Tonight's TV
The In crowd
The Invisibles (BBC1, 9pm); The Inbetweeners (E4, 10pm)
MEN behaving badly or
teenagers behaving disgracefully.
Take your pick between
The Invisibles and The
Inbetweeners.
The former has the better pedigree with a
cast led by Anthony Head, Warren Clarke and
Dean Lennox Kelly. Unfortunately, The Invisibles
emerges as a strange beast. One of
those shows that's neither comedy nor
drama, falling somewhere inbetween and satisfying
the needs of neither category.
At least The Inbetweeners achieves what
it sets out to do - to make us laugh at the sex,
booze and acne escapades of a group of hapless,
helpless, hopeless sixth form lads.
And I laughed. Okay, it was the bit where
Simon projectile vomited on the seven-yearold
boy he was babysitting. I found it funny,
even if the little lad didn't.
But back to those Invisibles. They're a pair
of ex-criminals, Maurice (Head) and his dumb
mate Syd (Clarke), who give up their life of
luxury on the Costa del Crime for retirement
in dear old England.
"There's only so much sun, sea and sangria
one can manage in one's lifetime," is the best
explanation Maurice gives for returning.
His wife (Jenny Agutter) is pleased to be
back home, eager for a cup of tea and a trip
round M&S.
Despite their protests that "we've hung up
our boots" - ie they're going straight - it's obvious
that they'll be back to their old criminal
ways before long. The catalyst is Syd's son
getting in debt to a thug who threatens to
break various limbs if the money isn't repaid.
Maurice and Syd indulge in a spot of breaking
and entering to repay the money.
"The Invisibles - they're back. There's no
car I can't drive, no alarm I can't silence,"
crows Syd, just before making a right mess
of their comeback break-in.
Dean Lennox Kelly is on their heels as a
dodgy pub landlord who knows all about
their past, telling them: "You two were my
guiding light". A criminal threesome must be
on the cards in future episodes.
Breaking the law is difficult, especially for
the four suburban teenagers at the heart of
The Inbetweeners, a comedy without any pretensions of seriousness. That's best left to the
likes of Skins.
Will begins by supplying a list of things
he hoped wouldn't happen in his life - his dad
leaving his mum, being taken out of private
education and forced to go to a state school,
and the school psycho taking a dislike to him.
Part of the trouble is the label he has to
wear on the first day at his new school bearing
the words MY NAME IS WILL, STOP ME
AND SAY HELLO. It's like wearing a target
on his chest. His new school mates know exactly
who to ridicule and humiliate. His blazer
and briefcase don't help him blend in with
the crowd either.
One saving grace is his mother, who comes
to pick him up in a sports car. "Your mum is
so fit she could be a prostitute," someone
remarks.
The first of a double helping of The Inbetweeners
has Will trying to make friends. Difficult
when the school bully takes a photo of
you sitting on the toilet and posts it on the
noticeboard. He finds a friend in Simon, who
lusts after luscious Kylie, and his friends Jay
and Neil. The first day at school is celebrated
with a night out at the pub. Never mind
that they're not old enough to buy alcohol.
Playing frisbee rather than football in the
park ("not a cool place but a good place to
stare at girls") doesn't work out well as Will
hits a disabled girl in the face with the
frisbee.
Putting on Simon's dad's suit to look older
and buy booze from the off-licence works, up
to a point. If only they could hold their drink,
which is where Simon and the puked-upon
child comes in. And should I mention Will
manages to accuse Neil's dad of being both
gay and a child abuser?
The Inbetweeners won't win any prizes for
subtlety - it's more like American Pie than Tom Brown's Schooldays.
10:15am Thursday 1st May 2008
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