Change is the second episode of Series Two of Spaced.
Overview[]
Tim is fired after taking his diappointment in The Phantom Menace out on a young customer while Daisy struggles to claim her dole money from the job centre. Meanwhile Mike moves in with Marsha after Amber moved out.
Synopsis[]
After another blazing argument, Marsha's daugher Amber leaves home for good. Meanwhile, a broke Daisy is worried; she did not inform the unemployment office that she went on holiday and has not signed on for several months, meaning her unemployment payments have stopped.
While at work Tim, who has still not overcome his disappointment at the film 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace', shouts at a small boy for wanting a Jar Jar Binks toy. Bilbo calls Tim into his office and informs him that this is the last straw; Tim is fired.
Both Tim and Daisy head for the unemployment office to try and sign on; navigating the offices baffling beaurocracy, Daisy's finds her case officer to be a vindictive jobsworth who tricks her into revealing that she has in fact been on holiday instead of 'really ill', and gleefully rejects her claim. Tim on the other hand bonds with his case officer over their shared dislike of The Phantom Menace.
Returning home, they discover that Marsha has invited Mike to be her new lodger, taking over Amber's old room. Tim takes a job at rival comic shop 'Silent Reading', but a remorseful Bilbo tracks him down and asks him to come back to the 'Fantasy Bazaar', which Tim gladly agrees to. Daisy meanwhile has signed with a temp agency and is seen grumpily (and poorly) stacking books at a bookshop.
Brian, meanwhile, is facing a creative crisis; he is unable to find any inspiration. After reading a letter that his favourite uncle has died he suddenly becomes animated and starts painting, but this soon dries up after he receives a phone call from Twist. Marsha correctly deduces the problem; Twist has made Brian happy and, since his muse is fear, anger, pain and aggression, this has stifled his creativity. Realising that his love for Twist is conflicting with his love for art makes Brian utterly miserable, once again restoring his ability to paint.
Television/Film References[]
- When Tim is being woken by Amber's screaming he yells "Buffy".
- Much is made of Tim's hatred for The Phantom Menace, which he describes as a 'jumped up fire-work display of a toy advert'.
- Bilbo asks Tim to step into his office, the door of which resembles The TARDIS. Significance is added to this by the fact that the office/stock room on the other side of the door is bigger than the shop floor at the front.