Bomb (Young Ones episode)
Encyclopedia
"Bomb" was the fourth 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 30 November 1982.
); Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson
); Rick (Rik Mayall
) and Neil (Nigel Planer
). Alexei Sayle
starred as Reggie Balowski, wisecracking used car
dealer and son of the students' landlord Jerzei.
dropping a payload, revealed to be a huge red atom bomb that lands into the quartet's house unexploded. Neil fails to notice the real reason for an enormous hole in the ceiling when he got out of bed to do the breakfast, assuming that one of his flatmates had put it there somehow. Eventually Vyvyan points out that the atom bomb is perched against the refrigerator
. The initial panic is diverted by the arrival of a sadistic television licence
officer who wants blood, but soon the quartet returns to the emergency at hand. Mike tries negotiating with Libya
in an attempt to make a profit out of the bomb while Rick uses the bomb with attempts to make threats to the British Government (his efforts at sending a threatening telegram through the Post Office fail when it turns out he has mistakenly walked into the DHSS
).
Neil, ever the pragmatist, sets out his personal survival plan ("I'm going to consult the incredibly helpful Protect and Survive
manual!") and Vyvyan tries to quicken up the detonation procedure. The final tick of the clock prior to 'explosion' proves to be a little disappointing, with the bomb hatching like an egg and a small aeroplane emerging out of the bomb, flying out of the room and circling outside the house (thus implying the bomb was merely an 'egg' of the bomber).
The episode features a performance from Dexys Midnight Runners
performing a cover of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)".
A cut-away sketch 'Dicky and Dino' parodies The Rat Pack, primarily their family-friendly image as depicted in television specials (and the inherent contrast this provides with their supposed involvement with organised crime).
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 30 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...
). 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...
starred as Reggie Balowski, wisecracking used car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
dealer and son of the students' landlord Jerzei.
Plot
The episode opens with footage of a flying bomberBomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
dropping a payload, revealed to be a huge red atom bomb that lands into the quartet's house unexploded. Neil fails to notice the real reason for an enormous hole in the ceiling when he got out of bed to do the breakfast, assuming that one of his flatmates had put it there somehow. Eventually Vyvyan points out that the atom bomb is perched against the refrigerator
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
. The initial panic is diverted by the arrival of a sadistic television licence
Television licence
A television licence is an official licence required in many countries for the reception of television broadcasts...
officer who wants blood, but soon the quartet returns to the emergency at hand. Mike tries negotiating with Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
in an attempt to make a profit out of the bomb while Rick uses the bomb with attempts to make threats to the British Government (his efforts at sending a threatening telegram through the Post Office fail when it turns out he has mistakenly walked into the DHSS
Department of Health and Social Security
The Department of Health and Social Security was a ministry of the British government in existence for twenty years from 1968 until 1988, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Social Services.-History:...
).
Neil, ever the pragmatist, sets out his personal survival plan ("I'm going to consult the incredibly helpful Protect and Survive
Protect and Survive
Protect and Survive was a public information series on civil defence produced by the British government during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was intended to inform British citizens on how to protect themselves during a nuclear attack, and consisted of a mixture of pamphlets, radio broadcasts,...
manual!") and Vyvyan tries to quicken up the detonation procedure. The final tick of the clock prior to 'explosion' proves to be a little disappointing, with the bomb hatching like an egg and a small aeroplane emerging out of the bomb, flying out of the room and circling outside the house (thus implying the bomb was merely an 'egg' of the bomber).
The episode features a performance from Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
performing a cover of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)".
A cut-away sketch 'Dicky and Dino' parodies The Rat Pack, primarily their family-friendly image as depicted in television specials (and the inherent contrast this provides with their supposed involvement with organised crime).