US greenlights Spaced pilot

Work is about to start on the American remake of Spaced, after the Fox network gave the formal go-ahead for a pilot episode.

The broadcaster has also decided to remake the Hugh Dennis parenthood sitcom Outnumbered for US audiences.

It originally commissioned work on Spaced in October, but the writers’ strike stalled development. However Fox yesterday confirmed the pilot episode, which is being scripted by former Will & Grace writer Adam Barr.

Fox president Kevin Reilly is clearly hoping to replicate the success he had at rival NBC, where he adapted The Office for the US.

Outnumbered – which aired on BBC One last summer – was also given the green light for a pilot.

The original show, written by Drop The Dead Donkey creators Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, aimed for a realistic portrayal of the struggle to bring up children, and was partially improvised.

The American version will be written by Larry Levin, whose credits range from the Eddie Murphy version of Dr. Dolittle to It's Garry Shandling's Show.

Keith Samples of production house MRC, which is remaking the show, told showbiz journal Variety: ‘Larry wrote a fantastic script. Everything fell into place; it had a karmic feel to it.’

There is no word yet on casting or transmission dates for the pilots.

Last year, Spaced director Edgar Wright launched a furious attack on the ‘McSpaced’ remake, saying he 'would like nothing more than to pull the plug' on it. ‘I'm thoroughly miserable about being dragged into the whole process,’ he said.

Published: 29 Feb 2008