Spaced - The TV Series
Created | Updated Dec 18, 2004
This is an entry in progress
Your in your 20s, you can remember a time when Star Wars was good and you were still considered a member of todays youth, there’s nothing for it, it's time to get Spaced. Spaced is the slightly bazaar sitcom from channel 4 (UK), made by LWT (London Weekend Television) and the Paramount Comedy Channel.
Spaced has an unique style, filmed cinematically, with no cackling laughter track, and flash backs, flash forwards, and imagination sequences that are as important to the story as the 'reality'. It is also chock full of references, both large and small, to TV, films, and even comic books 1.
Welcome to the spaced out world in and around number 23 Meteor Street
Number 23 Meteor Street is owned by Marsha Klein and is divided into flats, the top floor flat belonging to her, the ground floor flat being rented by Brian Topp and, after a subterfuge where they pretend to be a professional couple, the middle flat is rented by Tim and Daisy.
Tim Bisley2 (Simon Pegg3)
Tim would like to be known as the brilliant graphic artist and the creative genius behind The Bear comic, unfortunately a more accurate description, at the moment, would be a skateboarding, beanie wearing, assistant manager of the comic and fantasy shop the Fantasy Bazaar with child like ears. The assistant manager title is slightly undermined as the only other person working there is Bilbo, and he is the manager
Daisy Steiner (Jessica Stevenson4)
"This is Daisy my flat mate and my friend, she wants to be a writer but basically I think shes as confused as me" - Tim, Series 2 Episode 1 : Back
Having graduated with a third from Kingston University (a former polytechnic5) in Humanities Daisy became a writer. Well, became is a big word, and mostly inaccurate. The minder of a lonely typewriter would be nearer, however she does not really spend enough time near the typewriter before being distracted to really be titled its minder either. Eventually she does manage to produce a couple of articles that get bought, but this is most likely to be a freakish aberration rather than a sign of actual commitment to a career in writing.
Colin (Ada The Dog)
Colin is their dog, and named after the box Daisy had as a dog substitute as a child, Tim never had a dog substitute as a child as he really would rather not be on the same continent as a dog.
Brian Topp (Mark Heap6)
"This is Brian, he lives downstairs from us and is an artist ... sort of" - Tim, Series 2 Episode 1 : Back
Brian is the artist that rents the downstairs flat, and he is one of those slightly worrying artists who may either describe the nature of being or lop off an ear at any second. If asked what he paints he usually answers anger, pain fear, and aggression but when pressed at to whether its watercolours or whatever says it is more complex than that.
Mike Watt (Nick Frost)
"This is Mike, he's my best friend. He's just got back into the Territorial Army. He got chucked out because he nicked a tank and tried to invade Paris. He's much better now." - Tim, Series 2 Episode 1 : Back
Mike joined the TA because he couldn't be a real soldier, no matter how much he likes guns, bombs, and killing. He is one of Tim's oldest friends.
Twist Morgan (Katy Carmichael)
"This is Twist, she's Daisy's best friend, although I'm not entirely sure why. I haven't actually figured her out just yet, she's either sweet and stupid or an evil genius... she works in fashion ...apparently." - Tim, Series 2 Episode 1 : Back
Twist is a bit shallow, in the same way the Atlantic is a bit wet, and works in fashion (She works at the ‘On The Spot’ drycleaners). She also has this way of describing what you’re wearing or how your looking that completely defies tact.
Marsha Klein (Julia Deakin)
Marsha is the landlady, not often seen without a cigarette in her hand and never seen without a drink. She appears to have lived an ‘interesting’ life during the 60’s...70’s…and well, pretty much every decade she has had contact with. Her experience with the rock and roll lifestyle has left her with the house in Meteor Street and a daughter called Amber.
Marsha has an interesting approach to parenting, a combination of shouting at her daughter and faith in her abilities. For example when Amber leaves home and Daisy asks if Marsha’s worried she says:
"nah, she's got three languages and a dutch cap she'll be fine";
Occasional Characters
Tires (Michael Smiley)Tires is a friend of Tim's and a bicycle courier. He has a tendency to hear dance beats in the most mundane sounds and if not checked can end up dancing to a combination of household noise.
