If you have to look at a press release to work out whether what you're watching is supposed to be a comedy or a drama, something has gone ­seriously wrong somewhere.

Samuel Robertson (Adam Barlow from Corrie), John Dalgleish (Lark Rise to ­Candleford) and Arsher Ali star as best friends from uni who land what they think is their dream job in the USA as summer camp counsellors for the kids of the West Coast wealthy.

A cross-cultural mash-up of The Inbetweeners and movies like American Pie - British lads trying to have sex in California - isn't the worst idea we've ever heard, but from this first episode, it's more a case of "oh dear" than The OC.

We won't write it off just yet, though. Any show that manages to reference Braveheart and Baywatch in the space of an hour deserves a second chance.

In this unthinking cross between The Inbetweeners and US geek/jock movies, three randy Brits have just graduated and blagged jobs in California at a summer camp for rich older teens. The trio's aim is to have sex with everyone, which slightly dubiously seems to include the people they're supervising. Thankfully, in episode one our lads stick to chasing their fellow staff. Even more offensive, it uses every possible cliché, from meat-headed bullies to fat kids who keep being given wedgies. Generic lines that most writers would be embarrassed to consider for a first draft have made it to the screen. So kudos to the three leads - Samuel Robertson, Arsher Ali and John Dagleish - who somehow manage to charm.

This new comedy is sort of what The Inbetweeners would be like if they went to US summer camp - only it's nowhere near as funny. Flynn (Samuel Robertson), A-Rab (Arsher Ali) and Barry (John Dagleish) are three British chancers who arrive at a California camp with, variously, a broken heart, weed and an insatiable sex drive. Predictable encounters with the usual array of jocks and fat kids follow.

Coming Soon: Beaver Falls, E4

E4 have a brand new comedy-drama on the way, which they're hoping will replicate the success of The Inbetweeners. Beaver Falls is the story of three British friends-Flynn (Coronation Street's Samuel Robertson), A-Rab (Four Lions' Arsher Ali) and Barry (Lark Rise To Candleford's John Dagleish) - who graduate from university and decide to travel to the US for a carefree holiday working for an elite summer camp called Beaver Falls, full of beautiful and rich Californian teenagers.

Marc Wootton to make RSC debut

Marc Wootton and Arsher Ali are to join the ensemble of the Royal Shakespeare Company for A Midsummer Night's Dream this summer.