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5 Spaced
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1999-2001
Channel 4 (UK)
Created by: Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson
Starring: Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson, Nick Frost, Mark Heap
What is it? Sitcom about an aspiring comic book artist and comic book store assistant Tim Bisley, who spends more time on his PlayStation, while weird stuff happens around him.
Why should it be an honorary SFX show? Spaced did the whole sci-fi referencing shtick so naturally, so brilliantly and so cleverly, most other shows trying the same kind of vibe since have appeared slightly clunky as a result ( The Fades , we’re looking at you). The referencing went beyond merely namechecking shows: the iconic slow motion fight scenes (which have become part of pop culture themselves), the Star Wars skits and especially the rants (“ Babylon 5 is a big pile of shit!”) all make Spaced the Rolls Royce of Geekaganza TV.
And the moment when Tim explodes at a kid in his comic store who dares to buy The Phantom Menace is a Lord’s Prayer for all those of us old enough to know why such things matter: “You are so blind! You so do not understand! You weren’t there at the beginning. You don’t know how good it was! How important! This is it for you! This jumped-up firework display of a toy advert! People like you make me sick! What’s wrong with you?! Now, I don’t care if you’ve saved up all your 50ps, take your pocket money, and GET OUT!”
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