Scripted series · BBC Two
The Young Ones
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Adrian Edmondson
Vyvyan
12 eps
Rik Mayall
Rick
12 eps
Nigel Planer
Neil
12 eps
Christopher Ryan
Mike
12 eps
Alexei Sayle
The Balowski Family
12 eps
Emma Thompson
Miss Money-Sterling
1 eps
John Otway
John Otway
1 eps
Ronnie Golden
Buddy Holly
1 eps
Mel Smith
Grenada Security Guard
1 eps
Alan Freeman
God
2 eps
Jools Holland
Punk in Bank
1 eps
Hilary Mason
Old Woman Next Door
1 eps
Roger Ashton-Griffiths
Orgo
1 eps
Griff Rhys Jones
Bamber 'Bambi' Gascoigne
1 eps
Terry Jones
Vicar
1 eps
Norman Lovett
Man from the penny arcade
1 eps
Cyril Shaps
Old Man Next Door
1 eps
Helen Atkinson-Wood
Woman in Advert
1 eps
Hugh Laurie
Lord Monty
1 eps
Patrick Newell
King
2 eps
Kay Stonham
Neighbour
1 eps
Anthony Sharp
Roland Pervical
1 eps
Tony Robinson
Dr. Not The Nine O'Clock News
1 eps
Damaris Hayman
Woman Pushing Corpse
1 eps
Lenny Henry
Postman
1 eps
Stephen Fry
Lord Snot
1 eps
Peter Wear
Witchfinder
2 eps
Chris Barrie
Ship's Captain
2 eps
Lemmy Kilmister
himself
1 eps
Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor
himself
1 eps
'Fast' Eddie Clark
himself
1 eps
Jacqueline Clarke
TV Wife
1 eps
Christine Ellerbeck
Maggie
1 eps
David Rappaport
Shirley
2 eps
Cindy Shelley
Girl on Radio
2 eps
Chris Ellis
Glue Sniffer
2 eps
Paola Dionisotti
DHSS Offical
2 eps
Robbie Coltrane
Slobber, Bouncer
3 eps
Helen Lederer
Bank Teller
2 eps
Paul Bradley
Warlock
3 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How The Young Ones actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
The Young Ones reads strongest on Bingeability, Humour and Character Depth.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
The story
What it's about
The misadventures of four lunatic students who live in a shared student house. There's Rick, the overblown political one addicted to Cliff Richard, Vyvyan the experimental scientific one/part-time anarchist, Neil the worried hippy, and Mike the ladies' man (at least he is in his mind).
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S00E08
Comedy Connections
S00E03
The Young Ones and the 80's
S00E02
Creating The Young Ones
S00E01
Comic Relief
S00E07
Cliff Richard & The Young Ones - Living Doll
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Paul JacksonProducer
Writing
- Rik MayallWriter
- Lise MayerWriter
- Ben EltonWriter
- Alexei SayleWriter
Direction
- Paul JacksonDirector
- Ed ByeDirector
- Geoff PosnerDirector
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
If you liked this
Similar Series
Series that share this one's texture, not just its genre tags.
Bottom
1991
Sharp comic writing · Shared creator
Blackadder
1983
Sharp comic writing · Shared creator
'Allo 'Allo!
1984
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Father Ted
1995
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Spaced
1999
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Yes Minister
1980
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Yes, Prime Minister
1986
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Sledge Hammer!
1986
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Married... with Children
1987
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Fawlty Towers
1975
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
The Simpsons
1989
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Mr. Bean
1990
Sharp comic writing · Similar storytelling style
Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
The Simpsons
1989
Need something lighter afterwards? Start here.
Seinfeld
1989
A palate cleanser with real writing behind the jokes.
Futurama
1999
If the world-building is what held you, this is the next map to walk.
Night Court
1984
A palate cleanser with real writing behind the jokes.
Young Sheldon
2017
Need something lighter afterwards? Start here.
The White Lotus
2021
Take the questions with you: this one rewards the same attention.
Never stop watching
Related Collections
No related collections yet
This title isn't in a published Nutevio collection yet. It will appear here automatically as soon as it is.
Join the conversation