Spaced

Well what can I say??? The man is a genius.

Simon Pegg, Master of Modern Comedy and the gorgeous Jessica Stevenson (yes I did say gorgeous!) have written and starred in what I consider to be the best British comedy ever.

From Colin the lovable dog to Brian the nutty artist who lives downstairs, the script and acting is 5*.

Set in London with a fantastic cast including the hilarious Nick Frost as Mike (later Ed in Shaun Of The Dead along with Simon Pegg as Shaun and Jessica Stevenson appearing in cameo role) and Julia Deakin as Marsha, the permanently drunk landlady who lives upstairs, you know you're in for a great night on the TV.

It was a shame that there was only ever 2 series made however I can understand why it ended when it did.

Best character??? Brian as the somewhat over-emotional artist (Anger, Pain, Fear, Aggression...)

My favourite moments in the series??? Tyres enjoying the effects of the rave culture with the help of various household noises!!!

Best Line (episode 1) Tim : Daisy this is Brian... Daisy : oh hi, Do you rent downstairs?... Brian : Do you mean am I gay?

All In All - ENJOY!!! You Americans don't know what you're missing!!!

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.

The whole two series was as close to perfect as I can imagine. Funny, beautifully shot, well-produced, the only downside was that there wasn't more of it. Perhaps the reason that it wasn't as successful as it should have been was that it didn't get a large enough audience. It was aired in a time when "The Royle Family" undeservedly won all the awards and praise, whereas Spaced was considered to be aimed at immature adolescents, film parodies and comic book references only worthy of an audience that doesn't know quality when they see it. And this is a tragedy, because, if television series' can be considered art form by any stretch of the imagination, then this is a masterpiece, something to be admired by others, a definite benchmark for all other programmes.

"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 !

If there is one show you had to take with you to a deserted island, Spaced would be it. It sums up exactly how the minds of 20-somethings work. The fantasy world we would love to be in, but will never have. The only show to stand up to George Lucas and say that the phantom Menace was crap but at the same time cherish the magic of the first three.

Watch this show, try to count all the films and TV shows it mimics, and all the shows it references. 2001, Empire Strikes Back, The Matrix, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's nest, Scooby Doo, Robot Wars, Close Encounters and so many others.

The cast is top notch, and the writing is perfect. All I can say is "Roll on series 3"!!!