Nowadays, director Edgar Wright and actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are best-known for their cult-classic "Three Flavours Cornetto" trilogy: big-screen comedy favorites "Shaun of the Dead" (2004), "Hot Fuzz" (2007), and "The World's End" (2013). But long before they were outrunning hungry zombies and policing rural villages, the goofy gang first collaborated on the surreal British sitcom "Spaced."
Running for two seasons on Channel 4 between September 1999 and April 2001, the critically acclaimed slacker sitcom was co-created and written by Pegg (alongside fellow series lead Jessica Stevenson), directed by Wright and featured Frost in his breakthrough TV role.
Compared to bigger-name sitcoms of the era like "Friends," "Seinfeld" and Britain's own "Mr Bean," "Spaced" is a bit of a forgotten relic of the late '90s, but one that you can thankfully catch up with via Tubi, one of the best free streaming services. Given that Tubi's totally free, it'll cost you absolutely nothing to check out "Spaced." Need more convincing? Here's why you should add the British comedy series to your next binge session.
What is 'Spaced' about?
"Spaced" centers on the North London antics of struggling comic-book artist Tim Bisley (Simon Pegg) and aspiring writer Daisy Steiner (Jessica Stevenson), two twentysomething outsiders who are each desperately navigating the city's housing crisis. When they have a chance meeting at a cafe, the strangers decide to pose as a pair of married young professionals to score a cheap apartment and fool the strict landlady, Marsha (Julia Deakin).
Their real-estate scheme finds them surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, including eccentric neighbor Brian Topp (Mark Heap), a conceptual artist living on the ground floor; Daisy's fashion-obsessed best friend Twist Morgan (Katy Carmichael) — who might just find herself catching feelings for the aforementioned Brian — as well as Tim's mustachioed, militaristic buddy Mike Watt (Nick Frost), who eventually also moves into the building. The sitcom follows this motley crew and their slacker-y, often surrealist shenanigans across 14 lively episodes.
Why should you stream 'Spaced' on Tubi?
If you're a fan of Wright, Pegg and Frost's film collaborations, "Spaced" is worth checking out if only to see the beginnings of their collective style, powered by recurring visual gags, rapid-fire cuts, pop-culture references (there are homages to "The Matrix," "Fight Club," "Star Wars" and more) and equally quick British humor, elements that helped the series stand out from more traditional situational comedies and which the trio would flesh out and flex decades down the line on the big screen.
But it's also just a really good sitcom, one of Britain's best. The series snagged an International Emmy Award nomination as well as two BAFTA TV Award nods, and series star Jessica Stevenson took home the British Comedy Award twice for Best TV Comedy Actress for her "Spaced" role. And it's got a perfect 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes across both of its seasons.
Altogether, "Spaced" makes for a quick and concise watch but a hilariously memorable one, tackling the ever-so-relatable apartment-complex hijinks of the young and the broke all while launching the careers of some true comedy heavyweights.
Stream "Spaced" on Tubi now
