Both series dramatise the experiences and misadventures of nerdy teenager Adrian.

As well as being funny and moving, its also a time capsule of life as a 1980s teenager.

The casting is mostly top-notch, beginning with lead actor Gian Sammarco.

Many of the comedic moments spring from his obliviousness and lack of savvy.

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Even when he gets things wrong, however, the audience is on his side.

Every now and then, he receives yet another rejection letter from the BBC for his poetry.

Despite his pomposity and pretensions, Adrians naivete and aspirations are endearing.

One of the most famous moments from the book comes from Adrians experimentation with substance abuse.

Building model aeroplanes was a common nerdy activity for a youth in the 1980s.

Cue Adrian indulging his curiosity about the practice of glue-sniffing.

Like most 13 34 year olds, Adrian has a burgeoning interest in sex.

Now, thats nerdy.

He seems to interpret the results as a kind of barometer of how things are going in life.

Symbolically, this represents Adrian getting a view beneath the respectable veneer of society and its treatment of sex.

Some of the social changes that were part of the 1980s are reflected in the storylines.

Its the acknowledgement of these social issues that pushes this series ahead of other teen dramas of the time.

Getting back to Adrians family, his parents are self-absorbed.

They are, basically, good people, yet they fall short as role models and supportive parents.

Adrians parents repeatedly act upon their whims, rather than in a responsible manner.

This lack of self-control continually infuriates their sensible son.

On one occasion, Adrian overhears that his parents are now arguing over who gets stuck with him.

Without giving too much away, the situation culminates in a huge mess of unplanned pregnancies and fragmented families.

Society was changing, and the kids were often at the sharp end.

Here, he plays Adrians father, and hes great as usual.

However, like most of the characters, although flawed, his heart is usually in the right place.

These were often well-meant but only worked on paper.

The social strata of Adrians world is also explored through characters with different backgrounds.

His love interest, Pandora Braithwaite, comes from a family that is superficially quite different from Adrians.

Polite and well-educated, The Braithwaites are middle-class and deeply involved in right-on left-wing politics.

Pandora herself is played very well by Lindsey Stagg.

Why am I going to Tunisia?

she laments before giving Adrian a goodbye hug.

Its because your dad is rich, the audience hears him comment.

Like Gian Sammarco, Stagg left the acting profession before she could transition to adult roles.

Most of the rest of the cast is filled out with familiar faces of well-known British actors.

No wonder she refers to Adrians mum as wanton.

When Adrian complains that he is feeling depressed, she replies: Depressed?

There was no such word when I was your age.

We was too busy working morning, noon and night.

What does Adrian have to admire or believe in?

Both are very good.

The excellent source material provides a solid foundation for the series.