The Dreamshake Writers as The Inbetweeners (UK)

We're heading into the All Star Break and the Houston Rockets have plenty of rest before their games. Instead of searching for stats or anything mundane like that, I'm taking a cue from Xiane and indulging my creativity. I know, the common conception is that I lack it or it's almost exclusively used for general douchebaggery. No, today I'm going to either open up your eyes to a world of wonders or give you a laugh by affirming what you already know. Today we're going to look at your friendly writing staff as though they were characters from the wonderful television series "The Inbetweeners." If you're not familiar with the series, it's basically Superbad but as a television series and set in England. The series is based around a group of four friends just growing up and going through the awkwardness of being in between youth and adulthood. Each active writer will have a spot with a cast member, a video clip, and an explanation as to why I gave them who I did.

Brief heads up: Language in the videos isn't consistently safe for work. If you're easily offended close the browser. Enjoy.

AK2TheMax - Will McKenzie

If you follow AK on Twitter or keep in touch with him in any way, shape, or form, you know a few things about the guy. First, he's sharp. Second, he's got a better moral compass than most of the people he hangs out with. Third, you can still coax him into some fun even if he may be hesitant about consequences. Lastly, he's always going out of his way to be a good person while still being the kind of guy who laughs at himself. He's definitely Will McKenzie of The Inbetweeners.

Xiane - Simon Cooper

You may expect me to say Xiane is addicted to an ex if you know the series. That's not the case. Xiane is a staple of the group and always shows up at the right times. He's reliable, the straight man more often than not, and the guy who calls BS on plenty that goes on around him. The humor comes out as awkward at times, witty at others, and generally just a reliable person to have around. Sometimes he'll make you tilt your head with what he's saying but more often than not the group doesn't get far without him being involved in some way, shape, or form. Simon is the driver in this group, advocating common sense and being the steady head in the group.

Allen OJ - Neil Sutherland

This one was a fun one. Allen is the quintessential innocent one. Things tend to work out for him but he's certainly nowhere near as abrasive as the other members of the group. He's usually nominally out of the loop in his own world. His own world is a lot more idealistic than the rest of ours and just simpler. There's a lot to be admired in that. Of course, we mock it a lot, too.

Mike Kerns - Jay Cartwright

If there's a penis joke to be made or an insult to be hurled Mike is your best bet. He's unrefined, unapologetic, and downright crude but when you need a laugh or a "ugh" moment he's your guy. He's a good foil to guys like Will and Simon if only because there are times when it seems like he's trying a bit too hard to make an impression or be remembered. Plus, they're both sex pests, so that's a thing.

Thomas Fenoglio - Patrice

Fenoglio gets the one off here. He's clearly the best looking member of the TDS crew. He shows up in a memorable way (gamethread production) and tends to leave it at that. He specializes in blunt honesty that's refreshing in how simple it is. We don't know if that blunt humor is there because Patrice is French or if it's just because he's got that kind of wit, but whatever, it's there and we appreciate it.

Grungedave - Mark Donovan

Sure, he means to be hard and he's got way more experience than most anyone else going here. He doesn't have too much vulnerability and we think he may be a little psychotic. The fundamental way of handling him is always the same; don't piss him off and you're fine. This video pretty much sets up the proper introduction.

Patrick Harrel - Alan Cooper

Pat is the ringleader. He's driving this thing. He's always rolling up his sleeves and doing more than you need done to keep this thing afloat. Unfortunately, with some of that you also get a bit more of a share than you really wanted. The ultimate positive is that no matter what role of authority he's got, he's always right about everyone else's level and feels more like one of the gang than an authority figure.

BD34 - Mr. Gilbert

Best for last, of course. Mr. Gilbert is the intimidating authority figure with an unstable streak. He's often accused of not being fair, not being impartial, and being a colossal asshole. Mr. Gilbert may be abrasive and tough to handle but he's ultimately funny and a break from the usual. He looks out for the best interest of everyone else only because it's his responsibility. Once he feels that's accomplished it he really doesn't care anymore. Check 2:53's clip out particularly for the best summary of this pairing.

Hope y'all enjoyed and, at the very least got to learn something new. For writers I didn't get to cover, I ran very low on characters and clips. We'll get there someday.