We learned a couple of days ago that filmmaker McG is developing an American version of the brilliant UK television show SPACED. And the creators are none too happy about it.
For the record, those original SPACED masterminds are the wonderfully demented gents behind SHAUN OF THE DEAD and HOT FUZZ: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright. The ingenious British show ran two 7-episode seasons, and followed an aspiring comic artist (Pegg) and a writer (series co-creator Jessica Stevenson) who pretend to be married in order to get an apartment meant for professional couples only. The entire hilarious run, loaded with more comic and genre film references than anyone could count, was directed by Wright.
Sadly, Wright found out about McG and Fox's intended remake at the same time we did -- he read it in the trades. Needless to say, he's a bit steamed -- while venting at his MySpace blog, Wright admits that he has no ownership rights or financial benefit of the property, but a courtesy call about the remake would have been at least polite.
McG has WILL & GRACE writer Adam Barr working on his McSPACED script in the fruitless attempt at bottled lightning. Perhaps they'll simply realize that what made the show successful can't be effectively reproduced for the TWO AND A HALF MEN audiences.
The UK show has only aired on cable a few times in the States and a DVD has been delayed due to music clearance and other issues, but you'd be wise to track down the show by any means necessary.
Extra Tidbit:
I'm still amused that NBC tried to do a US remake of the UK sitcom COUPLING... which was a ripoff of the US sitcom FRIENDS. Yeah, hard to believe that failed miserably.
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