Simon Pegg and Nick Frost became widely known after starring in Edgar Wright’s horror comedyShaun of the Dead, but they had already proven their on-screen chemistry in an underrated British sitcom five years before. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are one of the most popular and beloved comedic duos on the big screen, and it’s even better when they team up with writer and director Edgar Wright. The trio joined forces in 2004 in the zombie comedyShaun of the Dead, directed by Wright and written by Pegg and Frost, who also starred in it.
This was the first of manycollaborations between Pegg and Froston the big screen, with Wright joining the fun sometimes. The trio’s most notable work isthe Cornetto Trilogy, formed byShaun of the Dead, the buddy-cop action comedyHot Fuzz, and the sci-fi action movieThe World’s End. However, Pegg, Frost, and Wright had already proven their unbelievable chemistry and joint comedic genius five years beforeShaun of the Deadin an underrated (and short-lived) British sitcom.
Simon Pegg & Nick Frost Starred In The 1999 British Sitcom Spaced
Spaced Ran From 1999 To 2001
In 1999, the British sitcomSpacedpremiered on the UK’s Channel 4. Created by Pegg and Jessica Hynes,Spacedcentered on aspiring writer Daisy Steiner (Hynes) and aspiring comic book artist Tim Bisley (Pegg), who met by chance in a coffee shop while they were both flat-hunting. Despite not knowing each other,they decided to pose as a professional and responsible couple to meet the requisites of a cheap flat. Once there, they met eccentric artist Brian Topp (Mark Heap) and were frequently visited by Daisy’s best friend, Twist (Katy Carmichael), and Tim’s best friend, Mike (Frost).
All episodes ofSpacedwere directed by Edgar Wright.
Spaced, then, followed Daisy and Tim as they kept up with the liewhile also assuring their friends that they were not a couple, despite the very obvious romantic tension between them. At the same time,Spacedfollowed their individual struggles to navigate through life the best way they could, whilethey also got involved in awkward and at times surreal adventures.Spacedran for two seasons with a total of 14 episodes, and despite its success, it never got a third season.
Spaced Almost Got An American Remake
Luckily, The American Version Of Spaced Never Happened
In 2007, it was announced that Fox had commissioned a pilot for an American remake ofSpaced, which received negative reactions from fans and the cast and crew. Wright revealed that year that he was approached about an American remake ofSpacedafter the show was first broadcast, but he didn’t feel it would work due to its themes. Speaking at aSpacedreunion, Wright explained American TV is a lot more “glamorous”, sothe style and themes ofSpacedcould never work in an American remake.
What was worse about the 2007 remake announcement was that neither Pegg, Hynes, nor Wright were approached.
Wright shared that the producer who approached him about an American remake ofSpacedsaid they would have to make some changes, such as taking out the swearing and drugs (as the characters often smoked cannabis), and Mike’s affinity for weapons would have had to change, too. All these were key elements to the characters and the show’s comedy, further proving why the American remake wouldn’t have worked. However, what was worse about the 2007 remake announcement was that neither Pegg, Hynes, nor Wright were approached.
In that same reunion, Wright called out those behind the American remake for not approaching them yet using their names for marketing purposes. Speaking toThe Guardianin 2008,Pegg called this disrespectful and an “effective vote of no confidence” in them, who created the show. In the end, the American remake ofSpacednever happened.
Why A Third Season Of Spaced Never Happened
Unfortunately, There’s No Hope For More Spaced
Rumors about a third season ofSpacedquickly emerged after the show’s end, but Wright and Pegg have never been enthusiastic about it. After initially saying he was torn about making a new season ofSpacedand that he liked how season 2 ended, Wright shared that there had been talks about how it could possibly return (viaSpaced Out). However, he later confirmed at a screening ofHot Fuzzin April 2007 that there was no chance for a third season, and the cast was now too old for it, which he and Pegg feared could ruin it.
In an interview withThe Guardianin 2013, Pegg shared that they couldn’t possibly write a new season ofSpacednow because that’s not who they are or where they are anymore, so it wouldn’t feel authentic anymore.Spacedcompleted its cycle with two seasons and continues to be one of the most underrated sitcoms of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
