Spaced

Spaced is a British television situation comedy written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, directed by Edgar Wright, and broadcast on Channel 4. It is notable for its almost constant dropping of pop-culture references. Two series of seven episodes have been broadcast (in autumn 1999 and spring 2001). The first series was a nominee for Best TV Sitcom in the 1999 British Comedy Awards.

Spaced is concerned with the strange adventures of two twenty-somethings sharing a flat in London: Tim Bisley (Pegg), an aspiring comic book artist, and Daisy Steiner (Stevenson), an aspiring writer. In order to secure the (surprisingly cheap) lease of their flat they falsely tell landlady Marsha Klein (Julia Deakin) that they are a couple. Marsha, an aging divorcée rock chick, lives upstairs in a haze of cigarette smoke with her teenage daughter Amber (a heard but unseen character apart from a few fleeting glimpses) and a regular supply of red wine. Also living in the house is conceptual artist Brian Topp (Mark Heap); regular visitors are Tim's army-reject pal Mike Watt (Pegg's former real-life flatmate Nick Frost) and Daisy's best friend Twist Morgan (Katy Carmichael), who is "something in fashion". The regular cast is completed by Tim and Daisy's dog, Colin, and the characterful north London house known in the series as "23 Meteor Street".

References to popular culture - particularly but not exclusively to science fiction and horror films, comic books (especially 2000 AD) and video games - abound in Spaced to the extent that the DVD of Series 2 includes the "Homage-o-meter", an alternative set of subtitles listing every reference and homage (for the "Definitive Collectors Edition" DVD boxed set, the Homage-o-meter was added to the first series as well). The series is also noted for its regular references to recreational drug use, from its title onwards: Tim and Daisy are shown smoking cannabis on a number of occasions, the plot of "Art" is built around the after-effects of a night taking amphetamine, and "Epiphanies", while not showing any explicit drug-taking, is full of references to the effects of ecstasy. The drug-taking goes unremarked, as a normal part of the characters' lives, which is no more significant than the caffeine intake on Friends.

Spaced has a distinctive visual style set by director Edgar Wright and shot (unusually for a sitcom) with a single camera. In addition to borrowing liberally from the visual language of horror film, it has particular stylistic mannerisms like the recurring device of scene changes occurring in the middle of a pan. The series' atmosphere is also established by the use of a particular flavour of contemporary electronica on its soundtrack.

A third and final series has been planned for some time (with Simon Pegg joking that it would end with a Blake's Seven style shoot-out) but a rumoured movie is not on the cards. Edgar Wright told the official fan website spaced-out that he is "torn" about making more Spaced but that "we have genuinely talked about it and have some neat ideas that could work in a Before Sunset / Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? kind of way".

Instead, many see the movie Shaun of the Dead as essentially a spin-off of the series, featuring many of the same actors and set out in much the same way. Wright, however, points out the differences: Shaun has many fewer pop-culture and movie references, and tries to eschew the clichés of recent horror parodies in favour of a more naturalistic style as its story progresses.

The success of Shaun of the Dead was unprecedented, both in Britain and America, and for a time a sequel was hinted, but was eschewed in favour of resurrecting Spaced for a third series.

Episode guide

Series 1

1. "Beginnings" - strangers Tim and Daisy find themselves sharing a table and newspapers in a London café day after day, in a fruitless effort to find somewhere to live. Finding a two-bedroomed flat for a "professional couple only", they hatch a plan to make it their new home.
2. "Gatherings" - freshly unpacked Daisy plans a housewarming party - something to make their home the new hub of north London.
3. "Art" - Daisy gets an interview at women's magazine Flaps, Tim plays Resident Evil 2 all night on speed and Brian gets an invitation from his ex art partner Vulva (David Walliams).
4. "Battles" - Daisy decides to get a dog to cheer herself up while Tim and Mike go paintballing and bump into Tim's nemesis Duane.
5. "Chaos"- Daisy's new dog goes missing while Tim is taking him for a walk. Tim gets an anonymous tip-off detailing Colin's location and the gang plans a daring rescue attempt.
6. "Epiphanies" - Tim's courier friend Tyres pops round for a cup of tea and decides to takes the gang clubbing.
7. "Ends" - Tim's ex-girlfriend Sarah decides she wants him back, Daisy finally knocks out a few articles and Mike has an interview at the Territorial Army to see if he's ready to re-join their ranks.

Series 2

1. "Back" - Daisy returns from Asia, but finds herself in trouble because of "sensitive material" which has found its way into her bag.
2. "Change" - Tim loses his job, so he and Daisy head off to the job centre to find employment or better yet cash. They are, after all, reasonable people.
3. "Mettle" - Tim and Mike are through to the quarter finals of Robot Wars, but conflict with previously beaten opponents threatens their attendance.
4. "Help" - Dark Star Comics want to see Tim's portfolio, but an unflattering drawing of owner Damien Knox has been sent along with it.
5. "Gone" - Tim and Daisy spend a night out in Camden but find themselves in trouble with local youths. Meanwhile, Mike loses Colin.
6. "Dissolution" - Tim and Sophie's relationship is noticed by Marsha, and events come to a head at Daisy's birthday party.
7. "Leaves" - the group, now broken up, try and persuade Marsha not to sell the house and to come home. Meanwhile Daisy accepts a job at a small newspaper in Colwyn Bay and prepares to leave London.

External links

• Spaced Out (http://www.spaced-out.org.uk/) - official, fan-operated website
• Edgar Wright Q&A (http://www.spaced-out.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=7146) on the Spaced Out forum

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