Another attempt on the part of MTV to remake a popular British series has failed. The network has reportedly passed on picking up The Inbetweeners for a second season, putting the show in line with Skins among the cable network's failed tries at UK to US series adaptations, and landing it among some of the other awkward-adolescence shows the network has aired in recent years.
Based on Damon Beesley and Iain Morris' series by the same name, The Inbetweeners followed a group of awkward high school boys struggling with adolescence and eagerly anticipating adulthood. THR posted word of the series' cancellation, stating that MTV announced that they wouldn't be moving forward with another season of their adaptation of the comedy. The statement also acknowledged the talented, funny cast of the series. The Inbetweeners premiered last summer, earning almost a million viewers and slipping in numbers from there, so MTV's decision not to renew it isn't all that surprising.
One could surmise that MTV's having bad luck with British adaptations, when you factor in Skins' cancellation along with this one, but really, their young adult comedies and dramas overall have been hit or miss in the ratings. Things have gone well for Awkward and Teen Wolf, while shows like The Inbetweeners and I Just Want My Pants Back were cancelled after one season, and The Hard Times of RJ Berger cancelled after two. So, it might be less about originality or a struggle to adapt a British series for an American audience as it is finding ways to grab viewers' attention and keep it.
As for The Inbetweeners, I liked the first episode of MTV's series, but I didn't see much in it that was different enough from the original series to continue watching. For those disappointed by its cancellation, if you haven't seen it already, the British version of the show is pretty great, and it's available streaming on Netflix.
