Spaced: Series 1 (2000)

A British comedy sitcom written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson. The 'story' focuses on Tim and Daisy, two jobless dreamers from London that get a flat under false pretences. They have to remember to keep up the pretence or risk eviction when the ageing and randy divorcee landlady Marsha, who lives upstairs, comes to visit. Trying to remember to sustain the lie when you spend your time smoking weed, drinking and playing video games without sleep is tough.

There are occasional visitations from friends to keep the two flatmates company, the anguished and socially awkward artist Brian from downstairs, the snobbish image fixated bimbo Twist, and my favourite, the moustachioed gun-happy, failed soldier Mike (played by the always entertaining Nick Frost).

The show is directed by Edgar Wright, who brought a very stylistic approach to the visuals. There are a lot of popular culture, film, music, comic book and video game references that someone not embroiled in that world won't catch, and as a consequence much of the subtle humour will go unnoticed. The obvious jokes that everyone will see are quick fire verbal put-downs or visibly awkward moments that remind us why we hate most people (or is that just me?). It lapses frequently into non-sequitur territory, but that's part of the charm.

If you're in your mid-twenties to mid-thirties and know the difference between adamantium and Adam Ant then you'll maybe find a laugh or three in Spaced.

7 episodes, approx 25 minutes each.

3½ cohabitation charades out of 5