re: Josh Lawson Cast in lead

I agree it's a bad sign when the creators aren't on board, but it such a pity you guys won't get to see Aussie actor Josh Lawson. He's well loved in Australia & it was a big deal when won the role of Ben/Tim.

It's strange but there haven't been reports of the network passing on the pilot. Go to YouTube and check out Josh on 'Thank God Your Here'. This is another great product of Australian comedy (rare, but it certainly exists). It's improve/skit show broadcast 100% live. The performers have absolutely no idea what they're walking into. If you want a little insight into the comics we cherish in Australia, check out this show.

I think the issue 90% of the people have with the American remake is that the names of Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg were thrown about as though they'd had something to do with it, co-creator/writer/star Jessica Stevenson (now Hynes) was only mentioned in later articles and announcements, and all the while none of them were even informed that their show was being adapted before it went to press.

I strongly doubt it's anything to do with money for the Hynes/Pegg/Wright group. It's all a matter of courtesy. If you respect someone's work enough to adapt it, have the courtesy to drop them a line before it's announced in the press and let them know what you're doing. Regardless of whether they have the actual rights to the show, the fact remains that they are the ones who created it.

Wow. Me, I agree with everything Brad's written here, and I don't see him putting himself in the post at all. I've been part of the anti-McSpaced movement myself (if you thought the American "Coupling" didn't work, I can only imagine what the American "Spaced" would have been).

So, I cheered when I saw the headline, and expected to come to the comments to see similar celebrating. I should have known better about TVSquad commenters, though!

Brad, isn't it time to listen to the pretty consistent feedback on your blog posts? Please stop presenting opinion as fact and stop talking about yourself _all_ the time. It's come to the point where I no longer have to check the byline whenever an entry strikes me as immature. God knows why TV Squad keeps you on staff - you seem impervious to criticism.

"yet he included their as if they were still involved"

Included their what? In what? Where? Huh?

Brad, if your going to use an AICN source, at least don't change it. AICN said about McG

"I don't lay all of that on McG's feet. From what I understand he always intended to include Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson in the process, but was advised against it in the early days of the option. "

The way you've written it, McG is the bad guy and never wanted there involvement.

"NBC was smart enough to have the creators of The Office rewrite their original pilot and give them creator credits. Why couldn't Spaced?"

Because the original creators of Spaced had no where in their contract that said they had to be involved in any remakes of the show. The signed away international rights, and therefore FOX has no reason to pay them. Pegg and the rest are just angry that they won't get as much money as they could have from this remake, and are no demanding rights that they signed away because they are famous.

Why is there so much hate for the US Spaced? We haven't even seen it yet, and most people are celebrating that it won't make it to air. It would have been interesting to see how a new team of writers would have handled the series, look how The Office turned out, but it looks like fanboys have won out in the end. Ricky Gervais had no input in the remake of The Office, and that show is brilliant.

Meant to add, I was really insulted with how the show was announced, and the total lack of respect to Simon, Edgar and Jess. The show was a special TV production by a fantastically formed team of people, and the blunt attempt to recreate the show, with apparently no knowledge of the show's history, was the worst possible way they could have gone about it. While I never liked the news, I would have given it a shot if they hadn't rubbed the original's fans up the wrong way.

As usual, the clueless US network execs show that they don't understand what makes a successful show. They try and break it down to a formula. They think Spaced was a success because of the situation, the number of actors, the location etc. They don't understand that it's all about the clever writing and great performances. The characters in Spaced could have been in almost any "situation". No doubt all the networks are looking at The (US) Office and trying to workout what the formula was there. They don't get that it is again, brilliant writing and amazing performances. You could have changed just one thing there (e.g. not cast Steve Carrell) and it could easily have been a big failure.

Hooray! Spaced is one of the best UK comedies ever (if not THE best), and altho I didn't care in the end if they went ahead and did it or not, I gave a big cheer when I saw the headline.

Fox already screwed over my number one comedy (AD), I didn't want them to do the same with my second favorite.