Beginnings

"We're, er&hellip;" "&hellip;A couple!""

- Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner

"Beginnings" is the first episode of series one of Spaced. It was broadcast on September 24, 1999.

Synopsis
Struggling artist Tim Bisley and struggling writer Daisy Steiner meet in a café and bond over their mutual search for accomodation. In order to procure what appears to be a dream flat, they pretend to be a professional couple, and get to know each other. They arrive at 23 Meteor Street and meet Marsha Klein, who becomes their new landlady. Tim bids his farewells to ex-girlfriend Sarah while Daisy leaves her squat. The faux-couple settle in and meet their downstairs neighbour, experimental painter Brain Topp. Despite close scrutiny, their ruse succeeds, and Tim and Daisy retire to their rooms at the end of a long and life-changing day.

Cast

 * Jessica Stevenson &hellip; Daisy Steiner
 * Simon Pegg &hellip; Tim Bisley
 * Bill Bailey &hellip; Bilbo Bagshot
 * Katy Carmichael &hellip; Twist Morgan
 * Julia Deakin &hellip; Marsha Klein
 * Nick Frost &hellip; Mike Watt
 * Mark Heap &hellip; Brian Topp
 * James Lance &hellip; Richard
 * Peter Serafinowicz &hellip; Duane Benzie
 * Anna Wilson-Jones &hellip; Sarah
 * Edgar Wright &hellip; First Sleeping Ex-flatmate (uncredited)

Homage-O-Meter

 * 00:30 – Terminator 2: Judgment Day is referenced, specifically the ending (with the thumb and the molten&hellip;thing) which made Tim cry like a baby.
 * 02:59 – "Getting to Know You" plays over the montage, taken from The King and I.
 * 03:19 – dialogue exchange taken from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, as spoken by Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill): ""How's it going?" "Same as always" "That bad, huh?"

- Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner


 * 03:55 – Edgar Wright's mother was known to call him "pickle". Shaun is also given this nickname by Barbara in Shaun of the Dead.
 * 05:06 – the name "Tim Bisley" is taken from graphic artist Simon Bisley. The artwork was done by Jim Murray and Jason Brashill of 2000AD fame.
 * 05:16 – Tim once had a collection of Batman comics prior to an incident involving his sister, a cardboard car and a pond, resulting not only in Tim's forehead scar, but also the loss of said comics.
 * 05:47 – Dark Star Comics is based on Dark Horse Comics.
 * 05:49 – God's Third Leg was a late-eighties band whose drummer was none other than Simon Pegg.
 * 06:13 – the interesting and relevant thoughts and speculations posited by the contemporary science-fiction series The X-Files are defended with terminal intensity by Tim.
 * 06:30 – Gillian Anderson appears in glossy, stapled form as the object of Tim's dubious affections.
 * 07:04 – The young Daisy is reading an issue of The Beano.
 * 07:15 – Michelle from Eastenders did indeed get a third.
 * 07:39 – The animated amalgamation of Daisy's supposed fears was done in the style of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy TV series.
 * 08:14 – Yes, an obvious reference to Green Card, whose stars–Andie MacDowell and Gérard Depardieu–are also name-checked.
 * 09:45 – various references to The Shining, including "perfect for a child" and the terrifying twins–who were set to be recurring characters until it transpired The League of Gentlemen had similar characters in their Christmas special.
 * 13:05 – cameos in the form of Edgar Wright and Andy Hollis portraying two of Daisy's stoner flatmates.