The Young Ones

The Young Ones

Vyvyan

Rick

Neil

Mike

the Balowski Family

Boy in Comic Strip

Bank Vault Manager

Baz

The principal characters were all derived from characters performed by the actors at The Comic Strip club in London in the early-1980s. Rik, the People's Poet was a solo act by Rik Mayall; Vyvyan was a development of Adrian Edmondson's half of Twentieth Century Coyote (with Rik Mayall); Neil was originally Nigel Planer's inept (and depressed) folk singer; while Mike was based on Peter Richardson's performance as half of The Outer Limits (with Nigel Planer). It was originally intended that Richardson should join the show, but when he declined, the role was offered to Christopher Ryan.

Colin Baker taped a sketch portraying the evil Count Dustbug, which was deleted from the finished edition.

After the show ended in 1984. Alexei Sayle and Christopher Ryan would go on to appear opposite Colin Baker in "Doctor Who". Alexei Sayle played DJ in 1985's Revelation of the Daleks and Christopher Ryan played Lord Kiv in 1986's The Trial of a Time Lord: Mindwarp.