Flood (Young Ones episode)
Encyclopedia
"Flood" was the sixth episode of British sitcom The Young Ones
. It was written by Ben Elton
, Rik Mayall
and Lise Mayer
, and directed by Paul Jackson. It was first aired on BBC2 on 14 December 1982 and was the final episode of the first series.
); Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson
); Rick (Rik Mayall
) and Neil (Nigel Planer
). The episode also features their landlord
Jerzei Balowski (Alexei Sayle
), a character who was appearing for the second time during the first series, and would appear once more in total.
, and Vyvyan reading one of Rick's "SS Death Camp Batallion go to Monte Cassino
for the Massacre" war comics, leading to an argument with Rick over the comic's content. After Neil prepares to go on a shopping trip for "Everything except Green Globules and Super Mousse, Vyvyan mentions that he had concocted a 'homicidal axe-wielding maniac' potion disguised in a Coca-Cola
can, that transforms the drinker into said person, under the guise of a cure "For not being a homicidal axe-wielding maniac", to which Vyvyan mentions the potential size of the market for such an invention.
However, the monsoon
-like rain outside soon traps everyone in the house and a game of hide and seek
gets underway to pass the time. During this time, the house takes on a Narnia-esque feel, with a lion tamer
in Mike's bedroom and Vyvyan finding a witch in a sleigh lurking in a new world at the back of the wardrobe
, where he was hiding. But all that - plus the shark
s at the window and the arson
attack on Rick's bedroom - becomes irrelevant as Mr. Balowski arrives, unwittingly drinks Vyvyan's potion
, and goes on the hunt. As Mike, Rick and Vyvyan prepare to kill Neil for food with an electric Hedge Trimmer
, Mr. Balowski breaks down the door to Neil's room with an axe, screaming "Heeere's JERTZE!
", leading to the group trying to escape him. After tricking Mr. Balowski into entering Mike's room, which was being rented out to Bobby the Lion Tamer and his man-eating lion
s, the group notice that the flood waters are subsiding.
This episode was the only one of the dozen made not to feature a band performing mid-show; the lion-tamer provided the "cabaret
" instead. The episode ended by showing Vyvyan's hamster
, SPG
, floating on a discarded McEwan's lager can on the flood waters, as if to prove he had survived Vyvyan's angry outburst which led to him throwing him outside. Therefore this did not rule out SPG's return in a future series.
The monks at the medieval execution at the beginning are chanting 'Dominus ad nauseam
', which means 'The Lord to nausea'. SPG has an olive branch
in his mouth at the end, a biblical reference (Genesis 8:11) to the dove in the story of Noah.
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. It was first aired on BBC2 on 14 December 1982 and was the final episode of the first series.
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...
). The episode also features 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 was appearing for the second time during the first series, and would appear once more in total.
Plot
With none of the quartet noticing a medieval execution in their back garden, there is initial tranquility in the house, with Neil randomly hitting himself in the face with a frying panFrying pan
A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a flat-bottomed pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically in diameter with relatively low sides that flare outwards, a long handle, and no lid. Larger pans may have a small grab handle opposite the main handle...
, and Vyvyan reading one of Rick's "SS Death Camp Batallion go to Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
for the Massacre" war comics, leading to an argument with Rick over the comic's content. After Neil prepares to go on a shopping trip for "Everything except Green Globules and Super Mousse, Vyvyan mentions that he had concocted a 'homicidal axe-wielding maniac' potion disguised in a Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
can, that transforms the drinker into said person, under the guise of a cure "For not being a homicidal axe-wielding maniac", to which Vyvyan mentions the potential size of the market for such an invention.
However, the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
-like rain outside soon traps everyone in the house and a game of hide and seek
Hide and seek
Hide-and-seek or hide-and-go-seek is a variant of the game tag, in which a number of players conceal themselves in the environment, to be found by one or more seekers.-Variants:Numerous variants of the game can be found around the world...
gets underway to pass the time. During this time, the house takes on a Narnia-esque feel, with a lion tamer
Lion taming
Lion taming is the practice of taming lions, either for protection, whereby the practice was probably created, or, more commonly, entertainment, particularly in the circus. The term is also often used for the taming and display of other big cats such as tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, and pumas...
in Mike's bedroom and Vyvyan finding a witch in a sleigh lurking in a new world at the back of the wardrobe
Wardrobe
A Wardrobe is a cabinet used for storing clothes.Wardrobe may also refer to:* Wardrobe , a full set of multiple clothing items* Wardrobe , part of royal administration in medieval England...
, where he was hiding. But all that - plus the shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s at the window and the arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
attack on Rick's bedroom - becomes irrelevant as Mr. Balowski arrives, unwittingly drinks Vyvyan's potion
Potion
A potion is a consumable medicine or poison.In mythology and literature, a potion is usually made by a magician, sorcerer, dragon, fairy or witch and has magical properties. It might be used to heal, bewitch or poison people...
, and goes on the hunt. As Mike, Rick and Vyvyan prepare to kill Neil for food with an electric Hedge Trimmer
Hedge trimmer
A hedge trimmer, shrub trimmer, or bush trimmer, is a gardening tool or machine used for trimming hedges or solitary shrubs...
, Mr. Balowski breaks down the door to Neil's room with an axe, screaming "Heeere's JERTZE!
The Shining (novel)
The Shining is a 1977 horror novel by American author Stephen King. The title was inspired by the John Lennon song "Instant Karma!", which contained the line "We all shine on…". It was King's third published novel, and first hardback bestseller, and the success of the book firmly established King...
", leading to the group trying to escape him. After tricking Mr. Balowski into entering Mike's room, which was being rented out to Bobby the Lion Tamer and his man-eating lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s, the group notice that the flood waters are subsiding.
This episode was the only one of the dozen made not to feature a band performing mid-show; the lion-tamer provided the "cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
" instead. The episode ended by showing Vyvyan's hamster
Hamster
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera....
, SPG
Special Patrol Group
The Special Patrol Group was a unit of Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service, responsible for providing a centrally-based mobile capability for combating serious public disorder and crime that could not be dealt with by local divisions....
, floating on a discarded McEwan's lager can on the flood waters, as if to prove he had survived Vyvyan's angry outburst which led to him throwing him outside. Therefore this did not rule out SPG's return in a future series.
The monks at the medieval execution at the beginning are chanting 'Dominus ad nauseam
Ad nauseam
Ad nauseam is a Latin term used to describe an argument which has been continuing "to [the point of] nausea". For example, the sentence, "This topic has been discussed ad nauseam", signifies that the topic in question has been discussed extensively, and that those involved in the discussion have...
', which means 'The Lord to nausea'. SPG has an olive branch
Olive branch
The olive branch in Western culture, derived from the customs of Ancient Greece, symbolizes peace or victory and was worn by brides.-Ancient Greece and Rome:...
in his mouth at the end, a biblical reference (Genesis 8:11) to the dove in the story of Noah.