The Young Ones (TV series) Basterd (Adrian Edmondson); conceited wannabe anarchist sociology student, Rick (Rik Mayall); oppressed paranoid hippie peace studies student, Neil Wheedon Watkins Pye (Nigel Planer); and the suave, charming would-be underground mob boss, Mike The-Cool-Person (Christopher Ryan). It also featured Alexei Sayle, who played various members of the Balowski family—most often Jerzei Balowski, the quartet's landlord—and occasional independent characters, such as the train driver in "Bambi" and the Mussolini-lookalike Police Chief in "Cash". The show combined traditional sitcom style with violent slapstick, non-sequitur plot turns, and surrealism. These older styles were mixed with the working and lower-middle class attitudes of the growing
Bambi (The Young Ones) the machines. Feeling discouraged, they all agree to remain dirty. Suddenly, Neil remembers that he and the other housemates are due to appear on "University Challenge" that very evening to represent Scumbag College. The group's hectic rush to catch the train (while Motörhead plays "Ace of Spades" in their living room) leads to an unsuccessful cross-country train ride, complete with last-ditch "swotting" from Neil and hissy fits from Rick. Vyvyan claims to have done his homework properly, and tries to show off by having Neil ask him questions from the literature he used, a hefty tome entitled "The Daily Mirror