Chuck your boyfriend, have a sandwich

I was late to the party, I'll admit it.

I didn't watch Spaced until the second series, in 2001. But I didn't really fall in love with it until I had moved to the States. Every place I have lived since coming to America, has seen me play both series to my friends here. I've lost count of how many people I've turned on to the show. Once 'Shaun of the Dead' came out, my already-knackered Region 2 DVDs went into overdrive because of the renewed interest. So, I'm delighted that the show is finally available to buy in America.

It's probably my favourite television program of all time. I still get chills at the "getting to know you" montage at the start of the first episode. I still dance along with Tyres during his brief appearances. I'm still filled with pride when I see my streets, the streets of North London, when I see them drinking at the Monarch. I saw Coldplay there! I still coo at the sight of a pre-Office Ricky Gervais in a one-minute cameo. The scene at the end, soundtracked by 'The Staunton Lick', still makes my heart soar. And I still get annoyed when I see reviews that refer to the "fake couple" thing as if that's the central premise. (Entertainment Weekly, you did this most recently)

Not to mention all the quoting. There's a pretty strong probability that I could perform a one-man show of all fourteen episodes. Is that something to be proud of? I don't know. The nerdcore appeal strikes home – like all Spaced fans, I've had exactly those kinds of geeked-out conversations with friends about movies, books, the Manic Street Preachers, etc. Unlike other sitcoms, it never felt like an unrealistic world.

The new edition DVD set comes with some new commentaries, including American fans of the show like Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino. The ones I enjoyed the most though are from Patton Oswalt, who repeatedly says "This part of London looks so shitty!" and Bill Hader, whose Michael Bay anecdote you can hear below. And another thing: I didn't know that the part of Brian was initially written to be played by Julian Barratt. Isn't that interesting!

It's not finished.

If you've never seen Spaced and you're reading this, you'd probably enjoy it.

It's finished.

[download Lemon Jelly - The Staunton Lick]
[download Bill Hader's Michael Bay story]



[Buy the DVD already (US)]

Ow! My face!

My sister got back this week, after two months in England and France. I am, of course, delighted that she's back. Not so much because I obviously haven't seen her since May, but because she bought me the Big Train DVD whilst over there.

C'est quoi? A BBC sketch comedy show from the late 90s, starring - amongst others - Simon Pegg and Mark Heap (who'd go on to be in Spaced) and Kevin Eldon (Jam, Spaced, Black Books). It was very surreal and silly and funny and to show you what I'm talking about, here's a couple of sketches of theirs.



* Parlez-vous Anglais?

* The American General

Alas, I couldn't find the clip online of Chaka Khan taking on the Bee Gees in an Old-Western saloon fight, maybe look for that on your own?