Top 10 Jay Moments From The Inbetweeners

In the first episode of the show’s second season, it’s same old Jay as the boys head off on an annual geography field trip to Swanage. After insisting that this excursion was the only reason he took the subject, Jay fills his friends in on the legendary "Swanage MILF" who - according to Jay - has sex with one Rudge Park pupil every year. Will and Simon aren’t convinced, but Neil tags along for the search, which eventually takes them to a seaside ice cream kiosk. From there, it’s Jay at his awkward and outrageous best.

The fabled fake ID seemed a must-have in Sixth Form, for anyone hoping to buy a beer before the ripe old age of 18. Luckily for the lads, Jay’s got the situation covered, and boldly heads to the bar. There are some flaws in the forgery, but Jay passes it off with surprising aplomb, and an accent to funnily foreshadow the second “Inbetweeners” feature film years later. Still, if the others had been expecting alcohol too, they were left disappointed.

Given that he’s arguably one of the most superficial characters in modern TV history, whenever Jay shows any actual emotion it can be tough to watch. Not least here, when he relays news of a recent break-up as only Jay can – by veiling his fragile mental state with a blatant attempt to big himself up. All things considered though, seeing Jay cry actual tears is a little heart-breaking. At least he has Will’s ‘Today I crapped myself’ tale to cheer him up again, though.

Along with every other over-embellished falsehood, of course Jay reckons he’s well-connected for recreational drugs. But, when he fails to produce any kind of illicit substance, even Neil begins to doubt him. So, with his self-styled bad boy reputation on the line, he saunters over to a possible dealer to try and negotiate. Needless to say, the exchange does not go well – with stand-up comic come rapper, Doc Brown, teaching the guys a lesson.

With Will taking the lead for their year’s Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, next we find Jay engaged in some voluntary work at the local retirement home. Only, he insists on getting paid for it. But what he lacks in charity he makes up for in lustful opportunism, as this scene sees our sex-obsessed subject stoop to new lows. Sneaking off for some private time with a past photo of one of the residents, this episode reaches its climax in wholly unexpected fashion. Whatever you do, do not shake that hand. Oh dear…

Jay’s arrogance precedes him, of course, but rarely before has his pride been so quickly followed by a fall. When Neil’s mum buys him a motorcycle for his eighteenth birthday, Jay naturally jumps on as though he’s done it all before. Which he quite obviously hasn’t. Careening into a brick wall and going head first through a door, he’s not exactly Hell’s Angel material. But this scene does set-up another suitably car crash episode, wherein Neil throws a party, Will and Simon double date, and Jay purchases a high-brow bumper sticker. Lovely.

If there’s one thing that Jay really does do a lot of, it’s this. The Dead Hand Gang might sound a macabre sort of group, but as he and Neil explain, it’s anything but. And so, we switch to a scene with Jay in his pants, aiming to become the gang’s latest inductee. Only his bedroom door opens at precisely the wrong time, to create one of the most awkward moments from the entire series. Naturally, Neil takes a while to cotton on, though.

The Will and Charlotte storyline was A) pretty unexpected, and B) cringey enough to begin with. But then Jay wades in to take the awkwardness to another level, and unintentionally make his mate look like an even better catch. With Will actually managing to turn on the charm for once, Jay’s disbelief leads to this hilarious moment of comic self-destruction. If there’s one thing that really has no place in the kitchen at a student party, it’s a crazy frog impression.

This now-iconic comedy catchphrase all started when Jay had the audacity to speak with someone other than Will, Simon or Neil. Despite his usual tall tales, there seems perhaps an ounce of truth behind the links to his ‘football friend’… But that doesn’t matter to the other three, who relentlessly rib him for it. At first, Jay appears to take it well, but he eventually snaps in spectacular fashion. It’s all in the delivery of course, so set your voices to high and don’t forget the thumbs!

If there’s one “Inbetweeners” catchphrase to beat even ‘Football friend’, it’s this. Simon’s car is of course a vital part of the series, ferrying the foursome from one disaster to the next. But, for the briefest of moments it facilitated a rare feeling of superiority for the boys, with Jay leaning from the window to goad those waiting for public transport. The joke worked well the first time, but not so much the second… with Simon facing the consequences for his friend’s irrepressible idiocy. Not that Jay was scared or anything.