, and is guaranteed to put a smile on even the most jaded thirty-something's puss.