Amber (Voice by Jessica Stevenson, appearance by Theo Park [Producer Nira Park's sister])Amber is Marsha's daughter and is only ever seen running past the camera shouting abuse at Marsha, while Marsha shouts abuse at her, before she runs out the front door.
Bilbo Bagshot (Bill Bailey)Bilbo is the owner/manager of the Fantasy Bazaar and therefore Tim’s boss, except of course when he’s firing Tim for going off it at the customers over Star Wars : The Phantom Menace.
Duane Bensy (Peter Serafinowicz)Duane is a smarmy city boy7 and former friend of Tim's. He stopped being Tim's friend and started being more of the arch nemesis when he stole Tim's girlfriend.
Sarah (Anna Wilson-Jones)Sarah is Tim's ex-girlfriend. She became his ex after running off with Duane Bensy, asking Tim to move out and shattering Tim's faith in everything that is good and beautiful. But Tim's fine about it, honestly, it doesn't bother him at all, it certainly doesn't make him want to repeatedly drown Lara Croft on Tomb Raider.
Damien Knox (Clive Russell)8Managing director of Dark Star Comics Damien laughed Tim out of the office when Tim first showed him his work, leaving Tim a slightly more disturbed person than he was before.
Sophie (Lucy Akhurst)Damien Knox's secretary and for a time Tim's object of desire before becoming Tim's girlfriend (a transition Tim was very happy about). She is actually the person that recommends Damien give Tim's work another try at Dark Star.
Dexter (Reece Shearsmith)Another member of Mike's TA group and Tim and Mike's bitter robot war rival along with his friend Cromwell.
Episodes
Music listings based on the information provided by the makers of Spaced to www.spaced-out.org.uk
Series 1 [1999]
Episode 1: Beginnings
Daisy is sick of the squat she’s living in and has to move and Tim is heartbroken and homeless following a break up with his girlfriend. A chance meeting in a cafe and an even more chance spotting of an advert leads them to number 23 Meteor Street and into pretending to be a professional couple.
| Episode Music Listing | |
|---|---|
| ‘Getting To Know You’ | Rodgers and Hammerstein |
| 'The Weekend Starts Here' | Fatboy Slim - ‘Better Living Through Chemistry’, Skint Records (1996) |
| 'Gritty Shaker' | David Holmes – ‘Let’s get killed’, Gobeat Records (1997) |
| 'Delta Sun Bottle Neck Stomp' | Chemical Brothers Remix [Mercury Rev – Deserter Songs (1998)] – ‘This is chillout’, Beechwood Music (1999) |
| 'Space Food' | Tai-Fun – ‘This is chillout’, Beechwood Music (1999) |
| Series Trailers Music Listing | |
| ‘Count 5 or 6’ | Cornelius – ‘Fantasma’, Matador Records (1998) |
| ‘Bang on!’ | The Propellerheads – ‘Decksanddrumsandrockandroll’, Dreamworks (1998) |
| ‘Tasty Big Ed’ | Fuzz Townsend – ‘Far In’ – Fruition (1999) |
Episode 2: Gatherings
Following a prolonged period staring at the blank paper in the typewriter, Daisy decides they should have a flatwarming party (as it would be fun and a convenient distraction from writing). Tim goes along with it, but points out most of his friends are out of town. Daisy convinces him it will be ok, a meeting of media types and normal people like Andy Warhole's factory. But things don't bode well when Daisy invites the paper boy as a representative of a 'media type'.
