Demolition (Young Ones episode)
Encyclopedia
"Demolition" was the pilot
episode for British sitcom The Young Ones
. It was written by Ben Elton
, Rik Mayall
and Lise Mayer
, and directed by Paul Jackson. Although made as a pilot episode, the five subsequent episodes had been commissioned and recorded by the time of broadcast, so instead "Demolition" was promoted as the ordinary first episode of a series, and has remained as so. It was first aired on BBC2 on 9 November 1982.
); Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson
); Rick (Rik Mayall
) and Neil (Nigel Planer
). However, there are several telltale signs of this being the pilot episode - the characters' individual personalities aren't as fleshed out as in later episodes, Rick's outfit is different, and Vyvyan and Rick sport shorter haircuts. The episode also introduces their landlord
Jerzei Balowski (Alexei Sayle
), a character who would only appear once more during the first series, and twice more in total. Sayle, however, featured in every episode of the dozen made.
casserole which is made with Lux
washing powder & some of Neil's snot for dinner and one of several of Neil's failed suicide attempt
s. Vyvyan acquires an amputated human leg
on which he has to write an essay
for anatomy class, though he would prefer to mount it on the bonnet of his Ford Anglia
. Balowski visits and admits that he isn't really a foreigner. Vyvyan then announces that they had received a letter from the council, who are planning to demolish their house the next day.
Each character has their own plan to fight the council's decision. Rick plans a protest, involving hanging himself from a cross on the front of the house (to which Neil comments: "I've tried it hundreds of times. There's no way you can hammer in the last nail.") and reading bad poetry from a sheet of paper in his hand (which he drops and thus begins singing "Living Doll" by Cliff Richard
). Vyvyan begins knocking down the house himself, using extreme methods (including eating bricks, which explode as he bites into them, and jumping through walls). Neil plans to hide in the wall cavity and "pretend to be thermal insulation" so that he will be killed when the house is knocked down, and Mike tries to seduce the female council representative (played by Maggie Steed
). None of their schemes work, as an aeroplane
ultimately crashes on the building instead.
The episode featured a performance from post-punk/blues band Nine Below Zero
and a first appearance for Vyvyan's vicious pet hamster, SPG.
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
episode for British sitcom The Young Ones
The Young Ones (TV series)
The Young Ones is a British sitcom, first broadcast in 1982, which ran for two series on BBC2. Its anarchic, offbeat humour helped bring alternative comedy to television in the 1980s and made household names of its writers and performers...
. It was written by Ben Elton
Ben Elton
Benjamin Charles "Ben" Elton is an English comedian, author, playwright and director. He was a leading figure in the British alternative comedy movement of the 1980s, as a writer on such cult series as The Young Ones and Blackadder, as well as also a successful stand-up comedian on stage and TV....
, Rik Mayall
Rik Mayall
Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall is an English comedian, writer, and actor. He is known for his comedy partnership with Ade Edmondson, his over-the-top, energetic portrayal of characters, and as a pioneer of alternative comedy in the early 1980s...
and Lise Mayer
Lise Mayer
Lise Mayer is a television and film writer. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, and is best known as a creator and co-writer of the BBC comedy series The Young Ones, alongside Rik Mayall and Ben Elton...
, and directed by Paul Jackson. Although made as a pilot episode, the five subsequent episodes had been commissioned and recorded by the time of broadcast, so instead "Demolition" was promoted as the ordinary first episode of a series, and has remained as so. It was first aired on BBC2 on 9 November 1982.
Characters
As with all episodes of The Young Ones, the main four characters were student flatmates Mike (Christopher RyanChristopher Ryan
Christopher Ryan is an English actor. Ryan is perhaps best known for his role as Mike "The Cool Person" in the BBC comedy series The Young Ones.-Early life:...
); Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson
Adrian Edmondson
Adrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson is an English comedian. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones and Bottom , for which he also wrote together with his long-time collaboration partner Rik Mayall.-Early life:Edmondson, the second of four children, was...
); Rick (Rik Mayall
Rik Mayall
Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall is an English comedian, writer, and actor. He is known for his comedy partnership with Ade Edmondson, his over-the-top, energetic portrayal of characters, and as a pioneer of alternative comedy in the early 1980s...
) and Neil (Nigel Planer
Nigel Planer
Nigel George Planer is an English actor, comedian, novelist and playwright.Planer is perhaps best known for his role as Neil Pye in the cult BBC comedy The Young Ones. He has appeared in many West End musicals, including Evita, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Wicked and Hairspray...
). However, there are several telltale signs of this being the pilot episode - the characters' individual personalities aren't as fleshed out as in later episodes, Rick's outfit is different, and Vyvyan and Rick sport shorter haircuts. The episode also introduces their landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
Jerzei Balowski (Alexei Sayle
Alexei Sayle
Alexei David Sayle is a British stand-up comedian, actor and author. He was a central part of the alternative comedy circuit in the early 1980s. He was voted the 18th greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-ups in 2007...
), a character who would only appear once more during the first series, and twice more in total. Sayle, however, featured in every episode of the dozen made.
Plot
The four students go about their day-to-day life in their shared house which includes a lentilLentil
The lentil is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds...
casserole which is made with Lux
Lux (soap)
Lux is a global brand developed by Unilever. The range of products includes beauty soaps, shower gels, bath additives, hair shampoos and conditioners. Lux started as “Sunlight Flakes” laundry soap in 1899....
washing powder & some of Neil's snot for dinner and one of several of Neil's failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempts comprise a large portion of suicide attempts. Some are regarded as not true attempts at all, but rather parasuicide. The usual attempt may be a wish to affect another person by the behaviour. Consequently, it occurs in a social context and may represent a request for help....
s. Vyvyan acquires an amputated human leg
Human leg
The human leg is the entire lower extremity or limb of the human body, including the foot, thigh and even the hip or gluteal region; however, the precise definition in human anatomy refers only to the section of the lower limb extending from the knee to the ankle.Legs are used for standing,...
on which he has to write an essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
for anatomy class, though he would prefer to mount it on the bonnet of his Ford Anglia
Ford Anglia
The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....
. Balowski visits and admits that he isn't really a foreigner. Vyvyan then announces that they had received a letter from the council, who are planning to demolish their house the next day.
Each character has their own plan to fight the council's decision. Rick plans a protest, involving hanging himself from a cross on the front of the house (to which Neil comments: "I've tried it hundreds of times. There's no way you can hammer in the last nail.") and reading bad poetry from a sheet of paper in his hand (which he drops and thus begins singing "Living Doll" by Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
). Vyvyan begins knocking down the house himself, using extreme methods (including eating bricks, which explode as he bites into them, and jumping through walls). Neil plans to hide in the wall cavity and "pretend to be thermal insulation" so that he will be killed when the house is knocked down, and Mike tries to seduce the female council representative (played by Maggie Steed
Maggie Steed
Maggie Steed is an English actress and comedienne.-Youth:After studying drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, she left the theatre for several years.-Career:...
). None of their schemes work, as an aeroplane
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
ultimately crashes on the building instead.
The episode featured a performance from post-punk/blues band Nine Below Zero
Nine Below Zero
Nine Below Zero are an English blues band, who have a cult following throughout Europe, and were most popular in the period between 1980 and 1982.-Career:...
and a first appearance for Vyvyan's vicious pet hamster, SPG.