Pop Buzz UK

Last October saw the Fox television network in the US announce plans for a Spaced remake. At the time I wrote a piece urging the network to get the original creators involved, but it turns out the pilot for the remake is being made by an American team instead.

The original show was created and written by such luminaries as Simon Pegg, who has gone on to be a big-time Hollywood comic actor with Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and the upcoming Star Trek movie to his name, Nick Frost, who appears with Pegg as his fat sidekick, Edgar Wright, who directed Shaun and Hot Fuzz, and Jessica Hynes (formerly Stevenson) who went on to appear in the Royle Family.

With people as creatively genius as these involved in the original show, it seems madness not to involve them in any remake. But more than that, Fox failed to even credit them for the UK made sitcom.

Pegg and co. do not own the rights, and so Fox were able to sneak in and steal the whole concept from under their noses, but they could have at least offered some kind of involvement or bit part to the creators.

This lack of credit and respect lead Pegg to go on record in his condemnation of the remake, and the people behind it. Back in March of this year, he issued an angry statement.

“It is this flagrant snub and effective vote of no confidence in the very people that created the show that has caused such affront. If they don’t care about the integrity of the original, why call it Spaced?”

“A simple phone call and a few reassurances might have helped to at least curtail the tide of indignation from fans and creators alike. I have, as of yet, heard nothing.”

“The whole affair seems to have inspired some spirited debate and some heartening displays of loyalty and love.”

“All this for a show which is almost ten years old is all rather wonderful and a vindication of all the blood, sweat and tears we shed in the creation.”

Now Pegg has reiterated his desire to see the show fail, telling the Press Association at the BAFTA/LA British Comedy event:

“I find it slightly upsetting to be honest. It’s our baby, but it is theirs now.”

“It’s difficult to say [if it will be a success] because the show was very about being in London in the late ’90s at the millennial turn and being in that country influenced by American culture.”

I’m all for American remakes of British shows because it takes the best of what the UK has to offer and gives it to a whole new generation of fans, and spread the word that we are capable of some brilliant television. However, this only works if the original creators are credited, and asked to be involved with the remake.

The American version of The Office proves what can be achieved with a bit of teamwork, as I would say that due to Gervais and Merchant’s involvement with the project, it has now become something new, and even better than the original, without losing any of it’s original appeal.

It’s a shame that Fox didn’t realise this when they started down the path with Spaced. It’s now too late, and Pegg, Hynes, Frost, Wright, and every fan of the innovative sitcom will be hoping the remake fails.