| Episode Music Listing | |
|---|---|
| ‘There Must Be An Angel’ | Fantastic Plastic Machine – ‘Luxury’, Bungalow (1999) |
| ‘The Beat Goes On’ | The All Seeing Eye – ‘Pickled Eggs and Sherbert’ |
| ‘Blue Mood’ | Gert Wilden and Orchestra – ‘Schulmadchen Report’ (Schoolgirl Report), Crippled Dick Hot Wax Records (1996) |
| ‘Bobby Dazzler’ | The Sons of Silence – ‘FSUK3’ (Future Sound of UK), Ministry Of Sound (1998) |
| 'King of Rock and Roll' | Prefab Sprout. |
| 'The Power of Love' | Huey Lewis and the News. |
| 'The Magnificent Seven' | Elmer Bernstein |
| 'Centerfold' | J Geils Band |
| 'Timewarp' | Richard O'Brian |
| 'American Pie' | Don McLean |
| 'True' | Spandau Ballet |
| Episode Trailer Music Listing | |
| ‘Theme from SPACE 1999’ | Barry Gray – ‘This is Science Fiction’, Virgin (1999) |
Episode 3: Art
Brian has received an invitation from an old conceptual art partner Vulva, he/she is having a new show and Brian wants desperately not to look like a loser.
Meanwhile Tim has been up all night shooting zombies on his playstation thanks to some cheap speed he and Mike got given in the pub, Mike is in Sheffield after falling asleep on the tube (and somehow managing to change trains), and Daisy has a job interview at Flaps (a new womans magazine).
| Episode Music Listing | |
|---|---|
| ‘Theme of Luxury’ | Fantastic Plastic Machine – ‘Luxury’, Bungalow (1999) |
| ‘Smash It’ | Fuzz Townsend – ‘Far In’ – Fruition (1999) |
| ‘Homespun Rerun’ | Cornelius Remix [High Llamas - ‘Cold and Bouncy’ (1998)] – ‘CM’ Cornelius Remix Album, Matador Records (1999) |
| ‘Sandow Office’ | Jerry Van Rooyen – ‘Crippled Champions/ The Crippled Bargain’, Crippled Dick Hot Wax (1998) |
| ‘Rodney Yates’ | David Holmes – ‘Let’s Get Killed’, Gobeat Records (1997) |
| Episode Trailer Music Listing | |
| ‘Smash It’ | Cut La Roc Remix [Fuzz Townsend] – ‘Far In’ – Fruition (1999) |
Episode 4: Battles
Daisy gets dumped and things get even worse when she tells Marsha she has broken up with her boyfriend, forgetting Marsha thinks Tim is her boyfriend. To cover up she asks if they can have a dog to strengthen there relationship (As she has always wanted a dog).
Mike's paintballing ban has expired (Although the poor accountant hasn't recovered) and to celebrate Mike and Tim are off for an afternoon of mock warfare. The afternoon becomes more 'interesting' when Duane Bensy, the bloke who stole Tim's girlfriend turns up.
| Episode Music Listing | |
|---|---|
| ‘Homespun Rerun’ | Space Raid Remix [High Llamas - ‘Cold and Bouncy’ (1998)] – ‘Lollo Rosso’ (1999) |
| Heads and Tails | TV Theme |
| Animal Magic | TV Theme |
| Rhubarb and Custard | TV Theme |
Episode 5: Chaos
Daisy is happy now that she has her dog Colin, Tim on the other hand has still not fully happy with there being dogs, anywhere, let alone in his flat. But when Colin is kidnapped he has to get the dog back to prove he didn't lose him on purpose.
[Featuring brilliant monologue by Bill Bailey]
| Episode Music Listing | |
|---|---|
| ‘Little Girls’ | Gert Wilden and Orchestra – ‘Schulmadchen Report’ (Schoolgirl Report), Crippled Dick Hot Wax Records (1996) |
| 'Battle Of The Planets' | Fader Gladiator – ‘Beats By Dope Demand Vol 4’, Kickin Records (1997) |
| 'Absurd' | Fluke – ‘Risotto’, Virgin (1997) |
| 'More Beats and Pieces' | Coldcut – ‘Let us Play’, NinjaTunes (1997) |
| Episode Trailer Music Listing | |
| ‘The Eyes of Truth’ | Enigma – ‘Cross of Changes’, Virgin (1993) |
Episode 6: Epiphanies
When Tires calls around to reclaim the £20 he habitually fails to get back from Tim, he invites everyone out on a night clubbing and everyone is up for it, except Brian.
