There are no superlatives left to describe just how much E4's Inbetweeners made such an impact on modern comedy when launched in May of 2008. The simple sitcom about four youth's who aren't quite loosers and aren't nearly cool, has appealed to all ages making the nation laugh at the most brilliantly inappropriate and disgusting incidents; from naked boat rides in Swanage to projectile vomiting on 8-year-old boys.
Hidden within the already shocking humour are some pretty dark and disturbing themes and incidents that reveal a pretty sick side to the world of bus wankers, clunge and "FRIENDS!"
So here, in no particular order, we've listed the top 5 darkest 'truths' that materialise throughout all three series of the show and make the fictional world of Skins look like Balamory...
1: There is a genuine paedophile at large teaching in the school
Lets jump straight in with paedophilia, or to be more precise, Mr Kennedy (Waen Shepherd) a rumoured "Paedo" who turns out to be a genuine paedophile teaching at Rudge Park Comprehensive.
First appearing in the The Field Trip, Mr Kennedy seems to have a special place in his heart (and other places) for a naive Neil who he takes for a swim and latter sneaks in to his dorm to try and administer a late night "rub-down". Although it makes for some hilarious moments, you've got to question what geography teacher Mr Kennedy gets up to when we don't see him! Worse still, Mr Gilbert and apparently other teachers at the school are fully aware of Mr Kennedy's actions!
Yup, doesn't get as atramentous and sinister as paedophile working in a school. On we go...
2: Will's (fit) mum is slightly sociopathic
As if Carly and Charlotte 'Big Jugs' Hinchcliffe weren't enough eye-candy, we also had Polly Mckenzie (Belinda Stewart-Wilson) or "Will's hot mum" giving new meaning to the word "Milf".
As enjoyable as her rare appearances were, there was a sinister side to the single parent. Mrs Mckenzie seems to take an apathetic approach to life, taking no real interest in what Will say's or does and ignoring his pleas that he's being bullied by Donovan responding with "So glad you're making friends" - nice!
When we first meet Will's Mum, we're led to believe she's just come out of a divorce and yet there's no sense of sadness or mourning. It also becomes apparent that she hasn't mothered Will properly for at least 10 years, still believing him to react in the same childish ways as when he "lost teddy" when he was 5 or "got sick on the ghost train". She even mistakes his age at one point, celebrating his 16th birthday on what is actually his 17th birthday. These various slip-ups could mean that she was absent for his early teen years and maybe because of their wealth at the time, Will was bought up by a Nanny or... I'm thinking too deeply in to a character who's only there for "your mum jokes".
3: Simon is sexually abused on his driving test
In what is quite a forgotten scene, Simon is unnecessarily fondled by the examiner at the beginning of his driving test. Although Simon "never told us what happened during his driving test" - judging by his driving over the next three series, it's apparent that it was more crotch than clutch control that earned him his licence.
4: The four boys all destroy each other's relationships
You could write an essay on how bad advice and malicious rivalry has prevented the protagonists from popping their cherry. From hair remover down the trousers to fibs about a caravan club, whether it's intentional or not the four virgins have cost each other the prize of clunge on more than one occasion.
One of two incidents that stand out are Neil, Simon and Will playing on Jay's paranoid feeling towards new girlfriend Chloe in Series 2 Episode 6. Combined with some terrible advice from his father, Jay essentially turns to stalking his 1-week lover resulting in an emotional dumping from Chloe.
When it comes to advice however, it's a case of 'like father like son as Jay's dreadful advice about a pre-sex 5-knuckle warm-up results in one of the most disturbing scenes of the series!
5: Jay was abused as a child
Yup, they went there. In the last episode of season 3 and indeed the whole series, we finally found out that Jay had one genuine sexual experience as a youth.
When sat around the camp-fire discussing what game to play next, Jay is about to suggest the infamous texting game when Neil interrupts and reveals one of the darkest secrets in sitcom history -
Jay: I know a game we can play, not a shit one. Though thinking about it you lot might be too pussy to play
Neil: It's not that game you used to play with your weird neighbour in his shed is it?
Jay: Well, errm. That never happened?
Neil: Yeah you told me about it years ago, just after he moved away...
So, if a comedy paedophile teacher wasn't enough, one of the protagonists was sexually harassed as a child. As a comedy writer it must be hard to think of how you can keep things funny after a bombshell like Child Abuse... "Monopoly anyone?"
