Stumbled onto this on Bravo a few years back...if you've only seen Rik in the Young Ones or Drop Dead Fred, you'll be amazed at his range and talent in this and the other episodes in the "Rik Mayall Presents" series. See also "Dirty Old Town", "Clair De Lune", and "The Big One".
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jarret11 October 1998
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HellKaiser4 February 2011Now, if you've only seen Rik Mayall as Rick from The Young Ones or as Richie from Bottom, then you'll be questioning as to whether Rik is the same person in this. Let me tell you now, prepare to be completely amazed. This character is so different than his normal few and he gives a flawless performance. The amount of raw talent that Rik has had bottled up all this time, flows out in this short film and in both series of 'Rik Mayall Presents'. One scene in particular at the end of this shows Rik flaunting off what he is capable of and that is one hell of an actor. Also prepare to see a young Alan Cumming and Rik have a fight to the death. So if you have not seen Micky Love then please just take an hour of your time to watch it on YouTube. Marsha :)
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Rabical-9128 March 2023The first episode of Rik Mayall's anthology sitcom 'Rik Mayall Presents', a series created specially to showcase Rik's talents to take on comedic roles other than that of the violent slapstick he was normally accustomed to. However, for a starter it was a pretty dire affair. It didn't do Rik or the show justice at all.
'Mickey Love' ( also the name of the title character ) follows the exploits of a popular game show host who fears his show is to be axed. The once popular 'Family Values' ( clearly based on 'Family Fortunes' ) is starting to fall in the ratings and soon rumour is rife that the show is for the chop. Mickey fears this will spell the end of his career.
Indeed, these fears are compounded when the arrival of a flashy new TV host Greg Deane joins the station...
Despite the presence of some fine actors - William Roache, Jennifer Ehle ( in her first major TV role ), Peter Capaldi. Freddie Davies and Michael Maloney, 'Mickey Love' was nothing more than a messy mash up of fighting and desperation. Mickey's attempts to cling on by his fingertips to what's left of his career are embarrassing and portray him more as an unsympathetic retch rather than the tragic character I expect he was intended to be. Greg Deane is played by Alan Cumming, who later moved into sitcom territory with BBC Scotland's 'The High Life'.
Thankfully, the rest of the series is of a far higher quality and things improved sharply with the following edition, 'Briefest Encounter'.
Funniest bit - pretty difficult but probably it would be this moment. Mickey, wandering about the studios on a mobile phone, venting his spleen to his producer. When he is cut off, he loudly lets out a torrent of profanities, unaware that there are a group of shocked pensioners standing behind him seeking an autograph. Mortified when he spots them and thinking fast on his feet, he says he is rehearsing his swearing routine!