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Bambi
Series 2, Episode 1
Bambi Title small
Air date 8 May 1984
Written by Ben Elton, Rik Mayall and Lise Mayer
Directed by Geoff Posner
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It all begins when the phone in the flat starts ringing, Neil is running home as fast as he can. Meanwhile at home Rick is telling a story about a girl called Mary that Vyvyan and Mike are not really interested in

Mike's concern over the quartet's hygiene prompts a first visit to the launderette in almost three years, a decision made all the more urgent, and obvious, by the escape - and subsequent murder - of one of Vyvyan's deadliest socks.

The washing session goes well until one of the washing machines spits out the quartet's putrid clothing and all other machines deny them access. Vyvyan decides to use a "special blend of psychology and extreme violence" to trick one of the machines: he mentions Felicity Kendal's underwear and then forces their laundry into a lustful machine. Unfortunately, the group realises that none of them has the two 50 pence pieces required by the machines. Feeling discouraged, they all agree to remain dirty.

Suddenly Neil remembers the 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 Book of Facts. The answer to both questions Neil asks (The world's record for stuffing marshmallows up one single nostril (604) and World's stickiest bogey is Toxteth O'Grady (USA). When Rick decides to be clever and say that the "world's stupidest bottom burp" was by Vyvyan ,Britain he is appalled that in fact it is him!

Vyvyan's self-decapitation, having stuck his head out of the window (contrary to written warnings) as the train went into a tunnel, results in a muddy hitch-hike. After two weeks, they finally arrive at the studios, where Vyv tries to smuggle in a pig (which he describes as a ferret named "Bacon Sandwich") as their mascot. They also meet Mike's friend Bambi, the fawn from the Disney classic who is now grown up and has "lost a lot of fur" and is "walking on two legs," as Mike points out. Bambi is the show's host, but refuses Rick's request to let the quartet win.

Bambi is the nickname of Bamber Gascoine who was the presenter of UK University Challenge in real life (in this instance he is played by Griff Rhys-Jones)

During the game, their opponents – the well-to-do Footlights college team, made up of Lord Monty (Hugh Laurie), Lord Snot (Stephen Fry), Miss Money-Sterling (Emma Thompson) and Mr Kendal Mintcake (Ben Elton) all from Oxbridge – take a commanding lead, as Neil becomes preoccupied with asking Bambi for permission to go to the toilet. Frustrated at not receiving questions they can answer, an angry Vyvyan obtains a World War II-era German stick grenade and blows up the rival students. Mike's quick answers begin Scumbag College's comeback, much to Vyvyan's dismay (having told Mike some of the answers earlier on the train), Neil answers who produced the "world's stupidest bottom burp" which of course was Rick , Rick still arguably denies it is him,  before a trick question from Bambi reveals Rick's shenanigans of swapping the question cards.

The affronted audience heckle the group, and begin to hurl items at them. They are suddenly squashed by a gigantic éclair dropped by a medical doctor (played by Robbie Coltrane), who has been observing the events of the episode as a culture under a microscope. The Doctor then feeds the éclair to Jumbo, his elephant subject, supposedly a horribly disfigured man, a reference to Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man

Basic Information[]

Bambi was the seventh 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 8 May 1984. It is one of the most remembered episodes for its famous University Challenge scene.

Transcript[]

Click here for transcript to this episode.

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