Copyright-Safe ‘Inspector Spacetime’ Knock-Off Arrives on Beta-Earth

In February, we brought the news of a Kickstarter campaign hoping to fund a web series based on Community‘s riotously funny Doctor Who parody, Inspector Spacetime. Two days later, a lawyer from Sony stepped in and brought up copyright issues, because Sony are just the worst.

But even a threatening phone call couldn’t stop rabid Community fan Travis Richey, who pushed forward with his campaign and has now released the first part of his series under the name Untitled Web Series About a Space Traveler Who Can Also Travel Through Time. When asked why we can’t call the show Inspector Spacetime, Richey simply responded, “YOU can. I can’t.”

Richey raised over $25,000 to fund the project, which will run for six episodes. In addition to the first episode, Richey, who plays the titular traveler, was also kind enough to release a behind the scenes video

What he hasn’t told us is how NBC’s intervention affected his creative process, but variations from the original material in both Doctor Who and Inspector Spacetime are clearly present. The nefarious Blorgons (already a parody of Doctor Who‘s Daleks) are now the Circuit-Chaps (who drone “integrate…integrate…” when they attack, as if they are some sort of math robot), the Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver is now the Optic Pocketknife, and Inspector Spacetime’s trusty sidekick  Constable Reggie has been replaced by the trustworthy and slightly naive Piper.

Community has one of the most intense fan-bases on the Internet (six seasons and a movie!) so there’s no doubt that the show’s large online community (badum tish) will be all over Untitled Web Series About a Space Traveler Who Can Also Travel Through Time. As one of these fans it’s hard for me to hide my excitement. I can’t wait to see not where, but WHEN the series goes from here.