What is it about?

Oregano.  Trying to invade France with a stolen tank.  Finding Jaffa Cakes in your coat pocket.  Being an early twenty-something artist that has no idea how to navigate life.  These are the things that Spaced is about.

Why is it great?

A few years ago I was trying to explain this show to my mom and this is what I came up with: a visual version of Gilmore Girls.

Now, bear with me a mo.  Spaced is not at all about an amazing mother daughter duo trying to deal with family and conquer the world from their sleepy Connecticut town.  But remember that fast banter that they would engage in?  Remember the dozen pop/cult culture references dropped every thirty seconds that left our brains panting, trying to keep up?  That’s what Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright do in Spaced, only they do it visually.  Faking a relationship in order to get an apartment turns into a montage from Green Card.

Waiting outside in the cold can both turn into a moment from The Shining.

A luggage issue in the airport puts Daisy in The Matrix.  Winning an argument with Tim puts Daisy in a game of Mortal Combat.   Being jumped by a group of hooligans on a night out is a raptor attack from Jurassic Park.

In Gilmore Girls, the fast paced pop culture references enforced the bond between Rory and Lorelei- they got each other even when no one else did.  In Spaced, the pop culture references are woven into the daily life to demonstrate the fuzzy barrier between reality and fantasy world.  The artistry and comedy with which Pegg and Wright do this makes this show a winner.

My favorite character:

I am definitely a Daisy fan.  She’s equal parts confident, oblivious, and awkward- it’s the best.

Brian is a close second.  Because he paints these kinds of things.

My favorite episode:

I love Gone (S2E5).  I find it impossible to cook with oregano without developing a craving for this episode.

A Preview:

Where can I find it?

All episodes are on Hulu.  You can watch all of them for free before buying a subscription.

It appears that you can also watch all episodes on Channel 4.  You lucky people!