| The Inbetweeners | |
|---|---|
| Format | Sitcom |
| Created by | Damon Beesley Iain Morris |
| Written by | Damon Beesley[1] Iain Morris |
| Directed by | Gordon Anderson Ben Palmer Damon Beesley Iain Morris |
| Starring | Simon Bird Joe Thomas James Buckley Blake Harrison Greg Davies Emily Head |
| Narrated by | Simon Bird |
| Opening theme | Morning Runner – "Gone Up in Flames" (instrumental) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 18 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Christopher Young |
| Location(s) | West London |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Bwark Productions[2] |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | E4 |
| Picture format | 16:9 (576i SDTV) |
| Original run | 1 May 2008 – 18 October 2010 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | The Inbetweeners Movie |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The Inbetweeners is an award-winning British sitcom which aired for three series from 2008 to 2010 on E4. Created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, the show follows the life of suburban teenager Will (Simon Bird), and three of his friends at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The Inbetweeners Movie was released on 17 August 2011. The show has been nominated for 'Best Situation Comedy' at BAFTA twice, in 2009 and 2010. At the British Academy Television Awards 2010, it won the Audience Award, the only award voted for by viewers and in 2010 the show won the Best Sitcom award at the British Comedy Awards.[3] In the 2011 British Comedy Awards, the show also won the award for Outstanding Contribution to British Comedy.
Contents |
Will arrived at the school as an outsider, having transferred from a private school after his parents divorce. Confident and focused, he is academically able, and eager to get into a good university. He is romantically frustrated, and pessimistic about his chances, being acutely aware of his lack of any kind of coolness. He also annoys the lazy head of Sixth Form, Mr Gilbert, by enthusiastically suggesting ideas and schemes that will mean more work for him. Often quick-witted and controversial, he is also the most sceptical of the gang about Jay's tall stories.
His mother is considered highly attractive by the other boys, among others. He objects to comments on the subject, to no avail.
Simon is a mild mannered member of the gang, although he is prone to outbursts of hysterical swearing at the slightest setback. He is also the most romantic of the boys, his on-off relationship with Carli D'Amato propelling many of the plots. He also is the only one of the four to own a (working) car, an embarrassingly small, old and yellow Fiat Cinquecento Hawaii.
His father tries to maintain a frank and friendly relationship with him, delivering to heart-to-hearts which he finds acutely embarrassing.
Jay is, in his own mind, the most sexually experienced of the group, frequently telling wild stories about his exploits, and handing out wrongheaded advice. In fact, everything he knows about sex is gleaned from the pornography to which he frequently masturbates. He is sometimes believed by Simon or Neil, with disastrous results.
His compulsive lying seems to have something to do with his relationship with his father, who often mocks and belittles him.
"Neil Lindsay Sutherland" is the dim-witted member of the group. Due to his slow nature, he is often the only person who believes Jay's outrageous stories, and often fails to pick up the sarcasm in Will's one liners. On the other hand, he is invariably cheerful, a characteristic which is envied by Will. He has a penchant for older women.
His friends tease him about his father being homosexual. Both he and his father strongly deny these rumours.
Beesley and Morris met as producers on Channel 4's The 11 O'Clock Show. Following posts as commissioners at Channel 4, where Morris shepherded Peep Show, the two launched their own company, Bwark Productions, in 2004 and landed their first series with The Inbetweeners.[5] A pilot for the show was produced in 2006 under the direction of James Bobin titled 'Baggy Trousers'.
E4 originally aired the first series in May 2008, and Channel 4 also broadcast it in November that year. The second series began screening in the United Kingdom on 2 April 2009 and finished on 7 May 2009. A third series was commissioned by E4, commencing on 1 September 2010[6][7] and ending on 18 October 2010. The first episode of the third series had the highest-ever audience for an E4 original commission.[8] Following the conclusion of the third series, the cast and crew of the show indicated that a fourth series would be unlikely as the show had run its course, but that an Inbetweeners movie would be produced, set some time after the third series and following the cast on a holiday in Malia, Crete.
For Red Nose Day 2011, the stars of the show travelled around the UK in the yellow Fiat Cinquecento featured in the show in a special named The Inbetweeners: Rude Road Trip. The aim was to try and find the fifty rudest place names in the country.
Episodes of the first, second and third series can be viewed by United Kingdom and Irish viewers through Channel 4's service, 4oD,[9] and on YouTube.[10] The Inbetweeners: Rude Road Trip is also available as is Top Ten Inbetweeners Moments.
In September 2009, Beesley and Morris confirmed that a film had been commissioned by Film4.[11] The plot revolves around the four boys, now eighteen years old, going on holiday to Malia, Crete.[12] It was released in cinemas on 17 August 2011[13] with a 15 certificate. Up until the end of November it had grossed over £45,000,000 in the UK Box office, a large amount considering the film's meagre budget of just £3,500,000.
In 2011, an Inbetweeners: Top 10 Moments special aired on Channel 4, featuring a countdown of the series' "top 10 moments".
The opening theme tune to The Inbetweeners is an instrumental version of "Gone Up in Flames" by English rock band Morning Runner. The first series also features music by Rachel Stevens, Tellison, Paolo Nutini, The Maccabees, Air Traffic, Calvin Harris, The Ting Tings, Arctic Monkeys, Theaudience, The Fratellis, Vampire Weekend, Two Door Cinema Club, Phoenix, General Fiasco, Gorillaz, Hot Chip, Belle & Sebastian, Field Music, Jamie T, The Libertines, Rihanna, Oasis, Jack Peñate, Guillemots, The Feeling, Kate Nash, The Wombats, The Jam, The Cure, Lily Allen, Mumm-Ra, Kylie Minogue and Feist.[14] The second series also featured Oasis, Biffy Clyro, Passion Pit, Royworld, MGMT, Maximo Park, and The Cribs and the third series also featured Ludacris. A full list can be found on the E4 website. A soundtrack album, The Inbetweeners Soundtrack, was released in 2009.
