Crop rotation in the 14th century

[Up the Junction]

40 years ago tonight, The Young Ones made their TV debut on BBC2.

[fjthegrey]

I haven't been able to watch much Rik Mayall since he died. Find it really difficult. The bloke is one of my all time heroes. But up to when he died, if someone handed me a pen and told me to write down the script of every Young Ones episode in series 2, I think I could have done it with close to 100% accuracy. I was genuinely that obsessed with it as a kid and teenager.

Also, my Mum visited her friend who was the main security guard at the BBC props warehouse once. On a tour around the place she got to try on Vyvyan's 'Very Metal' jacket. The security guard literally said to her to put her coat over the top and take it, and that nobody would notice it was gone. She declined and has regretted it ever since. I send her biannual texts that simply read 'you should have nicked that jacket', much to her irritation.

I think that warehouse burned down as well, or something happened that resulted in it's contents being destroyed.

[last.caress]

Greatest sitcom the UK ever produced?

Yes. Yes it was.

[S-H]

I haven't been able to watch much Rik Mayall since he died. Find it really difficult.

Mate! I'm exactly the same.

I absolutely loved Young Ones, and Bottom, both of which were my go to tapes, in my times of need, the man got me through some ****.

Proper classic belly laughs.

Legend.

[Jonah]

40 bloody years :shock:

I remember being at my mates house the next morning and his older brother (15) was waxing lyrical about it as being only 8 it was not on our radar.

[last.caress]

-"Here, listen to this: 'Under the new ruling, all a student needs to qualify for an increased grant is a... a nmcl, pkjl, ftumch... from the local authority.'"

-"What was that, Rick?"

-"'A nmcl pkjl ftumch.' Don't you ever read The Guardian, Neil??"

-"What's a 'Ftumch'?"

[mikee31]

Was raised on it, with the home recorded tapes just about holding together through multiply re-watches over many years, at least until the BBC released videos for purchasing. "Ooh! Have we got a video?"

[last.caress]

[Tenbury]

My 16 Yr old thinks it's hilarious.

[southbrishammer]

I used to live a couple of hundred metres from the house that was used for the exterior shots, in Codrington Road, Bristol. That's probably about the best claim to fame that I have.

Definitely the best sitcom ever, and it's currently on iplayer if you want to watch it again.

[Eggs'n'nuts]

TOTALLY BLOODY BRILLIANT!

Absolutely loved it.

[neathiron]

Know every single line of the script for the Nasty episode, watched it so many times, by far my favourite episode. It also introduced me to The Damned who went on to become one of my favourite bands ever.

[Macca1973]

Was allowed to watch it before bed as a kid, loved it then, still love it now. BBC4 showing the series again currently. Was it really 40 years ago? Blimey, I got old, how did that happen?!

[alf git]

This house will become a shrine, and punks and skins and rastas will all gather round and hold their hands in sorrow for their fallen leader. And all the grown-ups will say: "But why are the kids crying?" And the kids will say: "Haven't you heard? Rik is dead! The People's Poet is dead!"

[pablo jaye]

Cheers one and all - reading this thread has cheered me up immeasurably after tonight’s result.

Like others, the Young Ones was THE must-watch for any self respecting 15 year old and episodes would be recited word for word for days, weeks, years afterwards … and I am sure most of my mates could recite 90% of them, decades after.

It really was part of a golden era for comedy … Comic Strip, Friday Night Live, The Dangerous Brothers, Filthy Rich and Catflap, Blackadder . Most of which had a few common denominators, amongst which was Rik Mayall … a genius. Always looking to entertain and steal the show which he often did. Still love watching anything he was in - including the ‘peoples poet’ sketch from Bambi which was on a couple of weeks ago. I was in stitches.

[OFT]

I liked him as Kevin Turvey but after that........

That's not to underestimate his career but I'm no fan of what I think of as 'shouty' comedy. I loved Blackadder but the one aspect of the show I disliked were Riks characters.
The young Ones, I quite liked at the time but having seen a few clips they seem really dated to me now.
Could'nt stand 'Bottom'

My age again I reckon

Sorry!

[Polaroid]

My age again I reckon

Sorry!

All right, all right.
Don't get uncool and heavy

[westham,eggyandchips]

I quote The Young Ones every single day. I started watching it when I was probably too young to be so loads of jokes went unnoticed.

Even now when I watch it I spot little things i'd never noticed before. It launched the careers of so many great actors and comedians too.

Phew, that was close!

[vietnammer]

Partially agree with OFT, having YTd one or two later in life, but some classic moments being posted on here for sure.

Viv kicking his own head down the railway en route to Uni Challenge had me on my knees hammering the floor at the time.

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

Know every single line of the script for the Nasty episode, watched it so many times, by far my favourite episode. It also introduced me to The Damned who went on to become one of my favourite bands ever.

This and the Motorhead appearance were two highlights for me back in the early 80s when this came out. Loved it.