Spaced

I've just spent five hours watching the most terrific British sitcom, "Spaced." Now my inner voice speaks with an English accent and I'm left wondering if maybe I grew up on the wrong side of the Atlantic. I am an American viewer, and I'm sad that it has taken so long for this show to reach the States.

In "Spaced" there are references comic books, Tekken, and Evil Dead II. It is also worth noting that Tim, one of the main characters in "Spaced," lost his job over "The Phantom Menace."

I thoroughly enjoyed my hours of uninterrupted British indulgence. I recommend "Spaced" because it's so darn funny. Tim, played by Simon Pegg, is the assistant manager of a comic book shop. His boss's name is Bilbo Bagshot (I'm serious) and said boss has slugged people out on at least two occasions because the one getting slugged said that "Hawke the Slayer" was crap. Also, Peter Serafinowicz (aka the Voice of Darth Maul) turns up as the slick-suit who stole Tim's girlfriend away. They have a great showdown on a paintball course.

Also wonderful is Daisy (Jessica Stevenson), the other main character. She's a writer, but comes up with all sorts of creative ways to avoid actual writing. The in-jokes are brilliant, the directing is fresh, the acting is endearing without being sappy. The next time this show airs on Trio or BBC America, grab some popcorn and hoard the remote because you'll want to watch all of it.

'Spaced' is, for my money, one of the best comedy series produced in the English language in the last ten years; genuinely, laugh-out-loud funny, scrupulously well-written, brilliantly acted and with a kicking soundtrack that has introduced me, at least (and I'm guessing a few others) to some fantastic little-known bands (Using LemonJelly long before they were famous, for example) - this must rank alongside 'Black Books' in its cult-but-inclusive appeal. The true genius is in the fact that you could probably watch this with your vicar and - apart from a low swearing incidence - they would find little to criticise (unlike, say, equally funny but edgier shows; Chris morris' work for example) but it still makes perfect post-pub viewing. When one sees the dross that usually passes for sitcom in the UK, once-great Shakespearean actors mugging at the camera and silently cursing their agent as the canned laughter robotically shrieks, you wonder why they don't just hand over the entire comedy drama section of UK TV to Pegg, Stevenson, Bailey, Moran and Serafinowicz. Please make more. Please.

"Spaced" is like watching the cartoon of the life of the average SFX reader or Ain't-it-Cool UK talkbacker. It's the closest thing to fanboy (and fangirl) heaven there is. By that, I don't mean it's a perfect word for word film version of Lord of the Rings nor even a big BBC production of Asimov's Foundation trilogy. No, this is where really good fanboys (and fangirls) go when they die.

Set around the lives of Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner sharing a ground floor flat somewhere in North London it shows in a disturbingly honest way the lives of the average late 20-something, recently moved to London, wannabe creative, painfully middle-class, skint people in much the same way that David Attenborough might bring to life the daily trials of a family of pandas. Their many rituals and habits are studied in detail as they go about carving their way in the cruel world around them. We see them go clubbing, going to sign on, in the pub, and rescuing dogs from animal testing laboratories. The one thing that leads me to think that this is only a sitcom and not real life is that their flat is always suspiciously clean.

As Tim is a struggling graphic artist trying to break into the world of comic illustration, it's appropriate that the characters are all cartoons themselves. They almost spew stylised behaviour, phrases and clothes. Some even have their own signature moves such as Brian's standardised description of his 'work' when he is asked what he paints. The editing follows this lead with many cut-aways into people's thoughts much in the manner of a thought bubble. The sheer quantity of cultural references is staggering. However, having lived a life similar to this, I know the number of cultural references in real life is at about the same level.

If you're currently aged between 27 and 34, this is the only sitcom you'll ever need to see again. Well, Black Books is pretty good too. Anyway, there are few things that make me laugh as much of this. If you know the words to the Ewok song, watch this.

There simply isn't a better TV comedy around at the moment than Spaced. Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson's scriptwriting is so sharp and full of references it can sometimes be hard to keep up through the onslaught of hilarious jokes. With such well rounded characters it is just too good for words, it is the recognition humour and references that make this a wonderful comedy.

"Spaced" has never been broadcast (to my knowledge) on French TV, so I bought the complete 2 seasons series on Amazon after seeing Shaun of the Dead, which I consider to be one of the best comedies ever. Well, even without any subtitles (I get around in English), "Spaced" appears to me as the exact epitome of what British TV can do at its best : a perfect brew of comedy, rhythm, political incorrectness, extraordinary acting, stylish writing, socially-oriented matters... I really was mesmerized at the creativity both screenwriters and director displayed all along the 14 episodes, always renewing what could be taken as pure show-off style on the first one. This is why I love British comedy, TV & cinema. Wit. Man do they have it. Simon Pegg if you ever read this : you ARE the Force !