Spaced – CliqueClack Flashback

by Annie Wu

spaced_flashback

Brace yourselves, because I’m about to get extra-nostalgic. I remember stumbling out of the theater one afternoon in September of 2004, feeling more excited and wired than I thought humanly possible, not because I had just went to my first rated R movie, but because every part of Shaun of the Dead still rattled in my brain. In the ensuing days, I had to learn everything I could about the creative team behind the film, and one of the things that kept popping up in my endless research was a British comedy called Spaced. Mind you, this was in the age before YouTube, so it’s not like I could just hop online and check out a clip.

For the purposes of this post, I delved back into my high school blog and I see that I made a point of celebrating that Trio had decided to start airing Spaced in conjunction with Shaun‘s release. I also see that past-me was so goddamn hooked on Spaced that, two episodes in, she (I?) had already got it in her head to buy the DVD box set. And a region-free player to play said DVD box set.

Needless to say, I really freaking love Spaced. And I want you to love it too.

Spaced was a sitcom that aired on Channel 4 for fourteen episodes over two seasons (1999, 2001). It was written by Jessica Stevenson (now Hynes) and Simon Pegg (now still Pegg), who also starred as Daisy, a struggling journalist, and Tim, a struggling graphic artist. They were strangers that sympathized with each other’s kind of, sort of homeless situation and, after finding a dream flat that advertised to “professional couples only” they decided to fake it and move in together. Hilarity and a bunch of weird stuff ensued.

Hynes went on to do more films and become the ideal dorky girl for geeks everywhere (she’s made out with Ten in Doctor Who, so major bonus points right there), and Pegg made the jump to the big screen, co-writing and starring in Shaun of the Dead and, later, Hot Fuzz. Both of these films co-starred Nick Frost, who also played Pegg’s best friend in Spaced. Pegg and Frost are now working on Greg Mottola’s Paul.

The sitcom was as directed by Edgar Wright, who only had a few other credits to his name at the time. Wright directed and co-write Shaun and Hot Fuzz and is currently in the editing stage of his next directorial venture, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (which, if Wright’s daily photo blog has been any indication, is going to be deliciously insane).

The show itself was notable for its commentary on the life of almost-30s and non-stop pop culture references (a helpful feature on the DVD was the Homage-O-Meter, which displayed captions identifying references as they happened). Despite the fact that some of the references were pretty dated by the time I watched the show (my frustrations toward Phantom Menace had faded for the most part) and I was way too young to relate to that “time to grow up” late-20s panic, there was something about the show that really resonated with me. Maybe it was the snappy dialogue or maybe it was character chemistry; whatever it was, it clicked. It was different from the American sitcoms that I was used to; it was daring, in that it felt like the creative minds weren’t putting on a show for the audience as much as they were making a piece of art that they knew they would be proud of.

And visually, the show was unlike anything I had ever experienced on television. It was obvious where a lot of Shaun‘s quick pans and energetic cinematography got its legs. Wright shared a very surreal and highly cinematic view with Spaced, and it showed a lot of promise, like Wright had yet to land a budget that would be enough to catch up with what he had envisioned in his head.

I’m actually having a great amount of difficulty forming into words how much I love this show (it’s part of my top three, nudging the original UK version of The Office right in its rear). So, here are some bullets to simulate real-life conversational listings. Pretend I’m wildly gesticulating as I’m half-shouting these to you.

Tim’s ravin’ friend Tyres. Sweet Christ, Tyres was amazing. I would abandon my overall misanthropy and anti-party attitude to go to a rave with Tyres for one night. After seeing the show, I also took to dancing in public whenever there was an incidental beat. I was deemed a weirdo.
Fine art vs. Illustration. Maybe I’m a little biased because I happen to be a visual artist too, but I really appreciated the inclusion of different kinds of artists in this show. There was the painterly Brian, the comic book-crazy Tim, and the whatever-the-hell Vulva. My favorite part was how no one really seemed to “get” what they really did (“So… watercolors?”), which rings true in the lives of young artists everywhere. Struggling creatives! Always hilarious.
An argument between Tim and Daisy cut around a Tekken 2 clip. Enough said.
Mark Heap’s performance as Brian. Mr. Heap never fails to amaze and amuse me. It’s a delicate combination of well-tuned physical comedy and distinct voice work. Take a look at his work on Spaced and then consider his portray of Dr. Alan Statham on Green Wing. Truly incredible.
Tim/Mike. As much as I loved Tim and Daisy as a pairing, I though Tim and Mike were kind of perfect together too. There was that strange, vaguely homoerotic tension between the two best friends that always made for hilarious and accidentally tender moments. Pegg and Frost have spectacular chemistry, and it’s really a gift to the world that they took that to the big screen.
The soundtrack, heavy on the electronica and remixed versions of “Peter and the Wolf”. It all worked out to be a beautiful voice for the show. Hell, I still pump up the Fantastic Plastic Machine song on the rare occasion I get to do a celebratory walk down the street.
Fake gun fights being part of an unspoken connection between men. I have seen this tested in real life. It’s completely true.
Peter Serafinowicz as Tim’s nemesis. Serafinowicz is a funny man in his own right (also the voice of Darth Maul), and he made an amazing villain and classic super-douche.
Lines like “Oh yah! I ha’n’t fought o’ dat!” and anything Bill Bailey says. Forever quotable.

Years after Spaced wrapped up, and after Shaun and Hot Fuzz became hits in the States and developed more than just a cult following, Spaced was finally released on Region 1 DVD. The set was pretty much like the UK box set, which I bought oh-so long ago, but it included commentary from various famous American fans of the show, including Bill Hader and Patton Oswalt (who happens to have a wicked crush on Hynes).

Revisiting the series, I see that the first season/series had the strongest voice. It was fresh and exciting, and then it kind of tried too hard with the next season, like its self-awareness worked against itself. That is not to say it wasn’t excellent television, because it was, but I guess they set the bar really high with the first season. There was no Christmas special or anything of the sort to put a cap on the show’s ending. It was just a beautifully executed season finale that tied up all the loose ends that needed to be addressed and left other matters open for viewers to suss out for themselves. Well, there was a brief moment in that DVD extra documentary that shared what happens to Tim and Daisy, but I won’t ruin it….

And finally, Spaced was the reason why I sought out Jaffa Cakes, with which I have since developed a filthy junk food love affair.

Give the show a try. After two or three episodes, if it still feels like it’s not for you, then it’s probably a lost cause, but if any part of it resonates with you, I guarantee you’ll fall in love soon enough.