Edgar Wright Admits His Cult Show Almost Went Too Far
Famed director Edgar Wright is known for his distinct cinematic voice. But looking back at his breakout TV series, he reveals one specific episode that still makes him uneasy—a moment he believes came dangerously close to derailing the entire project. What was the scene that almost ruined it all?
When you settle in to watch an Edgar Wright movie, you know you're in for a specific kind of treat. His films are a reliable escape, blending sharp action, clever humor, and an impeccable taste in music. It’s a formula he has honed to perfection, creating unforgettable moments like the opening bank robbery in _Baby Driver_ set to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. This signature style delivers a couple of hours of pure entertainment filled with witty references and laugh-out-loud scenes.
The Blueprint for a Career
This winning combination wasn't developed overnight. Wright has been refining his craft for decades, starting with the British TV show _Spaced_ at the end of the 1990s. Created with Simon Pegg, the series became a word-of-mouth sensation on Channel 4. Over just 14 episodes, the show, which also featured their future _Shaun of the Dead_ and _Hot Fuzz_ co-star Nick Frost, built a world packed with video games, surreal adventures, and unforgettable characters, including a bizarre downstairs artist named Brian.
_Spaced_ was practically engineered to become a cult classic among college students, and it succeeded brilliantly. The show served as a clear template for Wright's future comedies. You can see his developing style in the rapid-fire jump cuts, the montages, the deep affection for 1980s action flicks, and a soundtrack loaded with amazing tracks from artists like the Chemical Brothers, Nightmares on Wax, and Coldcut.
A Brush with Cringe
Even with only two short seasons, there were moments that Wright now finds a bit awkward to look back on. As he explained to _The AV Club_, “There were moments in the second season where if we didn’t jump the shark, we came very close.” For those unfamiliar with the phrase, 'jumping the shark' originates from the classic show _Happy Days_. It describes the point when a series has exhausted its creative ideas and resorts to absurd stunts, like having a character on water skis literally jump over a shark.
Wright continued, elaborating on the specific moment that still makes him wince. “I think looking back, we’re faintly embarrassed by the _Matrix_ episode. Even though there’s loads of good jokes in that one. I think at the time, we thought _The Matrix_ was as cool as we thought _Star Wars_ was during the first season. It was very funny timing that the first and second series landed on either side of _The Phantom Menace_. It’s kind of amusing.”
From Fanatics to Filmmakers
The obsession with _Star Wars_ was no small detail for Wright and Pegg. In fact, Pegg wrote his college thesis on the George Lucas franchise. At the time, he likely never imagined that his passion would come full circle. Thanks to the success that started with _Spaced_ and continued with the _Cornetto trilogy_, Pegg found himself deeply involved in the universe he once studied.
He not only landed a role in the 2015 film _The Force Awakens_ but also worked as a script advisor for director JJ Abrams, a testament to how their early creative endeavors, fueled by pop culture love, launched their careers into the stratosphere.