Its right there in the title.
Takethat, convention), but the words tell a truth never far fromFresh Meats cringe comedy.
Theres compassion for students in the writing, says Joe Thomas, who plays indie kid undergrad Kingsley.
Particularly in this series, theres a sense that they were saying This is genuinely very difficult.
This is now something that is both expensiveanduseless.
Student grants hadnt yet been abolished and means-tested tuition fees were still to be introduced.
And with it, a sense of simmering anger.
His cast-mates (minus an absent Greg McHugh) laugh, but the points a serious one.
Fresh Meatis very good at doing that, says Jack Whitehall, who plays overgrown public schoolboy JP.
The writers are very good at blending the comedy with the drama.
This series, Id describe as bleak with knob gags.
Its taking heart-breaking moments and wrapping them in ridiculousness, says Kimberley Nixon, who plays Josie.
It comes through in the best way though, adds Charlotte Ritchie, highly strung overachiever Oregon.
Its not worthy or preachy.
Its all couched in a joke, so it gets you.
Youre not sitting there thinking stop lecturing me.
After revision, finals and graduation, uncertainty is in the air.
Weirdly, the graduation isnt the main event in this series, says Zawe Ashton, who plays Vod.
Its not like oh, and then they graduated.
Everyones still got a lot of questions about where theyre going to end up after uni.
Was it just a joke?
Was it a waste of time?
Are these really my friends?
Its more questions than answers in series four.
And Vods future has more question marks hanging over it than most.
After shirking work and partying throughout her undergraduate career, shes left facing bottomless debt and no prospects.
Can Ashton imagine where Vod might end up years down the line?
Unemployed jumps in Whitehall.
JP will be in the city masterminding another financial crisis through being reckless.
She hasnt had much of a sense of her own future and suddenly shes worrying.
JP, for one, has his answer.
His older brothers arrival in series four brings with it some depressing truths, both for him and us.
Whitehalls character generates a surprising amount of warmth and pity in the very funny series four opener.
They all do, loveable idiots to a one.
Its their pathetic youth that does it.
Like kids counting their age by the half-year.
The show reflects that.
Fresh Meat series 4 starts on Monday the 22ndof February at 10pm on Channel 4.
