The Inbetweeners

MTV buys Inbetweeners

The Inbetweeners will get a new lease of life when it is remade for the US audience, with an all-new cast.

It was, of course, excruciating, crude and uproariously funny - everything we've come to love from a brilliantly observed British comedy that will be bowing out on a high in three weeks' time. Free of his ridiculous obsession with Carli (Emily Head), Simon's overcome his unfortunate Statue of Liberty haircut and acquired actual human girlfriend Tara (Hannah Tointon); keeping her will be the real challenge.

Helpfully, the ever-loyal Will (Simon Bird) is willing to spend time with Tara's BBF - boring best friend) - if there's the prospect of some - hell, any action at the end of the day.

As The Inbetweeners has confirmed repeatedly and hilariously, the course of both true love and adolescent fumbling never runs smoothly.

Whether it was Will fainting during a gory horror film, Simon appalling Tara's parents after meeting them for the first time or Jay (James Buckley) and Neil (Blake Harrison) encountering a teacher out of his natural habitat, E4's hit series finely captures the continual embarrassment of teenage life.

Not that this third episode ever neared serious territory as The Inbetweeners thankfully avoids the death and depression plots of Skins in favour of a top-notch sight gag involving a motorbike, a new running joke to rival the "Friend!" quip of the first series and revelling in the genuine chemistry between our four loveable leads.

The Inbetweeners 3.3 review

I wish The Inbetweeners would decide if it's a semi-realistic comedy or a live-action comic strip, because I spent most of this third episode either smiling in satisfaction at well-observed adolescent behaviour, or struggling to swallow its broader moments.

This week Neil turns 18. His mum goes overboard and buys him a motorbike, which he can't ride thanks to a broken arm - step in Jay to show him how it's done... His dad throws him a desultory family party, allowing him to bring ten friends. If only Neil had ten friends. Meanwhile, Will finds himself stuck on the horns of a male adolescent dilemma: should he go out with a girl he and his mates find unattractive if there's the slightest promise of oral sex? Naturally he does, though it all leads to an excruciating climax at Neil's party, which reveals the show's genius as a comedy of manners beneath all the smut.

The Inbetweeners: series three, episode three

Great visual gags, top lines and perhaps one of best Inbetweeners moments ever - this episode is a classic.

The Inbetweeners series 3 episode 3 review

There's a lot to like about this episode, including the way Jay and Neil mock Simon every time he mentions Tara's name (which, to be fair, is a lot).

The lovable misfit schoolboys show no signs of shaking off their nerdy charms as sixth form continues to expose their gaucheness in this puerile but funny sitcom. Simon (Joe Thomas) and Will (Simon Bird) are on a double date, with Simon wondering if a snog is worth the price of having his new girlfriend, Tara (Hannah Tointon), redesign his wardrobe, while Will hopes hanging out with Tara's boring friend will lead to some action.

Tween 'n gone: Inbetweeners creators axe show

Classy cult comedy The Inbetweeners is to be axed by its own creators - because its schoolboy characters are getting too old.

Top 10 Inbetweeners comedy gold moments

We celebrate the comedy majesty of E4's The Inbetweeners, with a look at his choice of the funniest scenes in the show to date...