Vancouver: CBC is giving This Space for Rent, a would-be dramedy about twentysomethings living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, another shot at finding a place to stay.

Based on feedback on the pilot, CBC comedy boss Anton Leo has asked producer Jason James (Unnatural & Accidental) and writer Nick Citton to write four more scripts and to shoot two half-hour episodes, with a bit of retooling.

‘The show is now more comedy, less dramedy, more upbeat. It’s better suited as a half-hour,’ says James.

The pilot was a full hour and aired in January along with pilots for Rabbittown and Cheap Draft, Bad Language, Fast Cars, Women and a Video Camera. All three were also posted on the network’s website and sent to targeted homes and focus groups across Canada.

Space, aimed squarely at 18-35-year-olds, was the only one that generated enough buzz. ‘The ratings were very modest, not surprisingly,’ says Leo. ‘But the response via e-mail, especially from Western Canada, was very good. We received over 1,000 e-mails, lots referring to ‘this show is telling my story.’

‘It’s gorgeously shot… Nick is a spectacular writer, and they’ve found a really great cast. We decided there were enough positives to try two new half-hours.’

In light of the recent show cancellations at CBC and its renewed push for younger viewers, James thinks Space has a good shot at getting picked up as a series, and has reconfirmed the original cast – Dov Tiefenbach (Flower & Garnet), Rainbow Sun Francks, Emily Hampshire, Kea Wong and Jason Bryden.

James, Citton and executive producer Brian Hamilton are also scouting to complete the retooled creative team.

‘Because of the shift in tone, we’re looking for people who have more experience to fit the new direction’ he says. ‘We’re aiming to shoot this spring and deliver the two episodes in July for a retest.’

This Space for Rent is a copro between Omni Film Productions and Resonance Films with CBC.