Sick (Young Ones episode)
Encyclopedia
"Sick" was the eleventh episode of British sitcom The Young Ones
. It was written by Ben Elton
, Rik Mayall
and Lise Mayer
, and directed by Geoff Posner. It was first aired on BBC2 on 12 June 1984.
); Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson
); Rick (Rik Mayall
) and Neil (Nigel Planer
). Alexei Sayle
starred as escaped convict
Brian Damage Balowski.
, which he then uses to blow up Rick's bedroom, in the form of a Molotov cocktail
, to stop Rick complaining. Neil's sneezing
fit then prompts Vyvyan to send Mike out to get a cure (prompting a joke about the Cure
). Vyvyan takes drastic emergency action, involving the use of Rick's laundry bag, and some extreme acupuncture
, using six inch nails. Vyvyan also tries to get Neil to sneeze outside, pushing him through the bedroom window. Neil's snot splatters all over a man's face who is standing in the street. His reaction throwing a brick toward the four's house, ends up smashing through the window of a neighbouring house, thus beginning a cycle of violence which results in a street riot
, also encompassing the musical act, Madness
.
Brian Damage Balowski escapes from his police guard after they're called in to deal with the trouble, and takes the quartet hostage
. Usefully, he cures Neil's sneezing with a timely headbutt. Just as the four's doom seems sealed, Neil reveals that his parents had arranged to come for tea in a few minutes. A major clean-up operation - with the convict doing his bit, helpfully polishing his shotgun - follows, before Neil's mother and father ring the doorbell as the street continues in violent chaos around them.
After breaking a wooden chair over Rik's back, Neil's mother complains that the show should be more acceptable, in the manner of a sitcom like The Good Life at which point, Vyvyan gives a highly articulate and vehement outburst against the "bloody" Good Life. Suddenly, the quartet go into a whole new sitcom involving the cultivation of plants in the back garden. Rick ends up supposedly killing Neil with a spade after he drones on too long about the cycle of plant life, then buries him in special, grow-anything compost
. Neil subsequently re-grows as three separate Neils.
Meanwhile Rick is being taunted by his own conscience for killing Neil and has a dream about being on trial by judge Mike and prosecutor Vyvyan who suggests they hang Rick, when girls show up and wish that the "People's Poet" won't die. But first they are going to strip naked for Rick. Rick's conscience wakes him up for having a wet dream when he is supposed to be feeling guilty. Rick now runs down into the living room and wishes he could see Neil again, and the 3 Neils come into the house, which spooks Rick. Just as Mike and Vyvyan enter, the back wall opens up, and Neil's parents, along with Brian, head up a large staircase, milking the audience's applause.
The episode features the song "Our House
", performed by Madness
, the only band to appear on the show twice.
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 Geoff Posner. It was first aired on BBC2 on 12 June 1984.
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 escaped convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
Brian Damage Balowski.
Plot
All four flatmates are ill in bed, with Vyvyan trying to ease the suffering with vodkaVodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
, which he then uses to blow up Rick's bedroom, in the form of a Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
, to stop Rick complaining. Neil's sneezing
Sneeze
A sneeze is a semi-autonomous, convulsive expulsion of air from the lungs through the nose and mouth, usually caused by foreign particles irritating the nasal mucosa...
fit then prompts Vyvyan to send Mike out to get a cure (prompting a joke about the Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
). Vyvyan takes drastic emergency action, involving the use of Rick's laundry bag, and some extreme acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
, using six inch nails. Vyvyan also tries to get Neil to sneeze outside, pushing him through the bedroom window. Neil's snot splatters all over a man's face who is standing in the street. His reaction throwing a brick toward the four's house, ends up smashing through the window of a neighbouring house, thus beginning a cycle of violence which results in a street riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
, also encompassing the musical act, Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
.
Brian Damage Balowski escapes from his police guard after they're called in to deal with the trouble, and takes the quartet hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
. Usefully, he cures Neil's sneezing with a timely headbutt. Just as the four's doom seems sealed, Neil reveals that his parents had arranged to come for tea in a few minutes. A major clean-up operation - with the convict doing his bit, helpfully polishing his shotgun - follows, before Neil's mother and father ring the doorbell as the street continues in violent chaos around them.
After breaking a wooden chair over Rik's back, Neil's mother complains that the show should be more acceptable, in the manner of a sitcom like The Good Life at which point, Vyvyan gives a highly articulate and vehement outburst against the "bloody" Good Life. Suddenly, the quartet go into a whole new sitcom involving the cultivation of plants in the back garden. Rick ends up supposedly killing Neil with a spade after he drones on too long about the cycle of plant life, then buries him in special, grow-anything compost
Compost
Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. At its most essential, the process of composting requires simply piling up waste outdoors and waiting for the materials to break down from anywhere...
. Neil subsequently re-grows as three separate Neils.
Meanwhile Rick is being taunted by his own conscience for killing Neil and has a dream about being on trial by judge Mike and prosecutor Vyvyan who suggests they hang Rick, when girls show up and wish that the "People's Poet" won't die. But first they are going to strip naked for Rick. Rick's conscience wakes him up for having a wet dream when he is supposed to be feeling guilty. Rick now runs down into the living room and wishes he could see Neil again, and the 3 Neils come into the house, which spooks Rick. Just as Mike and Vyvyan enter, the back wall opens up, and Neil's parents, along with Brian, head up a large staircase, milking the audience's applause.
The episode features the song "Our House
Our House (Madness song)
"Our House" is a single by English ska/pop band Madness, from their UK album The Rise & Fall and their US compilation Madness.-About:...
", performed by Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
, the only band to appear on the show twice.