Brian doesn't like clubbing, following an incident with a skinhead and a spilt pint in the 80s, but when it’s a choice between being left in the clutches of Marsha or a night out clubbing he thinks clubbing will be the less damaging experience.
| Episode Music Listing | |
|---|---|
| 'Morse' | Nightmares on Wax – ‘Car Boot Soul’, Warp Records (1999) |
| ‘The Tyres Phone Music’ | Specially composed for series |
| 'Iena Sequence' | Robert Picardo – ‘Beat at Cinecitta Vol 1’, Crippled Dick Hot Wax (1997) |
| 'Back Roll’ (Herbal Mix) | Outcast – ‘Essential Big Beat’, Beechwood (1999) |
| ‘Let Me Show You’ (Tall Paul Remix) | Camisra –Virgin Records (1997) |
| 'A-TEAM Dance Remix' | Specially composed for series |
| Episode Trailer Music Listing | |
| ‘Synth and Strings’ | Yomanda – Mercury Records (1999) |
Episode 7: Ends
Sarah wants Tim back and he can hardly control his grinning, Daisy on the other hand thinks Sarah's just messing Tim around, not that he wants to hear that. Mike has his chance of getting back into the TA after the 'Paris' incident, and Twist tries to decide if Brian has just asked her out or not.
| Episode Music Listing | |
|---|---|
| ‘Test Card’ | Fuzz Townsend – ‘Far In’ – Fruition (1999) |
| 'Piacere Sequence' | Teo Usuelli – ‘Beat at Cinecitta Vol 1’, Crippled Dick Hot Wax (1997) |
| ‘Chicago’ | Groove Armada – ‘Vertigo’, Pepper Records (1999) |
| 'S'il Vous Plait' | Fantastic Plastic Machine – ‘Sushi 4004’, Bungalow (1998) |
| ‘Mini-Management’ | High Llamas – ‘Lollo Rosso’ (1998) |
| Episode Trailer Music Listing | |
| ‘Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing’ | Chris Isaak – ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, Warner Brothers (1999) |
Series 2 [2001]
- Episode 1: Back
Daisy has just got back from Asia, which everyone is happy about, with 6 hours of camcorder travellog of her journey, which they are significantly less happy about. She arrives back to find Mike is staying in her room, Twist and Brian going out (and spending a lot of time in as well), and Marsha...well, pretty much still like Marsha. As for Tim, he is still trying to get over the horrific betrayal of Star Wars fans that was
Star wars : The Phantom Menace.
However, trouble starts when two agents ( Mark Gatiss and Kevin Eldon in Matrix mode) turn up looking for her because of a person she met while travelling, Stephen Edwards ( John Simm ).
Episode Music Listing Song Details - Episode 2: Change
Jar Jar Binks gets Tim fired, or rather the huge rant about how rubbish Jar Jar is and how stupid the child asking for a Jar Jar doll is for liking him gets Tim fired. So he goes to sign on9 with Daisy, only for Daisy to get caught out about going on holiday and have her benefit stopped. So now they are both going to have to find jobs.
- Episode 3: Mettle
Daisy decides she wants to try and keep the latest temp job for more than 20 seconds, unfortunately Tina ( Joanna Scanlan ),the passive aggressive boss, will make it very difficult for her to even stay 10 seconds.
Robot wars beckons for Tim and Mike's robot Private Iron after they knocked out Dexter and Cromwell's robot War Bastard in the regional finals. Dexter and Cromwell want a rematch, at Robot club (Fight club reference).
And Brian has a chance to create an installation at a major art gallery, which is good, by tomorrow evening, which is bad.
- Episode 4: Help
- Episode 5: Gone
- Episode 6: Dissolution
- Episode 7: Leaves
Tim has a problem…well, Tim has many problems but the current one is the fact he has just sent his portfolio of work off to be checked by the head of Dark Star Comics with the picture that he drew when he was turned down last time of the head of Dark Star comics saying “I am a massive w*nker” still inside it.
Series 3 or a Special [Yet to be made]
Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson have said there may be three series (but only three as they don't want to go stale like other shows [e.g. Friends]) or at least a special to round off the storyline, but at the moment they are taking a break from Spaced.