BBC America began airing The Inbetweeners from 25 January 2010.[15] The network aired both existing series as a single 12 episode television season. The same was done by MTV Latin America.
In 2010, The Inbetweeners started airing in Australia on the Nine Network's digital channel GO!, on Super Channel in Canada, on the comedy channel TV4 Komedi in Sweden, on TV2 in New Zealand, on MTV Latin America.In Israel, yes Next aired the first 2 series, while the 3rd series airdate is unknown.
On 28 February 2011, The Inbetweeners started airing in France on MCM.[16]
| Country | Network(s) | Premiere |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom & Ireland |
E4/ Channel 4 | 1 May 2008 |
| Australia | GO! | 2010 |
| Australia | UKTV | 2011 |
| Canada | Super Channel | 2010 |
| Belgium | JIM | 2010 |
| Sweden | TV4 Komedi | 2010 |
| New Zealand | TV2 | 2010 |
| New Zealand | UKTV | 2010 |
| Israel | yes Next | 2010 |
| Italy | MTV Italy | 2010 |
| Colombia | MTV Latin America | 2010 |
| France | MCM | 28 February 2011 |
| Portugal | MTV Portugal | 2010 |
| United States | BBC America | 25 January 2010 |
| Netherlands | Veronica | 6 December 2011 |
The first series began on 1 May 2008, with the pilot episode garnering 238,000 viewers.[17] The series averaged 459,000 viewers,[18] with 474,000 viewers watching the series finale.[19] The Inbetweeners received two nominations at the British Comedy Awards; the show was nominated for "Best New British Television Comedy (Scripted)" and Simon Bird was nominated for "Best Male Comedy Newcomer".[20] Both won their respective categories.[21] The show was also voted by the British Comedy Guide website as the "Best New British TV Sitcom 2008".[22] It was nominated for "Best Situation Comedy" at the British Academy Television Awards 2009,[2] ultimately losing out to The IT Crowd.[23] It then won the Audience Award at the British Academy Television Awards 2010.[3]
The first episode of series two, which aired on E4 at 10 pm (BST) 2 April 2009, averaged 958,000 viewers,[17] with another 234,000 viewers watching at 11 pm on the time-shift channel E4+1 meaning it was watched by 1.2 million, the highest audience of 2009 for E4.[19]
Joe McNally, writing for The Independent, commends an "exquisitely accurate dialogue, capturing the feel of adolescence perfectly"[24] and Will Dean of The Guardian comments that the show "captures the pathetic sixth-form male experience quite splendidly".[25] The series is often contrasted with E4's successful teen drama, Skins; commentators have offered that "The Inbetweeners' portrayal of dull suburbia is closer [than Skins] to the drab teen years most of us spent, rather than the decadent time we wished we spent."[26]
Episode one of series three aired on 13 September 2010 on UK digital terrestrial network E4, attracting a record breaking overnight average audience of 2.6m viewers (12.5% audience share) in its 10 pm slot, the highest ever viewing figure for a show screened on the channel until 2011 when Glee beat the record.[8]
All of the DVDs received an 18 certificate due to their high number of sexual references and bad language. The theatrical version of The Inbetweeners Movie received a 15 certificate in the United Kingdom, with the extended cut release receiving an 18 certificate.
| Air Date | Episode | Viewers[27] | E4 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May 2008 | First Day | 321,000 | #10 |
| 1 May 2008 | Bunk Off | 321,000 | #8 |
| 8 May 2008 | Thorpe Park | 305,000 | #10 |
| 15 May 2008 | Girlfriend | 436,000 | #8 |
| 22 May 2008 | Caravan Club | 432,000 | #6 |
| 29 May 2008 | Xmas Party | 422,000 | #6 |
| Air Date | Episode | Viewers | E4 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 April 2009 | The Field Trip | 1.21m | #1 |
| 9 April 2009 | Work Experience | 1.182m | #1 |
| 16 April 2009 | Will's Birthday | 1.057m | #1 |
| 23 April 2009 | A Night Out in London | 1.015m | #1 |
| 30 April 2009 | The Duke of Edinburgh Awards | 1.205m | #1 |
| 7 May 2009 | Exam Time | 1.205m | #2 |
| Air Date | Episode | Viewers | E4 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 September 2010 | The Fashion Show | 3.456m | #1 |
| 20 September 2010 | The Gig and the Girlfriend | 3.336m | #1 |
| 27 September 2010 | Will's Dilemma | 3.572m | #1 |
| 4 October 2010 | The Trip to Warwick | 3.456m | #1 |
| 11 October 2010 | Home Alone | 3.721m | #1 |
| 18 October 2010 | The Camping Trip | 3.701m | #1 |
Iain Morris and Damon Beesley were asked by ABC to produce a pilot for a U.S. version of The Inbetweeners. The pilot wasn't picked up by the network, but they have given Morris and Beesley a second blind script commitment for a future project which the two will create.[5]
On 31 March 2011 it was announced that MTV had ordered a twelve-episode first season for a U.S. version of The Inbetweeners. A pilot episode, written by Brad Copeland, was given the green light in September 2010. Copeland will also serve as executive producer on the series along with Beesley and Morris.[28]
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