I always a get a bit nervous when a new comedy series begins - or, at least, one that's new to me, as is the case with The Inbetweeners. I've been let down so many times in the past, but for some reason, it never stops me excitedly getting my hopes up, because I'm always on the lookout for a great new sitcom. This time those hopes were higher than ever, as the first series of The Inbetweeners got such good press, and I recently saw two of its stars in a comic mini-play called The Meeting, which was a real hoot. And you know what - this particular show actually lived up to expectations! Oh joy!

Related: Trailer Trash - The Inbetweeners

The comedy, for those like me coming to it for the first time, is set in what Mr Blair delightfully described as a 'bog-standard comprehensive' and follows a ragbag of friends who have been thrust together simply because no-one else will have them. They are not the cool kids, put it that way.

Our hero is Will (Simon Bird), a public schoolboy who is having to slum it until his mum can get him back where he feels he belongs. He's very clever but rather socially inept, and in the end is just as eager as his new friends to get the girl. His closest mate is Simon (Joe Thomas) whose greatest goal in life is to get a date with Carli; and Jay - uncouth ladies man - and Neil - the, er, rather slow one - complete the merry band.

This new series started with a school trip to the tired seaside town of Swanage (Will is more used to the likes of Barcelona, of course) which Jay believes is the residing place of a - probably mythical - older woman who propositions 6th formers on a regular basis. While he's busy on the hunt for a MILF, Will and Simon both fall for new girl Lauren - though she's rather more interested in the latter - and Neil tries to avoid the advances of a rather 'friendly' teacher, Mr Kennedy who, it later transpires to the boys' amazement, isn't just the innocent victim of schoolboy banter, but an actual paedophile.

While this comedy is crude, and the pursuit of girls is often at the centre of the action, it works because, despite all that, you can sense that its heart is truly in the right place - Coming Of Age it ain't, in fact its closest relative is probably Peep Show. And it's the writing that is really to be admired. This is a densely written comedy that has been put together by people who clearly care about every line and are will to put the work in to make them all count. It was only a half hour show, but it felt longer because so much plot and zingy dialogue was packed in, and how often can you say that?