<P> Rick is a self - proclaimed anarchist who is studying sociology and / or domestic sciences (depending on the episode). Rick writes bad poetry, and styles himself "The People's Poet", believing himself to be the "spokesperson for a generation". He is in fact a hypocritical, tantrum - throwing, attention - seeking Cliff Richard fan, or, as Vyvyan describes him, "The classic example of an only child!" Rick tries to impress the others using wit and humour, despite not having any discernible talent . The only time he has come close succeeding is in time when it seem like he succeeded in wooing a girl . This turns out to be false however and he is exposed and punished almost immediately . He insults Neil at every opportunity, using Neil as a target and an outlet, picks fights and bickers with Vyvyan and attempts to impress Mike . He is portrayed as being so self - absorbed that he believes he is the "most popular member of the flat" despite being disliked by virtually everyone he knows; even though his housemates hate him, he says that they "really are terrific friends". This is further emphasised in the episode "Bambi" when Neil reads graffiti aloud from Rick's History' O' Level text book; "Prick is a wonker - signed, The Rest of the Class" which Rick dismisses as banter until Neil further reads "I agree with the rest of the class--signed, Teacher ." </P> <P> He can't say the "R" sound correctly and instead enunciates a mixture of a "W" and a "R" sound . In the episode "Bomb", he dictates his name to a woman who looks up in confusion and repeats it back as "Wick?". Vyvyan, for his own amusement, describes Rick's name as being spelled "with a silent P", as he wrote it on Rick's name card during the University Challenge against Footlights College in the episode "Bambi". </P> <P> Rick's political beliefs vary, depending on how they benefit his particular situation, but can usually be categorised as radical . While Rick sees himself as both a revolutionary and follower of Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, in reality he has little understanding of the political ideals he purports to follow, and aspirations that far exceeds his reach . During "Cash" he is shown with a copy of Marx's Das Kapital, seemingly having fallen asleep while trying to read it . </P> <P> He greatly dislikes Margaret Thatcher, as is noted by his threatening to blow up England with an atomic bomb in the episode "Bomb" if she "doesn't do something to help the kids, by this afternoon", and from negative references to Thatcher and the Conservative Party mentioned in The Young Ones book Bachelor Boys . However, Rick sometimes displays a markedly conservative mindset, contrary to the image he has adopted, as again in "Bomb" while talking to an old man at the DHSS office (which he has mistaken for a post office), and in Summer Holiday comments "That's one thing I'll say for Thatcher, she definitely has put this country back on its feet". </P>

British show on mtv in the 80's