The Inbetweeners (2008)

The Inbetweeners is a 2008 British coming-of-age comedy about four awkward sixth-form friends trying — and mostly failing — to act like grown-ups. When nerdy newcomer Will McKenzie joins Rudge Park Comprehensive’s older boys, he falls in with Simon Cooper (desperately pining for Carli), Jay Cartwright (the loud, boastful storyteller), and Neil Sutherland (the well-meaning but dim-witted sidekick). Across episodes they scheme for beer, romance and status, only to be met with humiliating rejections, bullying (notably from Mark Donovan), and the deadpan cruelty of their head of sixth form, Mr. Gilbert. Watching The Inbetweeners is a steady stream of cringe-driven, character-based humor: sharp, often raunchy jokes, painfully awkward social encounters and memorable one-liners. The show trades on adolescent insecurity and male friendship, so viewers can expect laugh-out-loud moments mixed with moments of sympathy for the boys’ bumbling attempts to grow up. If you enjoy blunt, observational British comedy that’s as uncomfortable as it is funny, this series delivers — though be warned, it includes strong language and mature themes.

Actors: Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison

Genre: Comedy

8.4 /10 8.4 /10