Joe McNally , writing for '' The Independent '' , commends an " exquisitely accurate dialogue , capturing the feel of adolescence perfectly " and Will Dean of '' The Guardian '' comments that the programme " captures the pathetic sixth-form male experience quite splendidly " . 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 . " The first series began on 1 May 2008 , with the pilot episode garnering 238,000 viewers . The series averaged 459,000 viewers , with 474,000 viewers watching the series finale . '' The Inbetweeners '' received two nominations at the British Comedy Awards ; the programme was nominated for " Best New British Television Comedy ( Scripted ) " and Simon Bird was nominated for " Best Male Comedy Newcomer " . Both won their respective categories . The programme was also voted by the British Comedy Guide website as the " Best New British TV Sitcom 2008 " . It was nominated for " Best Situation Comedy " at the British Academy Television Awards 2009 , ultimately losing out to '' The IT Crowd '' . It then won the Audience Award at the British Academy Television Awards 2010
British Academy Television Awards 2009
British Academy Television Awards 2009
The Inbetweeners