DVD Review: Spaced – The Complete Series
Now that 'Spaced' is officially on DVD, it's proven to be more than merely special
For fans of the sublime, manic sense of humor found in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, the promise of a whole TV series' worth of Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, Nick Frost and other awesome British funny-folk is enough to induce fits of geeked-out glee. Unfortunately, "Spaced" has been just as much a rumor as an actual show for anyone technically incapable of illegally downloading shows from torrent sites. Sure there was the odd showing on BBC America, Imported DVDs, and a smattering of YouTube clips, but there are always strings attached. It's never been ours. Last year I was fortunate enough to see an episode while on a flight to London, and even though the sound was crap and it was edited, I could still tell it was something special. Now that "Spaced" is officially on DVD, it's proven to be more than merely special.
Created and written by Pegg and Jessica Hynes and directed by Wright, "Spaced's" basic premise (Pegg's Tim and Hynes' Daisy posing as a couple to get a good apartment) is fairly typical sitcom fare. The real brilliance, however, is to be found in the execution. Rather than deteriorating into a bland series of romantic misadventures and quirky coincidences, like "Friends" or "Frasier", "Spaced" follows in the footsteps of "The Simpsons" and "Seinfeld", focusing on the pointlessness of their lives. The show is as obsessed with pop culture as I am, and, unlike "Family Guy", actually puts it to good use.
"Spaced" is the first TV show or movie I've ever seen capture how those of certain generations relate their lives to elements of the media they find more interesting. It's about how dull everyday life is, and how we turn to entertainment to take our minds off of it. The numerous references per episode (Goodfellas to reflect Tim's desire to be a comic book artist, Pulp Fiction to reflect Daisy's dismay over a new roommate) serve a legitimate purpose, and are as poignant as they are funny. Not everyone will love "Spaced", but anyone who's ever brought movie seemingly unrelated movie references into conversation is sure to relate to it with a knowing "I've been there attitude", eagerly finding the real in the surreal. And did I mention every episode is absolutely hysterical? Well, they are.
The special features on "Spaced" are almost as awesome the show itself. Most importantly, each episode has two separate commentary tracks (one from the original UK DVD with the cast, the other with Wright, Pegg, Hynes, and cool guests like Quentin Tarantino and Patton Oswalt), and they're actually worth listening to. After the commentaries you get an extensive documentary that is great for fans yet boring for everyone else, deleted scenes, the indispensable "homage-o-meter", and many more. If you have even a passing interest in the show, you're sure to find something to at least amuse you.
"Spaced" is the kind of show that only gets better the more you watch it. Pegg and Hynes' writing and Wright's direction elevate it to a level of filmmaking above regular TV, and the deeper they draw you into their world, the less you want to leave. "Spaced"'s cult status in the US proves that it carries an international appeal that eludes most sitcoms, and its reputation should only continue to grow as its availability increases. Quite simply, to watch this show is to love it.
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I'm glad something like this made it to your side of the ocean Domenic.
We have the same box at home and watched it severall times and it does not bore.
Some jokes subtle, some in your face. Sometimes silly, sometimes out of this world.
Looking at the sitcoms we import from the U.S. (like the ones you mentioned) I'm guessing must be refreshing to see something that doesnt follow the standard sitcom recipe.
Is this true?
I just finished the box set the other day and I must say that I loved every episode! That crew is fantastic!!!
You've hit the nail on the head, Rattler. I'm not denying that there are some good sitcoms over here, but none of them are ever as idiosyncratic as Spaced. I got the sense that it's a really personal show while I was watching it, and that very rarely breaks through over here. Even the good ones follow the recipe to some extent. Episodes of Spaced feel like short films more than traditional shows, and I greatly admire that Pegg/Hynes/Wright follow no paths besides their own.