8 Scottish Comedy Shows Absolutely Everyone Should Watch on Burns Night (or any other night of the year it's up to you...)
I'm from Scotland and a big fan of comedy but when the discussion on great British comedy shows comes up it's generally distinctly lacking in Scottish content. This list is designed to address that. Given that the Scottish language can occasionally be tricky for non native speakers I've rated each show as to whether subtitles are required*. These range from "Naw" (no) to "Mibbe" (maybe) to "Aye!" (yes). In no particular order here are a bunch of Scottish comedy shows absolutely everyone should see.
*Subtitles aren't really required. You just might have to pay attention and listen carefully. Ye ken fit am sayin?
1. Chewin' The Fat
Despite being 20 years old in 2019, Chewin' The Fat is still one of the most highly regarded comedy shows to ever have aired in Scotland. It uses the tried and tested sketch show format featuring a cast of eccentric recurring characters with quotable catchphrases but the writing and performances are so memorable that the inherent repetition never gets boring. There's the short tempered chef who so delicately tries to put the finishing touches to his signature dish but always ends up losing the plot and destroying the place, Ronald Villiers, possibly Scotland's worst actor, an office boss who thinks he's invisible, much to the chagrin of his staff, oh and The Big Man, nobody forgets The Big Man. Despite being set in Scotland, with an all Scottish cast, most of the jokes translate just fine. Chewin' The Fat is the quintessential sketch show.
In the UK only Season 1 is currently available on Netflix. If you don't have a Netflix account, steal your mate's password. If you don't have any mates or aren't in the UK then you can buy the ‘best of’ DVD here.
Subtitles required? Mibbe.
2. Still Game
Still Game is arguably the most popular Scottish sitcom ever. The show is a spin-off from Chewin' The Fat and follows pensioners Jack Jarvis, Victor McDade and their friends and neighbours as they go about their daily lives around Craiglang, a fictional suburb of Glasgow. It's a witty, hilarious and unforgettable pastiche of Scottish life and most Scots will know more than a few real people not too dissimilar to those portrayed in the show. The writing is impeccable and remarkably there's not a single dud episode in the whole of the first 6 seasons. Even in more recent seasons it's much more hit than miss and with the final season due to air this year it will be sorely missed.
Seven seasons are currently available on Netflix in the UK but the full box set can be found on DVD here.
Subtitles required? Mostly Mibbe. Sometimes Aye.
3. Limmy's Show
A sketch show like no other, Limmy's Show is bizarre, confusing, deranged, thoughtful and downright hilarious. Limmy focuses on the unusual aspects of ordinary life, things that no-one else has noticed. They're things that no-one else has noticed for good reason but Limmy is an expert in breeding comedy from the mundane and the bizarre concepts he come up with are frequently genius. Other than a version of himself there are a number of returning characters like the constantly stoned down and out Dee Dee with his fantastical mastications on the everyday - his elaborate description of the power struggle between his kitchen utensils is one of the best sketches I've ever watched. Then there's former junkie Jaqueline McCafferty a baritone transvestite who wants nothing more than to be seen as a strong confident woman and let's not forget Falconhoof, the host of a phone-in choose your own adventure show harangued by callers that mostly want to hijack proceedings. An absolutely essential watch. It's complete lunacy but one of the best things to come out of modern Scottish comedy.
Limmy's show is currently available on Netflix in the UK and the US but if you want to get physical you can buy the Season 1 DVD here.
Subtitles required? Mostly Mibbe. Sometimes Aye.
4. Gary Tank Commander
A sitcom following Gary, the titular tank commander, and his squad mates as they go about their lives as part of the fictional 104th Royal Tank Regiment of the British Army. The show focuses mainly on the group's antics whilst going about their regular duties after returning home from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan but it mixes things up by splicing in YouTube style skits of their on-tour downtime such as bizarre music videos for Lady Gaga's Telephone or Jai Ho! by A.R. Rahman. The humour is wonderfully dry and the camaraderie and banter between the characters is witty and believable. There's also the odd interview style clip featuring just Gary and the camera where he's thoughtful, contemplative and bafflingly stupid. Great stuff.
