To be a bit shocked by 'The Inbetweeners'

[BranchingOut]

I watched a couple of episodes of this yesterday and was really quite shocked at some of the sexist derogatory language used on the show:

'There's some tidy minge here...' (Talking about a group of girls)

'If there's grass on the lawn you can plant your pole'. (Talking about the fact that the said girls were 12/13)

A character being routinely referred to as 'Charlotte big tits'.

'Does it smell?...has she wiped her minge on it.' (Talking about a Valentines Day card from a girl)

'I think we could get our fingers sticky here.' (talking about the fact that there were plenty of girls in a disco scene)

Plus numerous other references to tits, fanny, minge, wannk, cock, cum, blow etc.

Now, I realise that this programme is meant to be watched ironically by young men aged 25-35, but isn't the problem that it is being watched 'literally' by teenagers and children aged 13 - 18?

What kind of attitudes towards girls/women is this promoting in young men?

Oh, and yes, it is wittily scripted, but it also gave me the creepy horrors at the general sexualised nastiness of it all...

AIBU?

Sorry, I mean 'wank', although I do rather like the mis-spelling 'wannk'!

IIRC they're sixth formers, and from my experience that's how sixth form boys talk (not all of them, but some)

My son informed me he has watched that while visting his dad I have never seen it.

What is IIRC? Thanks. I keep seeing people use it all over MN and not know what it means!

Quick, hide your DVD now, before you get to "We hit a spastic with a frisbee" and "Up to me nuts in clunge..."

Frieeeend

IIRC = If I remember correctly

But... who are you laughing at?

The socially, sexually inept boys. The girls so have the upper hand in every episode!

Ha! Agree with Juneybean. (I love this programme btw! )

Me too LOL haven't watched it for a while though!

Oh yes I've seen it. It is puerile with lots of rude words and sexist language.

I think it's hilarious. I kind of feel EEUURGH and OUCH and then laugh.

Bus Wankers!!!!!

Yes I think YABU - if you don't like it don't watch it. There are bad messages in lots of TV programmes at least this one is funny.

Feisty one you are.

I have only seen it once or twice, but isn't it only one character who does this? As I recall it's not the general vocabulary of the group, it's specifically a trait of one of them. And the point is clearly made that, in fact, he never gets anywhere near a girl. Maybe I misremember, but I am keenly feminist in my appraisal of anything I watch, and that's how I remember it.

It's not aimed at children -- Channel 4 mark it as adult content and I see that 4OD say you it's for over 18s. However, anyone who does watch it and is old enough to make the link between his obscene attitude and the reality of his existence might possibly learn a useful lesson.

And I also think it's very funny.

Its hilarious!!

Lol McCrappy!

My fave episode is the coach trip one! with the 'paedo teacher' and punching the fish to death!

I definitely agree that it is funny, but maybe the fact that all this language is being used in the context of teenage girls that makes me uncomfortable?

It's supremely funny and the derogatory language is humorous because it's used by lads who are abysmal failures with women. As is the tendency with teenage boys, they're all talk and no action. Which makes the swagger and bluster even funnier.

I think it's one of the best series we've had on TV in the last couple of years for being genuinely laugh-out-loud funny.

For some reason the field trip one gets me beyond myself every time. "Call the police!" "And tell them what - we caught a fish?" [genuine LOL]

QTB - I'ts 'up to my nuts in guts!' (even worse!) In all fairness it's only one character who speaks like that, and he is portrayed as pretty desperate.

I think I went to sixth form with every male it was ever written about!

It's revolting sometimes but bloody amusing the rest of it

YABU it's a tv show, you don't HAVE to watch it

'Fish Punch' made me fall off the bed laughing whilst heavily pregnant! :)

My 17 year old DS loves it ... says it all really

When's the new series on? Love this programme it makes me literally laugh out loud!

Because it's about immersing us in the murky truth of specifically male teenagerdom, the girls do appear as viewed by these boys, objectified by being presented through that lens. I can see what's perhaps uncomfortable there. It might be interesting to see more of the girls' side of the story -- what teenage girls say about teenage boys would also be cringe-inducing. But that would be quite a different show.

I suppose I feel happier with this presentation of objectification, as something very obvious and warped, than I do with the bland acceptance of it in so many other things.

Agree with everybody's responses. We watched it with our sons (21 and 26) so funny, rather 'Peep Show, the early years' as it's basically how inept the boys are. I wouldn't be happy about young teens watching it especially, and can see the OP's point of view, but I feel like that about lots of stuff on TV.
MN Friend

Clunge form an orderly queue!
(love this programme, so for that reason, yabu)