Hee! I watched DPS before my eyes were opened to slash; I think I need to watch it again. And you're very right about the class and appearances issues. It's got that, not comedy, but tragedy of manners feel to it.

Never been to boarding school, but from what my friends who have tell me, I can't say I'm surprised. Not that public (in the US sense) high school was lacking in angst or rushing hormones, but there wasn't quite the same self-importance -- not that there wasn't plenty of self-obsession, but we were all too into laughing at each other -- and aware of the ironic gaze on ourselves -- to really take that kind of risk together.