Synopsis
A man is dumped by his girlfriend and kicked out of his flat - which leads him on a search for a new place and to pick up the pieces of his heart. While drinking coffee at a diner, he starts a friendship with a woman who also happens to be looking for a new place. They challenge each other to try and find a place first.
One day, they find a listing for a nice flat with the stipulation that it must be legitimate couples only. They decide to put on a reuse of being married in order to land this fancy abode.
With a group of friends that range from a fanatical military man who was kicked out of the Territorial Army, to a fashion obsessed snob, to a crazed painter with a pension for expressing his anguish, to the landlord lady with an appetite for younger men, these two misfits begin to form lasting friendships that are jeopordized if the truth of their non-relationship status was ever to be found out.
One day, they find a listing for a nice flat with the stipulation that it must be legitimate couples only. They decide to put on a reuse of being married in order to land this fancy abode.
With a group of friends that range from a fanatical military man who was kicked out of the Territorial Army, to a fashion obsessed snob, to a crazed painter with a pension for expressing his anguish, to the landlord lady with an appetite for younger men, these two misfits begin to form lasting friendships that are jeopordized if the truth of their non-relationship status was ever to be found out.
Thoughts
This is one of my all-time favorite British series (also on the list - The IT Crowd, Are You Being Served, Garth Merenghi's Dark Place and Red Dwarf). After watching a few episodes I was hooked for good. It's a real shame that it only ran for two series, with a total of 14 episodes, but every moment is so deliciously worth it. I encourage you all to go and watch the entire thing at this very second. Here's a way to do it. You have no excuse.
The creative team behind this wonderful business is the ever-impeccable Simon Pegg, the beautiful Jessica Hynes and of course, the impressionable and incorrigible Edgar Wright.
Truly an amazing group. Truly.American Version
First let me direct you to what Simon Pegg had to say about this on /Film. Most of my sentiment is bottled up in what he had to say.
I enjoyed Sara Rue and Will Sasso. I think they're great actors. Problem is, they weren't Jessica Hynes and Nick Frost. As for the other actors -- "fogget about it."
It wasn't really worth a look. There is a reason it didn't get picked up. No matter how great and wonderful the original series was, they just couldn't capture the same spirit and feeling. I think a lot of that has to do with the process of the development that Pegg mentions in the above article. (Or maybe because McG was invoved - whatever that guy touches seems to turn to crap.) Or maybe because the team for the American version just didn't blend as well. Or, and possibly my main reason for not liking it - the wonderful brash off-beat humor that was so original and exciting in the original series just doesn't translate into an American humor. They needed to be their own series. The Office (even though the U.S. version is criticized) does a wonderful job of making it their own and making it truly American.
This same type of vigor and breathe of fresh air that The Office had was what would be needed to make Spaced a great show for a U.S. audience. But they messed it up. The window is now closed. Don't even bother. Just move on people, move on to other things. Just give back the babies to the parents and get on with bastardizing of some other popular British shows.
Summary
Season: British Series (2 Full Series), Un-aired U.S. Pilot
Network: Hulu
Airs: Finished
Verdict: British Series - Amazing, U.S. - Meh
1 comments:
Couldn't agree more. So So funny. I discovered this on Hulu late at night while doing some freelance work and waiting for my machine to render. I can't think of a better reason to stay up late.
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