Not on Netflix. WHAT!? That's ok, there are tonnes of episodes for free on YouTube and you can always buy it on DVD here. DVDs, remember those?
Subtitles required? Mibbe. Level 1 in Scottish speed talking required.
5. The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star
Featuring a whole host of celebrity cameos including Noel Gallagher, Keith Chegwin and Timmy Mallett, The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star (pretty snappy title) follows Jez (vox), his band mates Psycho (bass), Bigot (drums), Joe (lead guitar), Fiona (keys) and manager Art as they traverse the treacherous music industry as Jocks-Wa-Hey. That means there are fights, sleaze bags, awkward children's television appearances, angry Scottish stereotypes, banter, more fights and rock and roll destruction of property. It's a short ride with only one season of six episodes but it's hilarious, charming, ridiculous and most of all, essential viewing.
The whole lot is on YouTube but if you really want to buy it, just go here and get the VHS.
Subtitles required? Naw.
6. Absolutely
Whilst Absolutely is more strictly a British comedy its cast and crew is primarily made up of Scots and features many sketches with Scottish themes and characters. There's McGlashan who hates the English with a passion and maintains that Scotland invented everything (we all know one of them), there's Calum Gilhooley, the most boring person in the world (we also all know one of them) and George and Donald McDiarmid a bizarre duo who won't buy wallpaper unless it's the correct distance away or matches their cooker's jacket (some of us might even know a few of them). There's also a good deal of Welsh and English characters thrown in with universal themes and situations most people can identify with and plenty of surreal ones to boot. Invariably, sketch shows are hit and miss and Absolutely is no different but you will leave most sketches with a smile on your face and each episode an overall feeling of satisfaction.
"Do you have the same pattern only slightly further away?"
The full first episode of Series 1 and a whole host of clips are on YouTube and all four seasons are available on ALL 4 in the UK but otherwise you'll need a DVD which you can grab here.
Subtitles required? Naw.
7. Scot Squad
A fun mockumentary following fictional members of the Scottish Police Force as they go about their business on the daily beat, apprehending "bams", eating "munchy boxes" and arresting "tubes". Like all good mock documentaries it's played as straight and as dry as possible and some of the situations the police find themselves in are undoubtedly founded somewhat in reality. Truth is stranger than fiction as they say. It's not going to set your world on fire but it's silly, fun and will get a crack of a smile on the faces of even the most humourless curmudgeon. In a throwback to an earlier entry on the list, the police chief is played by former Absolutely star Jack Docherty.
A tonne of episodes and clips are free to watch on YouTube but if you must grace your shelf with a physical copy, you can grab that here.
Subtitles required? Naw.
8. Takin' Over The Asylum
Falling slightly more heavily on the side of drama over comedy, Takin' Over The Asylum is a charming, funny and emotionally affecting 6 part series telling the tale of a reluctant double glazing salesman who takes a part time job as the radio DJ at a mental health hospital. Ken Stott stars as down on his luck Eddie who after being let go from another hospital radio gig turns up at St Jude's Hospital and amid the lunacy tries to get the patients involved with his new radio show. All the while he struggles to pay the bills and support his Grandmother doing a day job he hates. Along the way he is emphatically assisted by Campbell (a wonderfully manic turn by David Tennant), Fergus (a schizophrenic electrical engineer), obsessive compulsive cleaner Rosaline and befriends Francine who struggles with depression and self harm. It's both light and heavy hearted, dark yet hilarious and with the increasing prominence of mental health issues in society today is perhaps more essential than ever. It also has a quite brilliant rock and roll soundtrack.
"Believe me, if you had to invent something that was guaranteed to drive people completely round the bend, you'd invent a mental hospital."
The full series is currently available on YouTube (Episode 1 is below) but you can also get the DVD here.
Subtitles required? Naw.
List over. Missed your favourite show? Let me know in the comments below. Got more to say? Why not get involved? Contact me here.
Peace.
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