▁H ent el off ), ▁a ▁bright ▁young , ▁bes pect ac led ▁man ▁who ▁looked ▁a ▁lot ▁( by ▁design ) ▁like ▁a ▁younger ▁Benjamin ▁Franklin , ▁whom ▁he ▁greatly ▁adm ired , ▁and ▁Elizabeth ▁( H il ary ▁Thompson ), ▁Jer emy ' s ▁even - you ng er ▁girl friend . ▁ ▁Any ▁parallel ▁between ▁this ▁" y outh ▁movement " ▁and ▁the ▁one ▁going ▁on ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁real ▁life ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁that ▁this ▁show ▁was ▁a ired ▁was ▁completely ▁intent ional . ▁ ▁A iding ▁these ▁young ▁American ▁reb els ▁in ▁their ▁cause ▁was ▁a ▁young ▁French ▁re bel , ▁the ▁Mar quis ▁de ▁La f ay ette ▁( Ph ili ppe ▁For quet ), ▁who ▁had ▁come ▁to ▁their ▁aid ▁not ▁just ▁because ▁he ▁believed ▁in ▁their ▁cause ▁but ▁also ▁to ▁learn ▁how ▁to ▁export ▁many ▁of ▁its ▁principles ▁to ▁his ▁native ▁France . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁The ▁Young ▁Reb els ▁was ▁up ▁against ▁the ▁very ▁popular ▁family ▁shows ▁L ass ie ▁and ▁The ▁Wonder ful ▁World ▁of ▁Disney ▁on ▁compet itors ▁CBS ▁and ▁N BC ▁respectively . ▁ ▁Rick ▁E ly ▁and ▁Philippe ▁For quet ▁became ▁te en age ▁id ols ▁and ▁were ▁widely ▁featured ▁in ▁movie ▁and ▁fan ▁mag az ines . ▁Despite ▁extensive ▁promotion ▁and ▁a ▁large ▁( by ▁television ▁standards ▁of ▁the ▁era ) ▁production ▁budget , ▁The ▁Young ▁Reb els ▁failed ▁to ▁gar ner ▁enough ▁of ▁an ▁audience ▁and ▁was ▁can ce led ▁at ▁mid season . ▁